Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week, we got new music from Wild Pink, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, DIIV, and more.
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Kim Gordon – The Collective
On Sonic Youth’s “Kool Thing,” bassist-vocalist Kim Gordon and Public Enemy’s Chuck D traded words in the song’s breakdown; it signified a collision of two of the most influential voices in alt-rock and hip-hop, respectively. Now, Gordon is making bona fide trap bangers designed to shatter your soundsystem, thanks to producer Justin Raisen’s booming 808s and Gordon’s brash, distorted guitar noise. The Collective, her sophomore solo album, is as vital as any of Gordon’s work in Sonic Youth. At 70, she’s making music far more daring and cutting-edge than some people less than half her age. It would be easy for a legacy artist to fade into the background and rest on their laurels, but an artist as brilliant as Gordon could never fade.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Wild God”
This August, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds will return with their first new studio album since 2019’s Ghosteen. Wild God, if its title track and lead single are anything to go by, is the loosest Cave has sounded in a while. From its frenetic groove to Cave’s spirited performance (including a nod to “Jubilee Street”), “Wild God” is a genuinely fun time. As Cave himself puts it in a press release, “there’s no f*cking around with this record.” “Wild God” confirms that all on its own.
Wild Pink – “Air Drumming Fix You”
John Ross’ music is as vast as the sprawling vistas of the heartland. As Wild Pink, Ross has created highly affecting and poignantly sincere records like 2021’s glossy A Billion Little Lights and 2022’s colossal double LP ILYSM. Freshly signed to Fire Talk, Ross is back with a new Wild Pink tune. “Air Drumming Fix You,” with rich saxophone riffs and misty, ping-ponging synthesizers, is another excellent song from one of indie rock’s best contemporary songwriters.
Jlin – “Auset”
The Indiana-based synth savant Jlin is about to release her new album, Akoma, later this month. “Auset,” the latest single, is another showcase of Jlin at her best. Glitchy, side-stepping drum machines pair with futuristic synth arpeggios that fade in and out of earshot. Her labyrinthine compositions are fit for a sweaty dance floor and meditative introspection in equal measure.
This Is Lorelei – “Dancing In The Club”
Whether he’s making music as one half of Water From Your Eyes or My Idea, Nate Amos adds an experimental, glitchy edge to his work. This Is Lorelei, his solo project, is another outgrowth of the prolific New York artist. Amos is so prolific, in fact, that he simply started giving his EPs pithy titles like EP #32 and EP #33. Surprisingly, Box For Study, Box For Star is his first full-length album under the moniker. Before its release this June, he has shared “Dancing In The Club,” a wildly infectious synth-pop tune with Amos’ heavily Auto-Tuned vocals, swelling strings, and a digitized harp hook.
Dehd – “Light On”
In just a couple of months, the Chicago indie-rock trio will release their new album, Poetry, the follow-up to 2022’s Blue Skies. “Light On,” Dehd’s latest preview of the forthcoming record, is a pleasant tune about reassurance and showing up for someone. Backed by drummer Eric McGrady’s jaunty shuffle and Emily Kempf’s sauntering bassline, guitarist and co-vocalist Jason Balla offers a heartwarming reminder: “Every day, every night, I will leave the light on.”
American Culture – “Let It Go”
American Culture’s latest song captures the contradictions and duality of human nature. “Let It Go” is about searching for a lost loved one and being that lost loved one. It explores the intersection of anguish and hope: the arduous search for a close friend and the warm relief of reuniting with them. Co-vocalists and guitarists Chris Adolf and Michael Stein trudge through heavy, autobiographical subject matter with a relentless, DIY punk spirit. “Let It Go” details Stein’s experiences of getting robbed, becoming addicted to heroin, and being houseless in the tunnels underneath Las Vegas. At the same time, it documents Adolf’s search for Stein, who was a missing person for three months. Alongside Midwife’s Madeline Johnston, the Denver punks light a path forward on their groovy, uplifting new single.
DIIV – “Soul-net”
Just a few weeks after sharing “Brown Paper Bag,” the lead single for DIIV’s fourth album, Frog In Boiling Water, the Brooklyn shoegazers are back with “Soul-net.” It’s a foreboding, slow-paced meditation, and Zachary Cole Smith’s gauzy vocals eventually give way to a synth melody in the first chorus. But it’s still got the reverb-heavy, distorted guitars that we’ve come to love this band for.
King Hannah – “Big Swimmer”
During the first few moments of “Big Swimmer,” the title track from King Hannah’s upcoming sophomore record, Hannah Merrick’s words come lapping in like the gentle, calming rush of water she sings of: “When the river is floating / And the mouth has come to its end / Do you carry on swimming / Or do you jump out and grab your towel?” The Liverpool duo comprising Merrick and guitarist Craig Whittle, following up on their marvelous 2022 debut album, opt for the former. “Big Swimmer,” including guest vocals from indie darling Sharon Van Etten, expands upon the group’s bluesy post-punk with masterful precision. As swaying acoustic guitars and Merrick’s Joni Mitchell-esque vocals fade, there’s a brief pause before Whittle’s electric guitar edges over the horizon like a rising sun. King Hannah, on their latest song, carry on swimming.
Eric Slick – “Anxious To Please”
New Age Rage, the forthcoming third solo album from Dr. Dog drummer Eric Slick, is an unflinchingly silly affair. Take its title, its technicolor, psychedelic imagery, or its deeply unserious ’80s arena-rock pastiche. As a drummer who has worked with everyone from Kevin Morby to (unknowingly) Taylor Swift, Slick has become accustomed to the supporting role. But, as a songwriter and producer, his own voice comes into being. “Anxious To Please,” Slick’s new single, reckons with the self-doubt that comes from always playing the sideman. “Trying hard not to be somebody else,” he sings over kitschy synths and gated drums. With “Anxious To Please,” Slick is wholly himself.
