Another Friday, another stack of new music worth digging through.
This week swings from sibling-made pop punk and fuzzy indie rock to Caribbean-tinged hip-hop, slacker punk, heavy metal and some very good weirdness in between.
Here’s what’s spinning.
BABY B – ‘Pretty Boys’
Indie pop at its best. BABY B calls her sound “chaotic sadness”, and ‘Pretty Boys’ nails that balance of glossy hooks, sharp writing and a little emotional wreckage underneath.
CINTRA – ‘DMT’
We know, we say it a lot, but sibling bands just straight up rule. Brothers Nic and Dan Reynolds lead CINTRA through a sharp pop-punk cut packed with big guitars, hooks and zero wasted motion.
Leah Linda – ‘Memory Lane’
A sweet country-pop gem from Leah Linda, with warm storytelling and an easy vocal that gives ‘Memory Lane’ plenty to feel good about.
Kent Avenue Carpool – ‘Parking Lot Birds’
We love this one. ‘Parking Lot Birds’ is a hazy little indie-rock gem, with Kent Avenue Carpool blending psych and shoegaze into something loose, warm and instantly likeable.
Lone Till Payday – ‘Bike Lane’
Jersey alt-rock collective Lone Till Payday bring plenty of scrappy energy to ‘Bike Lane’, arriving ahead of their debut album The People and the Places.
Whit. – ‘manic!’
A total mood. Whit. pulls hip-hop, pop and Caribbean influences into ‘manic!’, with the St Louis artist sounding completely comfortable moving between all three.
AtticOmatic – ‘Lewin’
Brighton five-piece AtticOmatic keep things restless on ‘Lewin’, weaving skittering rhythms, winding guitars and dreamy textures into a track that does not sit still.
Honey VHS – ‘Blue Eyes, Sunshine’
Brooklyn outfit Honey VHS keep things warm and lived-in on ‘Blue Eyes, Sunshine’, blending folk, blues and classic rock with the loose chemistry of a band playing together in the room.
BLACK SURF – ‘Nothing Better Than A Good Time’
BLACK SURF fucking love the ’90s, and you can hear it. Fuzzy guitars, huge harmonies and serious Weezer energy make ‘Nothing Better Than A Good Time’ exactly that.
Vaishalini – ‘This Is What You Wanted’
A sharp little indie-pop drop from Vaishalini, who is currently building towards an album. ‘This Is What You Wanted’ is a pretty strong reason to keep listening.
Direct Force – ‘Proportional’
There’s a definite Rage Against the Machine streak to ‘Proportional’. Direct Force piles groove metal, thrash and death metal into a track that hits very hard.
Inclination of Direction – ‘With This Song’
North Alabama trio Inclination of Direction bring the prog-metal weight on ‘With This Song’, with big riffs, shifting structures and with enough muscle to get you through a Friday.
Chuck New Indie Music: Happy’s Mixtape a follow. Updated every week with emerging indie, rock and alt artists picked by Happy Mag.
