indie underrated

Allow yourself to feel “Hodei,” the new single from Barcelona-based electronic duo PALLADIAN. 

“Hodei” is a word of Basque origin that signifies “cloud.” PALLADIAN expands on this definition in a post on their Instagram: “By the strict definition of tangible, clouds cannot be felt or grasped, but they can be sensed.” Let this preface guide you into the track. 

Don’t try to grasp it, just sense it. Let the steady rhythm, warm piano, and blanketed vocals wash over you. Surrender yourself to the song’s textural variations and structural journey. PALLADIAN has created a truly immersive experience with “Hodei.” This, their sonic interpretation of a complex idea, is an example of true and genuine artistry. 

The track features the talents of vocalist/producer Ariana Abecasis, and we think it’s a sure thing for fans of artists like Flume and Galantis. 

NB: PALLADIAN is set to release their second full-length album, Indaco, on May 16th!

We’re obsessed with “Always You,” the energetic new single from indie pop rock’s SPORTMODE. This song is Catchy (yes, with a capital C.) 

The opening melody is a gripping earworm that spins around a full rock instrumental arrangement. The drums are upbeat. The bass is steady. The guitars are crunchy. And, importantly, the track wastes no time and adds nothing superfluous to its crisp production. 

The structural arrangement is just as clean, with tight verses that lead smoothly into a chorus which is certain to have you humming or singing along. It reminds us of bands like Inhaler and Catfish & the Bottlemen, but it also has some nostalgic early aughts flair. 

Reggie Devoyage. They call it “silly synth pop taken very seriously” and we concur. You might listen to their newest single “Down Town” and wonder where the seriousness is, and we’re here to tell you it’s in the talent of these fine musicians.

Listen to that vocal tone. And those drums. And those keys. And how about that bass! Creating something quirky is one thing, doing it with this much attention-to-detail is another. Reggie Devoyage knows how to harness the power of music, groove music in particular, to elicit a reaction from the listener. That’s as serious as it gets, in our humble opinion. 

It reminds us of dance-inspired 80s snythpop groups like The Human League. The video (attached below) has a great retro aesthetic that adds to the experience of the song. We highly recommend you check it out!

Listen to these songs and more on our Spotify playlist!