indie underrated

Ako-Weekend

Fans of chill R&B will love Ako’s new single, Weekend. The French R&B artist continues to provide serenading bangers, following up on his first release, “Slowly”. This track, featuring swelling synth pads and knocking trap drums, is a bouncy, fun neo soul track for the modern era. The arrangement calls to mind artists like SZA and Bryson Tiller, while the vocals are sure to remind the listener of Brent Faiyaz.

You can listen to this song on Spotify here. You can follow Ako on Instagram here.

The Blues and Grays-RML

Pivoting slightly from the first track, The Blues and Grays’ new single carries on the chill, somewhat melancholic vibe. Santa Barbara based indie act The Blues and Gray’s new single is a groovy, indie pop banger that demonstrates why the band has continued to dominate the touring scene, having opened for acts like Run the Jewels, Banks and Walk the Moon. Their fusion of electronic elements with indie rock is especially creative, with a sound that calls to mind bands like the 1975 and the xx. Lindsey Waldon’s vocals take center stage on this song though, with a gorgeous tone that clearly draws influence from Lana Del Rey.

You can You can follow The Blues and Grays on Instagram here.

Shay Wize-I Don’t Believe In Love

Wrapping up on a more somber note, Shay Wize’s single “I Don’t Believe In Love” is perfect for those looking for solace. This single, from Israeli musical mastermind Shay Wize, really demonstrates Wize’s rapidly ascending star, with about 600,000 streams on Spotify for his album “Fairytales”. This track, an acoustic ballad, really conveys the heartbreak in the lyrics as he sings of the emotional pain felt after a relationship ends. Shay’s vocals are a soulful tenor with lots of range in expression, bringing to mind singers like Hozier and Jeff Buckley.

You can listen to this song on Spotify here. You can follow Shay on Instagram here.