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 Death Cab For Cutie, The Beths, Djo, Dehd, and more.
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Death Cab For Cutie — Asphalt Meadows
Veteran indie rockers Death Cab For Cutie managed to prove that comeback albums don’t need to play on nostalgia to be successful. Released the predecessor to their 2018 LP, Asphalt Meadows is one of their most pensive and self-assured albums to date, which is saying a lot since the band has released 10 albums in a little over two decades. Throughout 11 tracks, Death Cab trade in melancholy ballads for eloquent and meaningful anthems that carry a message.
The Beths — Expert In A Dying Field
Aussie rockers The Beths issue their bid for masterful power pop with their third studio album Expert In A Dying Field. The album sparkles with colorful tracks which include catchy hooks, earnest lyrics from vocalist Liz Stokes, and propulsive guitars that will leave you invigorated and wanting more.
Whitney — Spark
Chicago duo Whitney may have cultivated a reputation for pastoral folk-rock on their first two albums, but with their latest LP Spark, the band take things in a new, pop-leaning direction. Trading in acoustic riffs for vibrant synths, Spark marks Whitney’s most opulent and playful effort yet, leaning on synths and groovy instrumentals to deliver irresistible, dance-forward tracks like “Real Love” and “Memory.”
Djo — Decide
Actor/musician Joe Keery spearheaded the project Djo in 2019 as a way to experiment after leaving his former band, Post Animal. His sophomore album Decide leans even more into innovative territory, bringing vibrant, ’80s-inspired synths into the current decade with thoughtful, psych rock-inspired production. Featuring groovy and danceable tracks like “Gloom” and “Climax,” think of Decide as Chromeo’s mid-aughts catalog, but revamped for 2022.
No Devotion — No Oblivion
Seven years after No Devotion’s self-titled debut LP, the space rock band reunite for the dreamy and awe-inspiring LP No Oblivion, featuring silky smooth vocals from Thursday’s Geoff Rickly. The album is strung together with sprawling, atmospheric songs that mark the group’s most personal and vulnerable work yet.
Young Jesus — Shepherd Head
Following the band’s acclaimed breakthrough album Welcome To Conceptual Beach, Young Jesus deliver a stunning 7-track project that dives deeper to the heart of the band’s sound. Shepherd Head delicately explores themes of love, loss, and spirituality accompanied by haunting instrumentals and lead singer John Rossiter’s deep and comforting vocals.
Hand Habits — “Greatest Weapon”
After releasing their pop-leaning effort Fun House, Hand Habits shares a pair of one-off singles, including the delicate number “Greatest Weapon.” The song was written with Ethan Gruska and features Sylvan Esso on backup vocals, which compliment the wonderfully twangy guitar. About the song, Duffy says “Greatest Weapon” “is about coming to grips with the dance of time.”
Cate Le Bon — “Typical Love”
Cate Le Bon consistently proves herself as one of indie’s most innovative songwriters, and her standalone single “Typical Love” is an example. The captivating song was written during her Pompeii songwriting sessions with Warpaint’s Stella Mozgawa. “It always felt like a second cousin to the other tracks so was put aside for a rainy day,” Le Bon said.
Dehd — “Eggshells”
Prolific indie rockers Dehd may have just shared their 2022 album Blue Skies a few months ago, but that doesn’t mean there’s a shortage of new music from the trio. While most of the songs on Blue Skies were fast and energetic, the new track “Eggshells” is sparse and languid. It’s led by a rambling guitar and has slight instrumentation, leaving room for duel vocalists Emily Kempf and Jason Balla to sing about cutting out toxic relationships.
Jean Dawson — “Pirate Radio*”
Ahead of his highly anticipated album Chaos Now*, alt-rock innovator Jean Dawson shows off his skill for ballad-like songwriting with the new track “Pirate Radio*.” The song juxtaposes Dawson’s previously released singles, which lean invigorating and hard-hitting. “Pirate Radio*” is led by an acoustic guitar and a delicate string section, creating a divine and comforting melody as Dawson sings of reaching out for help.
Jaws Of Love. — “5 Years”
Kelcey Ayer has been making music as Local Natives since co-founding the band in 2005. But in 2017, Ayer decided to take on a solo project as Jaws Of Love., which led to his debut solo album Tasha Sits Close To The Piano. But now, five years later, Ayer is reviving is solo project with his sophomore release, Second Life. This time around, Ayer decided to let go of genre and have fun experimenting with new sounds. His album’s lead single “5 Years” is an example of that, as it manages to be both a playful and atmospheric reflection on a past relationship.
Petal Crush — “Playing Dead”
Petal Crush’s Andy Petrusky hasn’t had the typical music trajectory. He started a promising professional tennis career before deciding to move to NYC to pursue music full-time following the death of his brother, who coined the band name. Following his 2016 debut album and a 2019 EP, Petal Crush are gearing up for the new project Playing Dead, which they’ve previewed with the electrifying title track. The song features a frenetic beat and points to what is expected to be an all-around captivating EP.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
