indie underrated

JANEX knows a thing or two about texture. After all, she is a multifaceted artist whose vast array of influences extends beyond just sound. Her knowledge and appreciation of visual art informs her music and vice versa, and the resulting work is always rich in voice and perspective. 

Let’s get back to texture.

“Bruisin’,” the second single from JANEX’s upcoming debut album Lonely Tunes, is a composition. You could almost touch it: the undulating staccato guitar, the soft atmospheric strings, the sharp drums, the smooth vocal layers. JANEX’s ability to balance a track is unmatched, and that’s beside the point that she’s just a wildly talented musician. 

It sort of sounds like Florence & the Machine put through an R&B filter, which is a cool synthesis of styles that we’ve not really heard before. 

JANEX has a great aesthetic attached to this most recent project and you can read more information about her story on her website. Be sure to check it all out in anticipation of Lonely Tunes.

We’re psyched about this uplifting new indie pop track from Kylie Rothfield, “Where the Diamonds Hide (feat. The Rare Occasions.)” It arrives as the fifth and final single before the release of her debut album Lover Like That, and, man, is it a powerful preview. 

This song has everything you could want in an indie tune. The rhythm section is tight. The guitar tones have the perfect amount of dirt on them. The vocal harmonies are seamless. And, tying it all together, the structural arrangement is built around an incredibly bold and catchy chorus. 

For this song, Rothfield teamed up with indie rock trio The Rare Occasions and we’re pleased to see how well their collaborative efforts have paid off. This song is an inspiration.

We think fans of groups like boygenius will love it. 

Kyle Rothfield is one to watch. There’s a reason her talents have been lauded by the likes of Alicia Keys and Faith Hill. She’s a bright, rising star and we look forward to the May 9th release of her full album Lover Like That.

You might expect a song titled “Quit Making Me Cry” to sound sentimental or sappy. That’s not the case with this new folk rock single from MacGregor Burns. 

Burns’ take on the situation has a grin behind it. The speaker in the song has, no doubt, been slighted. But the song has a playful demeanor that captures the absurd vulnerability of love. It’s like a musical take on dumped rom coms a la Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

The music in this song builds constantly, starting with only rhythm and vocals in the beginning and flourishing toward a fuller arrangement at the end. As a listener, you can’t help but feel engaged in the escalations of both song and story. 

We think fans of Mac DeMarco’s music would like this one. It has a similar sincere whimsy.

Listen to these songs and more on our playlist now!