indie underrated

John Kolar’s “Rewards Card” is out now. The track is an upbeat anthem that sounds like a warm summer day. The jovial melodies and fun rhythms provide a warm backdrop for Kolar’s infectious lyrics and admirable vocals.

The track’s joyful guitars are topped by shrewd harmonica playing that ties the song’s entire vibe together. While the choruses are more upbeat and energetic, the verses are laid back and tamed, creating a sense of contrast between the two. Keep John Kolar on your radar, because his music is about to run the summer.

Check out “Rewards Card” on our All New Indie Pop Playlist.

By Tomorrow’s dreamy new track “Help Me Get Out” is sounding great. The ethereal vibe is guided by distant guitars and synths along with vocals drowned in effects. All of these elements combine to give me the illusion of aquatic scenery. Percussive noises that sound like foley sounds help transition from one section to the next.

The track’s unpredictable melodies keep it very entertaining – it’s as if at every second I’m not sure what’s to come next. The melancholy vocals come with a sense of longing, and the instrumentation that backs them compliments them well. There’s just enough room for the vocals to shine through and not get lost. The song concludes with a very subtle explosion of additional instrumentation and new drum patterns. 

You can find “Help Me Get Out” on our All New Indie Pop Playlist.

“Fall from Grace,” the new single from Jnatra and Jeffrey Perez is out now. The track’s hazy atmospheric soundscape is futuristic and refreshing yet still has a strong wistful feeling. From the dusty texture that coats the majority of the track to the sound of a cassette tape being played (to open the song) and stopped (to close the song), the feeling of a past era is discernible from beginning to end.

Something to be said about the vocals on this track are their harmonic structure. Backing vocals are filtered so they’re only providing support to the main vocals, but because of the way they parallel the main vocals they still feel prominent. The song feels like a fusion of Alternative music and subtle hints of Dance music, especially with its punchy kicks during certain sections. The track’s irresistible vocals keep me coming back again and again.

“Fall from Grace” is on our All New Indie Pop Playlist now.

“Mother” is the new single from dearest. The main catch point of this song for me is the incredible lyrics – but that’s not to sell any of the rest of the musical elements short. This track has it all: catchy vocal licks, a cinematic chorus, and a great mix to top it all off. 

The nostalgic instrumentation consists of 80s inspired drums and soothing acoustic guitars. The lyrics are all about having to take on a role similar to that of a mother for a romantic partner of hers. It’s frustrating, relatable for many, and at times even ironically humorous. The person in question is clearly holding back dearest, but when the saxophone comes in at the end of the track, it’s as if I’m hearing the celebratory final scenes of a movie, and I hope that person in question finally grew up.

“Mother” can be found on our All New Indie Pop Playlist.