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 Built To Spill, Björk, Phoenix, Blood Orange, and more.
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Built To Spill — When The Wind Forgets Your Name
This venerable indie rock group may have gotten their start in the early ’90s, but they’re still going strong with their brand new album When The Wind Forgets Your Name. The album opens with the cutting and electrifying track “Gonna Lose” and manages to keep up the momentum throughout the rest of the hooky, psych rock-leaning project.
Sudan Archives — Natural Brown Prom Queen
Sudan Archives has returned with Natural Brown Prom Queen, her latest album following 2019’s Athena, and the impressive 18-track project is by far her most confident work yet. Known as a master violinist, the instrument remains present on the album but isn’t quite at the centerfold of her music. Overall, Natural Brown Prom Queen shows off Sudan Archives’ masterful artistry complete with irresistible rhythms, spoken word hooks, swooning reflections, and celebrations of joy.
Jockstrap — I Love You Jennifer B
UK duo Jockstrap dropped their hotly anticipated debut album I Love You Jennifer B, filled with 10 brimming, experimental tracks you’d be hard-pressed to fit into a single genre. Lead singer Georgia Ellery’s fluttering vocals float over intricate beats laced with a range of influences from Bollywood to disco.
Weyes Blood — “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody”
It’s been 2019 years since Weyes Blood released her masterpiece of an album, Titanic Rising. But this week, the songwriter announced she’s got another album on the way, titled And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow, which she previewed with the soulful, sepia-tinged single “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody.” The song makes it clear why she’s consistently been compared to greats like Cher and Stevie Nicks; her haunting-yet-comforting voice wraps delicately around a piano’s keys as she delivers reflections on connections and human nature.
Björk — “Atopos”
Björk has always been in a lane of her own, and the Icelandic singer’s latest single “Atopos” is no different. The song builds on a backbone provided by a section of ominous woodwind instruments that’s, true to Björk’s brand, steeped in drama. The song points to the avant-pop singer’s upcoming 10th studio album Fossora and proves she hasn’t given up her pursuit of uninhibited experimentation.
Alex G — “Miracles”
Just over a week away from his upcoming album God Save The Animals, Alex G continues rolling out some of his strongest work to date with the rollicking track “Miracles,” hearkening back to Alex G’s pastoral 2017 album Rocket. The song is led by a bluesy guitar and bluegrass instrumentals while Alex G sings of battling apathy and asking life’s biggest questions.
Blood Orange — “Jesus Freak Lighter”
Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes continues to be one of today’s most stunning producers with his latest track “Jesus Freak Lighter,” which officially announces his upcoming EP Four Songs. Offering a revved-up tune to contrast some of his previous piano-laden catalog, “Jesus Freak Lighter” manages to be both an electrifying and arresting ballad, featuring invigorating synths and Hynes’ silky smooth lyrical delivery.
Phoenix — “Tonight” Feat. Ezra Koenig
Since 2010’s French indie pop group Phoenix is making a comeback, it’s only right they’ve tapped another artist who had their break-out moment around the same time: Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig. The band’s latest single “Tonight” is as playful as ever and sees Koenig’s recognizable guest vocals coupled with vibrant guitar riffs and upbeat refrains.
2nd Grade — “Me & My Blue Angels”
2nd Grade, the band consisting of members from Remember Sports, Free Cake For Every Creature, and Friendship, won over hearts with the aptly named debut album Hit To Hit. Now, they’re taking their jangly melodies to the next level with their upcoming sophomore release, Easy Listening. The band’s latest, soaring track “Me & My Blue Angels” was written with bright melodies and according to bandleader Peter Gill, written about “anyone who you trust 100 percent to have your back when the sh*t hits the fan.”
Wednesday — “Bull Believer”
In order to celebrate a newly inked deal with Dead Oceans, Asheville-based band Wednesday tear it up with the 8-minute ripper “Bull Believer.” The song is packed with discordant riffs and takes a brief minute to mellow out before vocalist Karly Hartzman shrieks until the song closes. “This song is an excuse for me to scream on stage, an outlet for the anger and sadness that has been collected by the current and past versions of myself,” said Hartzman.
Sorry — “Key To The City”
London indie rockers Sorry are gearing up for what is expected to be one of the best indie releases of the year with next month’s LP Anywhere But Here. Offering another taste of the upcoming album, Sorry drop the simmering track “Key To The City,” which creates haunting soundscapes to which vocalist Asha Lorenz delivered veiled prose about retaining control in a relationship.
Source: https://uproxx.com/indie/best-new-indie-phoenix-ezra-koenig-bjork/
