indie underrated

The Trusted erupts with the release of its newest alt rock single “Yellowhammer.” This song is massive. The drums are harsh. The bass is dark and moody. The guitars are loud. And the vocals are gritty and passionate. The song isn’t only heavy, though. The structural arrangement is virtually flawless and the melodies are catchy. It’s these elements that make it especially memorable. We think it’s a sure thing for fans of bands like Arctic Monkeys and Royal Blood.

“stay close by,” the first single off of Tamar Berk‘s upcoming album OCD, is a yin and yang kind of song. Where there is dark, there is light. Where there is beauty, there is brutality. This song’s instrumental arrangement is gritty, fuzzy, chaotic, and even doomy at times. To counter it are uplifting melodies and Berk’s gentle vocal performance. The resulting indie rock song sounds balanced and full, and we think fans of artists like Phoebe Bridgers will love it.

Check out Eliza Claffy‘s timeless and inspired new indie pop single “Father.” This song is anchored by a jangly piano performance, elevated by sophisticated vocal melodies, and decorated with wispy, lofi, synth tones. We sort of hear it as a cross between Brian Wilson and Clairo; a wonderful mix of tradition and modernity.

Max Pope continues to impress with the release of his newest single “right or wrong.” This indie soul arrangement is characterized by active percussion, a steady bass, bluesy vocals, and an inexplicable shimmering quality. This signature style that Pope is emerging with shines like a neon sign reflecting from a puddle on the street. We recommend it for fans of Steve Lacy and City Park.

We love what we hear in “Close 2 U,” the title track off of the newest EP by San Gabriel. We have a tendency to break songs down by their individual parts on this blog, but we’re having trouble doing that with this track. “Close 2 U” ethereally blends its indie rock layers into a single sonic unit. Tones spin, float, and cascade around the track in a wall-of-sound way that we think fans of artists like Beach House and/or Washed Out will love.

Check out the entire EP on Spotify now!

Listen to these songs and more on our Spotify playlist!