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 massive tribute album to Metallica’s self-titled LP, Ryan Pollie’s first new single in two years, and another taste of the forthcoming album from Illuminati Hotties. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.
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Metallica – The Metallica Blacklist
2021 marks 30 years since the release of Metallica’s legendary self-titled fifth album, and the band is celebrating the occasion with an absolutely massive compilation of covers from some of the world’s biggest — as well as the most promising — artists. The Metallica Blacklist features 50+ renditions of classic cuts from the likes of Miley Cyrus, Mac DeMarco, Rina Sawayama, Weezer, Jason Isbell, St. Vincent, Pup, Corey Taylor, Cage The Elephant, J Balvin, Moses Sumney, The Neptunes, Portugal The Man, Phoebe Bridgers, My Morning Jacket, Darius Rucker, Chris Stapleton, Idles, and Kamasi Washington.
Sleigh Bells – Texis
Sleigh Bells have been quiet since the release of their 2017 Kid Kruschev EP, but now the veteran noise-pop duo is back with an all new collection of distorted cuts in the form of Texis. “We stopped worrying about whether or not we’re in or out of our comfort zone, or if we were being repetitive or formulaic,” producer/guitarist Derek Miller said in a statement. The resulting effort is something uniquely Sleigh Bells, and indicative of their raw power as a duo.
Park Hye Jin – Before I Die
On her debut album, Park Hye Jin dials into something almost intangible, alternating between Korean and English across its 15 tracks. Before I Die creates a unique sonic world rife with skittering beats and melodic vocals which demonstrates the DJ, singer, rapper, and producer’s incredible knack for musical world building.
Amyl & The Sniffers – Comfort To Me
There’s not a ton of tried-and-true snotty punk rock going around these days. Australian firebrands Amyl & The Sniffers caught my attention with their ferocious self-titled debut back in 2019, a collection of ferocious punk songs reminiscent of bands like The Germs (with better vocal performances). On their sophomore album, Comfort To Me, Amyl & The Sniffers throw a layer of polish onto their brash sound and dial into some impressive, yet still volatile, melodic hooks.
mxmtoon – True Colors
Earlier this year, indie-pop phenom mxmtoon announced that she would be serving as the singing voice for Alex Chen, in the latest entry of the critically-acclaimed video game series, Life Is Strange: True Colors. In conjunction with the game’s release, mxmtoon has shared four tracks that she sings within the game’s narrative, another exciting entry in the increasingly impressive resume of the songwriter.
Low – Hey, What
According to Steven Hyden in a recent issue of the Indie Mixtape newsletter, long-running Minnesota outfit Low “has effectively mined narrow sonic terrain for decades — they either make really pretty slow-paced guitar music, or relatively aggressive slow-paced music.” But the band’s 2018 LP Double Negative sent them on a whole new sonic adventure toward a more experimental sound, a trend that continues on their new album Hey What, which finds Low perfecting the balance between noise and ambiance for something truly beautiful.
King Krule – You Heat Me Up, You Cool Me Down
King Krule’s new live album was pieced together from the lone trio of shows that Archy Marshall was able to perform in 2020 before the pandemic forced him to cancel his extensive tour. Even so, You Heat Me Up, You Cool Me Down serves as a document of an artist ready to take the leap into stardom. The songs here are completely reimagined from their studio versions, a representation of the vitality and necessity of live music.
Gully Boys – Favorite Son EP
Just a few weeks after sharing the single “The Way,” Gully Boys have unleashed their new EP. At just five tracks, Favorite Son hearkens back to the ethos and excitement of Riot Grrrl, espousing the message of rage in the patriarchy, but never at the expense melody and driving instrumentation. As they head out on the road this fall, keep your eye on Gully Boys.
Ryan Pollie – “The Shore House”
Ryan Pollie’s first new song in two years kicks off like a ’70s pop ballad. Featuring a string quartet and a lonely harpist, as well as some conceptual foley work from a desk bell and a gym whistle, “The Shore House” is a track inspired by Pollie’s own father, telling the story of a man raising a family in the suburbs, all the while wishing that they would have the same freewheeling youth that he did as a kid on the shore.
Angel Du$t – “Big Bite”
Angel Du$t’s new music doesn’t really sound anything like their old music. What started as a hardcore band and pivoted to melodic acoustic rock has now morphed into a driving power pop outfit. “People get really married to the idea of making a record that sounds like the same band,” vocalist / guitarist Justice Tripp explained in a statement. “If one song to the next doesn’t sound like it’s coming from the same band, I’m ok with that.” “Big Bite” is the first preview of the band’s forthcoming LP AK: A Collection Of Truck Songs, which has the band setting their sights on something completely new.
Illuminati Hotties – “Threatening Each Other Re: Capitalism”
Illuminati Hotties’ anticipated new LP Let Me Do One More is still a few weeks away, but they haven’t been shy about sharing new music in its lead-up. “Threatening Each Other Re: Capitalism” is the latest offering from the album, which Rachel Brodsky calls for Uproxx a “mild-mannered” track that “plays out much more chill than its title suggests.”
Super American – “RIP Jeff”
Buffalo, New York alternative rockers Super American are prepping their new album Sup, and the new track “RIP Jeff” is essentially about ego death, identifying the parts of your psyche that hold you back and finding ways to push them away. It’s a relatively mellow track featuring clean guitars and melodic vocals, which enable the listener to really dig into the lyrics, which the band said in a statement are about “wanting so desperately to be a better and happier person while having innumerable thoughts crashing into each other simultaneously from every direction in your brain at all hours of the day and then looking around and realizing most people are probably not thinking about any single thing at all and wishing you could do the same.”
Save Face – “Bury Me (Tonight!)”
I think I played a show with New Jersey’s Save Face once in a past life. Once a local pop-punk band, Save Face is now signed to Epitaph, and “Bury Me (Tonight!),” the lead single from their forthcoming album Another Kill For The Highlight Reel, incorporates the operatic drama of the best My Chemical Romance songs with absolutely massive production from The Movielife’s Brett Romnes, anthemic guitars, and pummeling percussion.
Blush Cameron – “Julietta”
Blush Cameron is one of my favorite up-start projects. It’s the endeavor of songwriter Geoff Webb, a solo writer/producer who creates everything in his bedroom, but the DIY limitations don’t apply to the songwriting here, with massive hooks that will remain stuck in your head for days if not weeks. “Julietta” is the latest self-released single, a lo-fi power-pop masterpiece.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
