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 the new album from Jehnny Beth, another sampling of a forthcoming project from R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, and a new track from Fontaines DC. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.
Jehnny Beth — To Love Is To Live
The debut solo album from Savages’ Jehnny Beth was inspired by David Bowie’s Blackstar, with Beth telling the New York Times that she worked on the project “as if I was going to die.” Brooding and intense, To Live Is To Love is an earnest reconciliation with life and the constant advancement toward death, a formidable solo entry for Beth and some of the best new indie music this week.
Coriky — Coriky
Understated but powerful, Coriky is Ian Mackaye’s new band, featuring fellow Fugazi member Joe Lally on bass and The Warmers’ Amy Farina on drums. With all three members singing, the band’s self-titled debut sounds like an amalgam of the best of DC punk with modern alternative rock vibes.
Michael Stipe + Big Red Machine — “No Time For Love Like Now”
Two months after its live debut on The Late Show, Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon’s Big Red Machine have shared the studio version of their collaboration with R.E.M. leader Michael Stipe. It’s what what Derrick Rossignol calls for Uproxx a “contemplative track,” and comes alongside a video of Stipe and Dessner playing the song in their respective homes.
Fontaines DC — “I Don’t Belong”
The opening track of Fontaines DC’s forthcoming sophomore album A Hero’s Death is a droning ode to independence. According to Carolyn Droke for Uproxx, it “hones the band’s sound while staying true to their post-punk roots with droning guitars and cerebral lyrics.”
Lionel Boy — “Lately”
With his debut EP Who Is Dovey just around the corner, Lionel Boy has been steadily rolling out new music to continue building momentum. “Lately” is a groovy track, featuring saxophone lines and Lionel Boy’s reverb-soaked vocals over-saturated percussion.
Shamir — “On My Own”
Shamir just released an album earlier this year, but he isn’t done just yet, with another as-yet-untitled LP in the works for later this summer. “On My Own” is the first taste of that forthcoming project, what Carolyn Droke calls for Uproxx a “fuzzy, grunge-inspired guitar riff that’s juxtaposed by Shamir’s lilting vocals.”
Bully — “Where To Start”
After Bully vocalist Alicia Bognanno underwent some massive life changes during while writing, the band’s new album Sugaregg was born out of the flames. You can hear the intensity in the album’s “noisy and earnest” lead single, according to Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.
Woodkid — “Pale Yellow”
Seven years after releasing his debut album, Woodkid is finally prepping its follow up. “Pale Yellow” is the latest sampling from the new effort, evoking James Blake’s crooning over orchestral instrumentation before intricate industrial beats enter the picture. It’s a promising taste of what’s to come from the long-awaited new album.
De’Wayne — “National Anthem”
Mixing energetic alternative rock and hip-hop, De’Wayne reflects his American experience in the new track “National Anthem.” “I had planned on releasing this at a future date,” he said in a statement, “but I’m taking the most recent (and recurring) event as a sign that the world needs this right f*cking now.” It’s De’Wayne’s first standalone single with Hopeless Records, leaving us excited for what’s to come from the LA-based artist.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Source: https://uproxx.com/indie/new-indie-music-this-week-jehnny-beth-michael-stipe/