indie underrated

“Mr. Babylon” by L’ESPIRAL is the intuitive, new, alt-pop single we can’t stop listening to. Music is often praised for its tightness. Less often is a song praised for its ability to embrace looseness and imperfection. We praise “Mr. Babylon” for the latter. It is a song made up of jubilant instrumental tracks that travel… Read more

“getting bad again,” is the cozy new indie-pop single from Sydney-based singer-songwriter St. South. Lyrically, the song walks a line between assurance and anxiety. It’s affirming in one moment and critical in the next, and these neurotic shifts make us feel as if the music serves as a form of tonic for the speaker. The… Read more

Naarm-based alt-R&B artist Molly Jane creates from a place of awareness and attention. Her newest single, “Cough,” captures a single, fleeting moment and stretches it into something both beautiful and meaningful. Lyrically, the song is rather spare. Musically, the opposite. “Cough” is a guitar maximalist’s dream with its collection of licks, arpeggios, and fuzzy chords.… Read more

In anticipation of their upcoming project 3, boywithahalo has released an indie-rock slacker anthem in “money machine.” This song thrives within its uses of repetition. A circular, unceasing, fuzzy guitar progression kicks the song off and invites us into a dreamy rock loop that develops instrumentally from beginning to end. When the song ventures into… Read more

Singer-songwriter Gnat recently released their debut EP It better be perfect, and the opening song is a powerful introduction to the project. “Romeo Mania” is anchored by a simple-yet-effective guitar riff that’s just dissonant enough to establish tension without sounding awkward, and this pairs well with the lyrical form of the song: a speaker’s compassionate… Read more

It’s May, which means a lot of you are probably putting together your summer playlists. We’re here to tell you that “Sunday Shroom” by Vanda is a first-ballot addition! This indie-pop banger fuses influences from a variety of genres. The musical arrangement, anchored by an acoustic guitar, is folky in a Taylor Swift kind of… Read more