indie underrated

Alt-rock trio Burnadine likes to push the boundaries of what’s typically considered rock and they do just that with their newest release “Dreambitch.” 

We see them pushing in a few directions here. Vocalist Navi Blue has the singing prowess of pop queens like Olivia Rodrigo and pushes the track that way. Instrumentalists Hayden Denby and JT Bermel push it toward My Bloody Valentine-inspired shoegaze with their crashing riffs. 

We even hear some digital melodies toward the end of the song that push it toward electronica. 

Three things are for certain: it’s rock; it’s original; and it’s super impressive that all of this pushing has led to such a cohesive and catchy final product.

We love when a song plays with our expectations and “you can try,” the new single from Darling Darlene, does just that. The song’s introduction has a dissonant and spooky tone that is quickly abandoned for more optimistic and playful melodies. 

The instrumental arrangement at play creates an ethereal quality that makes this an especially chill listen. We think it sounds like how driving at night feels, and we love when a song is able to elicit an emotion or image as specific as that. 

Dream pop fans, get in line. If you’re into bands like Beach House, you don’t want to miss this.

You’ve got to hear “Can’t Deny It,” the newest single from Toronto based multi-instrumentalist Brandon Michael. Warmer months are approaching us in the American northeast, which means it’s time to start adding to our spring and summer playlists. “Can’t Deny It” is first-ballot. 

With lowkey verses and an undeniably groovy chorus, Brandon Michael delivers a performance that’s as chill as it is partyable. (Don’t worry about whether “partyable” is a word or not. You can party to the song and that’s what matters!) 

We hear a mix of Mac DeMarco and Glass Animals in this song’s musical arrangement. If you like it, be sure to also check out Michael’s collaborative projects Most People and Precious Jewel.

Listen to these songs and more on our All New Indie Pop playlist!