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 Beabadoobee, Tegan And Sara, Death Cab For Cutie, Black Midi, Interpol, and more.
While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.
Beabadoobee — Beatopia
Since the release of her 2020 debut album Fake It Flowers, UK musician and Uproxx cover star Beabadoobee has become quite the indie sensation after she burst onto the scene with a ’90s-inspired alt-rock sound. But with her new LP Beatopia, Beaabadoobee leans into hazier, ballad-like territory. Sure, songs like “10:36” and “Talk” still hold on to early aughts pop punk influences, but her track “Sunny Day” carries a rhythmic, R&B-inspired sound while several songs are acoustic-led lullabies.
Black Midi — Hellfire
Prolific and jazzy UK experimental trio Black Midi dropped off Hellfire this week, a conceptual 10-track project that’s perhaps their most ambitious yet. Flowing between cinematic strings, spoken-word refrains, and jolting, disorienting instrumental breaks, Hellfire shows Black Midi’s feverish approach to songwriting is working.
Interpol — The Other Side Of Make-Believe
With their first album since 2018’s Marauder, Interpol prove their relevance hasn’t waned since their early aughts debut with the fervent effort The Other Side Of Make-Believe. With highlights like “Toni” and “Something Changed,” the album gets back to the core of what Interpol does best; crafting detached and danceable post-punk that fits snugly into their discography as a whole.
Ian Sweet — Star Stuff
After showing off her experimental side with the vulnerable and electrifying 2021 effort Show Me How You Disappear, Ian Sweet drops a neatly packaged collection of songs with her EP Star Stuff. The three-track project (with the addition of a remix) is a dreamy and cathartic effort combining Sweet’s emotionally charged lyrics with bright, percussive beats.
Tegan And Sara — “Yellow”
Sister duo Tegan And Sara have been releasing music since 1999 and are showing no signs of slowing down yet. Announcing their tenth studio album Crybaby, Tegan And Sara drop the vibrant single “Yellow.” Opening with sparse instrumentation before breaking down into a cathartic, crashing chorus, the song was, according to Sara, written to “take steps to heal the bruises” they’ve both carried since adolescence.
Surf Curse — “TVI”
LA-based band Surf Curse are having a bit of a moment right now thanks to their song “Freaks” going viral on TikTok. But now, the band is right around the corner from releasing the album Magic Hour, their debut on Atlantic Records, which they’ve previewed with the beachy single “TVI.” Armed with upbeat and jangly guitars, Surf Curse show of their refined, rollicking sound. “TVI is an anthem about trying to stay out of trouble, whatever your trouble might be,” vocalist Nick Rattigan noted about the single.
Death Cab For Cutie — “Here To Forever”
Death Cab For Cutie are celebrating their 25th year as a band with the forthcoming album Asphalt Meadows. Throughout their career, the band has honed an ability to speak to contemporary issues in a unique way. Their latest single “Here To Forever” is no different, with lead singer Ben Gibbard’s recognizable vocals croon veiled lyrics that speak to the unfortunately relatable “feeling that the fabric that weaves a functioning society together was crumbling during the pandemic.”
The Beths — “Expert In A Dying Field”
Breakout New Zealand band The Beths make music that toes the line between jaunty indie rock and electrifying power pop, a sound that’s on full display in their latest single “Expert In A Dying Field.” The song is the title track to their upcoming project, which is out this September, and is a driving and anthemic effort that speaks to the idea of loss and knowing when to let go.
Gordi — “Inhuman”
Aussie singer Gordi is about a month away from releasing the new EP Inhuman, a six-track exploration of what it means to be human. The project takes a deep dive into themes of faith, celebration, and sorrow. The title track was written with the latter in mind after the singer visited victims of a massive wildfire in the hospital who shared stories of how their homes had been destroyed. Gordi’s deep, textured vocals offer comfort on the single, draped over the urgent combination of skittering synths and emotive guitar.
Young Fathers — “Geronimo”
The last we heard from inventive group Young Fathers, they had just released their wildly popular 2018 album Cocoa Sugar. After a four-year hiatus, Young Fathers return with the heady number “Geronimo.” The song slowly builds to its cinematic and striking peak while keeping in line with their genre-bending reputation. “It’s a track about contrast, because life is contrast – pushing through, giving up, all at the same time,” the group said. “Wanting everything and then wanting nothing, then wanting everything again.”
Sorry — “Let The Lights On”
North London band Sorry prove they’re one to watch with the propulsive new track “Let The Lights On,” a song which heralds their sophomore album Anywhere But Here. It’s rhythmic and blissful, speaking to the anxiety and excitement of new love. “It kinda touches on how you want to be honest and say things directly, but in the end that can also ruin them,” the band said in a statement.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
