Cool Music Acts in The Indie Space
How's everyone doing? I hope you're well!
Yesterday I made my first blog post about rap acts that I feel are below the radar and need some attention; today I will be doing the same, but for indie acts! Indie is a broad term in regards to a music act. Traditionally, the word 'indie' denoted an act was by an independent musician. Nowadays, with the advent of cheaper recording technology and file sharing platforms such as SoundCloud, anyone can make music in their bedroom! This has given rise to the 'bedroom producer' or 'bedroom singer'. These types of performers have, in recent years, come to define the post 2008 indie sound (in my opinion of course). Some may be signed to an 'independent label'. This merely means that they are not affiliated with the major record labels such as Warner Music Group, Sony Records, or Universal Music Group.
Anyway, now that you're familiar with what indie music is, let's get to the recommendations!
I stumbled upon Craft Spells 2 years ago while I was back in college. What I love about this artist is how their lyrics are filled with emotion, but the delivery of those lyrics seems somewhat bored. It's as if there's a disconnect between the way the singer feels, and how they outwardly express themselves. I also really enjoy the instrumentation on this track. It has a very airy feel for such a down track.
For any readers who have heard of indie darling du jour 'Mac Demarco', this was the band he played in prior to going solo. You can see the similarities in song structure between this and his current work. It's just a great indie rock track, in my opinion. Hands down, my favorite part of this track is the chorus, when he pitches up and extends his vocals.
When I first learned about Sylas, it was through an interview with their manager (who's name eludes me at this time). They had said a full album was in the works, but here we are, 2 years later, and I'm still waiting (sighs). This is a hauntingly beautiful song. It reminds me a lot of Bon Iver and James Blake due to the auto-tune / vocal manipulation, but the instrumental backing the vocals seems futuristic and foreign.
I came across Noah Kittinger a few years back while browsing YouTube. Back then he went by 'Bedroom', but his new music still retains the core sound I enjoyed back then. I like Noah's use of washed out vocal effects. The minimal instrumentation is also nice, and it builds slowly throughout the track, culminating in a strong finish. The whole track has a relaxed atmosphere.
https://soundcloud.com/noahkittinger
Oddly enough, I found Zulu Winter through a BMX video that featured this song. (I feel like the best music finds are done in odd ways like that.) Anyway, this is a poppy feel good song. The vocalist delivers some great, extended high pitch lines that have a way of staying your head. The chorus is easy to remember as well. My favorite parts of this song have to be the clever use of xylophone, and the steadily building guitar sections.
I hope you all enjoyed the recommendations! I tried to make sure there's something in there for everybody, but also wanted to make sure it challenged you as a listener! Feel free to leave feedback in the comments section; I'd like to hear what you've been listening to!
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