Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got new music from Sky Ferreira, Wilco, Bright Eyes, and more.
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Bright Eyes — Companion EPs
Bright Eyes are not only back on tour, but they also recently undertook the ambitious project of re-issuing all nine of their studio albums. Each will be accompanied by an EP that sees the band reworking older songs while inviting contributors like Phoebe Bridgers and Waxahatchee to lend their voices. This week, the Companion EPs A Collection of Songs Written And Recorded 1995-1997: A Companion, Letting Off The Happiness: A Companion And Fevers, and Mirrors: A Companion were released, offering a way for day-one fans to connect with their music in a unique way.
Wilco — Cruel Country
Despite nearly three decades as a band, Wilco still remains wildly prolific, as seen on their recent 12th studio LP Cruel Country. The 21-track album shows Wilco at their creative best and getting back to the heart of their earlier releases. Recorded mostly live, Cruel Country is both jammy and concise Americana music that examines our country through a critical lens.
Dehd — Blue Skies
Chicago post-punk trio Dehd dropped their fourth studio album Blue Skies this week. The rollicking album is full of sunny melodies, jangly chords, and playful refrains, pointing to the band’s refined songwriting and tangible chemistry.
Haai — Baby, We’re Ascending
After honing her sound over the last five years with a handful of singles and a 2020 EP, Haai’s technical skills are on full display in her euphoric debut LP Baby, We’re Ascending. The UK-based producer jam-packed glitchy and euphoric beats into the 13-track effort, collaborating with the likes of Jon Hopkins and Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor.
Hovvdy — Billboard For My Feelings
Last year, Austin-based duo Hovvdy released the expansive album True Love. Now compiling a handful of songs written in that era that didn’t quite make it to the album, the band releases the four-track effort Billboard For My Feelings. The collection of tracks boast bright melodies paired with the group’s signature washed-out vocals.
Sky Ferreira — “Don’t Forget”
Making good on her promise to release new music this year, Sky Ferreira dropped the shimmering new single “Don’t Forget.” Her second song in nine years, “Don’t Forget” marks a pop-leaning return and points to her upcoming album Masochism. Combining slick synths and a crashing beat, “Don’t Forget” plays up an 80’s inspired sound.
Beabadoobee — “Lovesong”
Going back to her acoustic roots, Beabadoobee shares the tender lullaby “Lovesong.” Offering a contrast to her recent rock-leaning tracks, “Lovesong” displays the UK singer’s versatile songwriting. It was originally written for her second EP, but was the last track she recorded for the upcoming album Beatopia.
MUNA — “Home By Now”
Muna are just about a month out from releasing their self-titled release on Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory records. Sharing their fourth single ahead of the album, the band releases the shimmering track “Home By Now.” A pulsing beat and ’80s-inspired synths color the track as vocalist Kate Gavin sings of questioning choices following the end of a relationship. “While a lot of this album does seem to be about trusting my instincts, this song acknowledges the pain of not knowing if I left a relationship that I was meant to be in,” Gavin said about the single.
Ganser — “People Watching”
Chicago band Ganser are known for crafting dark and thrashing punk music, which they refined on their acclaimed 2020 sophomore album Just Look At That Sky. Now kicking off a new era with the upcoming EP, Nothing You Do Matters, Ganser share the propulsive track “People Watching.” A dizzying mix of moody guitars are layered underneath apathetic lyrics about the state of the world, pointing to the kind of cheerfully nihilistic music Ganser is expected to release on their new project.
Alex G — “Blessing”
After penning the soundtrack to the film We’re All Going To The World’s Fair, Alex G shows off his experimental side with the new track “Blessing.” Departing from his singer-songwriter catalog, the new song opens with a wall of discordant guitars before whispering vocals deliver lines that are surprisingly optimistic compared to the track’s haunting instrumentals.
Gordi — “Way I Go”
The last we heard from Australian songwriter Gordi, she had teamed up with pop star Troye Sivan for an electrifying single. But now, the singer is back to promote a new EP Inhuman, which is out later this summer. The project’s lead single is the wistful tune “Way I Go,” colored by the gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar and Gordi’s softly resonating vocals.
JayWood — “Thank You”
Winnipeg musician JayWood is readying the release of the forthcoming album Slingshot by sharing the upbeat new track “Thank You.” Co-produced by Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Jacob Portrait, “Thank You” is both sunny and celebratory, mixing a groove-forward beat with lyrics about focusing on the positive. Dedicated to his late mother and other folks who aren’t in his life anymore, JayWood said the song “kinda wrote itself, it felt so easy to put together because I knew the core of what I was trying to get across.”
Source: https://uproxx.com/indie/best-new-indie-sky-ferreira-wilco-muna/