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 the stunning new album from Foxing, another taste of Big Red Machine’s forthcoming album, and the official return of modern indie pop legends Wet. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.
While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.
Foxing – Draw Down The Moon
Foxing’s fourth LP “sometimes feels both 10 years behind and ahead of its time,” Ian Cohen wrote in a recent Uproxx feature. After 2018’s Nearer My God set the St. Louis band on a trajectory toward weirdo art rock greatness, Draw Down The Moon solidifies their ambitions and raises the stakes once again, creating a space for fans and critics to either elevate Foxing into the stratosphere… or not.
Kississippi – Mood Ring
Kississippi’s sophomore album is nothing less than a triumph. Zoe Reynolds emerged from the basement DIY scene in the late 2010s with her debut album Sunset Blush, a somber and impressive indie-rock affair. With Mood Ring, Reynolds sets her sights above the basements and clubs that serve as the ceiling for a certain type of music, instead delivering an album full of the pop bombast and lyrical drama that anchors the best of Taylor Swift and Lorde.
Ty Segall – Harmonizer
After years of prolific releases, Ty Segall took a little time to recuperate during the mayhem of 2020. But the writing never stopped, and now Segall is back with Harmonizer, a brand new album that finds the songwriter entering uncharted territory. After making a name for himself in the garage rock world, Harmonizer takes a step into what can only be called borderline synth pop, featuring snappy beats, synthesizers, and stacks of harmonies (hence the album’s name). It’s Segall’s most polished work to date, and a worthwhile experiment from the storied rocker.
Laura Stevenson – Laura Stevenson
Laura Stevenson has long been one of the most underrated songwriters of the indie world. Her new self-titled album is a shining example of her strengths, cataloging the full spectrum of emotions via her experiences giving birth to her first child during the pandemic, as well as the powerful rage born from a turbulent situation in which someone she loves was harmed and nearly killed. Beautiful in its delivery and visceral in its approach, Laura Stevenson was produced by John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Hop Along, Dinosaur Jr.), and features appearances longtime collaborator Jeff Rosenstock.
Big Red Machine – “Mimi (ft. Ilsey)”
After a blockbuster 2020 for the members of Big Red Machine through their collaborations with Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner, and Justin Vernon are gearing up to release a proper Big Red Machine project a bit later this year. We’ve already gotten a few samples of How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?, and now the duo is back with Ilsey-featuring “Mimi,” which found the three writing their own lyrics in isolation before coming together to interweave their thoughts and messages. “The lyrics of the chorus reflect a longing for closeness and connection,” Ilsey said in a statement. “But that longing is made to feel safe and less pained next to Justin and Aaron’s lyrics which have this strong theme of gratitude.”
Deafheaven – “In Blur”
Deafheaven fans were surprised when the announcement of the band’s new album Infinite Granite came accompanied with a new song that… didn’t really sound like Deafheaven at all, with George Clarke’s new clean vocal approach. Turns out, that approach wasn’t a fluke, as “In Blur” boasts what Derrick Rossignol calls for Uproxx “a strong dream-pop influence,” which feels like a far cry from the band’s black metal days.
Black Midi – “Cruising”
It’s been a few months since Black Midi unleashed their prog rock-infused second album Cavalcade. Now, the band has widely released “Cruising,” a track that was previously only available as a bonus track for the Japanese CD edition of Cavalcade. “Cruising” is nearly seven minutes of “subdued by layers of urgent guitar chords and languid brass instruments which eventually break down into a cacophony of sound at the bridge, staying true to Black Midi’s previous releases,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “That Life”
Unknown Mortal Orchestra haven’t officially announced a new album yet, but they’ve just dropped their second new song in a few weeks, which would lead us to believe that something is coming soon. “That Life” is what Caitlin White called for Uproxx a “sunny funk” number, one that follows in the footsteps of the previous single and sets a high bar for whatever new project is to come from the Kiwi rockers.
The World Is A Beautiful Place… – “Invading The World Of The Guilty As A Spirit Of Vengeance”
It’s been four years since The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die dropped Always Foreign, an album that finally helped me to understand the band. The band wrote their forthcoming LP Illusory Walls entirely remotely, and immediately dials into intricate instrumentation with lyrics lamenting the inherent contradictions of modern life.
Mamalarky – “Meadow”
Late last year, we showcased Atlanta outfit Mamalarky‘s debut self-titled LP. Just a few months later, the quartet is back with a brand new track: “Meadow” follows closely in the footsteps of the full-length, delivering a fun blissed-out indie pop affair featuring fuzzy guitars and shimmering vocals.
Pet Symmetry – “2021: A Personal Space Odyssey”
Chicago rockers Pet Symmetry are in full petsimmist mode (haha, get it?) on their new album Future Suits, due later this week. The new track “2021: A Personal Space Odyssey” is a propulsive indie jam centered around the constant barrage of horrible shit that’s fed to us, all the time in the modern age. It’s a depressing reality we live in, but at least we have Pet Symmetry to keep it fun!
Hand Habits – “Aquamarine”
Meg Duffy was not intending to write an album about the pandemic, but the new Hand Habits album Fun House ended up coming together as a result of taking a much-needed pause from the hustle bustle of normal life. Built upon electronic drums and plucking synthesizers, the Sasami Ashworth-produced “Aquamarine” is one of Duffy’s most ambitious songs to date. “What originally started as a minimally arranged acoustic ballad, ‘Aquamarine’ evolved into the story of certain events in life, what informs my identity, the silence in the questions left unanswered that become the shape of understanding who I am,” Duffy said in a statement.
Wet – “Larabar”
After a few years of silence, modern indie pop legends Wet are finally returning later this year with a new album. To tide us over, the New York trio have shared “Larabar,” a glitchy, electronic affair that is “about a relationship cycle that becomes a loop — eventually a feedback loop — obsessively repeating, breaking up, getting back together, breaking up again,” vocalist Kelly Zutrau explained in a statement.
Blackstarkids – “Juno”
After delivering one of 2020’s most exciting projects with Whatever, Man, Kansas City cherubs Blackstarkids are ready to unveil their proper debut album, Puppies Forever, later this year. The album is previewed by “Juno,” a track that I wrote “showcases the group’s knack for blurring genre lines and incorporating everything from hip-hop and R&B to power pop and shoegaze.”
Damon & Naomi – “The Aftertime”
For the first time in more than five years, form Galaxie 500 members Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang — who perform as the duo Damon & Naomi — are prepping a new album called A Sky Record. The latest preview of the record is the dreamy, sparse track “The Aftertime,” which Naomi Yang described in a statement as “a song about the kind of freedom you can give back to yourself, after emerging from a challenging situation — be it a relationship or a year and a half of lockdown.”
Unto Others – “Downtown”
Let’s be honest, ’80s metal was kinda cool sometimes. A few months after sharing their first single with Roadrunner Records, Portland rockers Unto Others have officially announced their new full-length project, Strength. The effort is previewed by “Downtown,” a tight track full of gothic vocals, riffs, and seedy imagery of, well… life downtown. Strength is the group’s first release under the name Unto Others, after they were forced to change their name from Idle Hands due to a trademark dispute.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
