EVNTYD caught our attention with their new single Sleepy Head. The project of Austin-based producer-songwriter Julián Berdegué brings a gnarly crunch to the world of dream pop. Solid songwriting meets great tone on this guitar heavy release. These crunchy guitars are rich with character, as Berdegué is a master of dynamic. Its a combination of calculated dials and his signature touch. Entrancing melodic layers suggest subtle shoegaze inspiration, but the melodic delivery is crystal clear.
EVNTYD could draw similarities to Del Water Gap and Car Seat Headrest. Sleepy Head is catchy while retaining an intelligent design. The artist also cites Turnover and Beach Fossils as influences, a bi-product of the hipster house show punk aesthetic, where raw guitars meet indie style chord structures. Sleepy Head never relents. In the spirit of classic indie it builds and evolves from start to finish.
Julián’s melancholy vocal laments the perils of a wasted day. Hoping to inspire his lazy companion, he pitches a promising itinerary for the day ahead. The dark musical soundtrack to this lazy day lullaby brings haunting contrast with a touch of post punk nostalgia known to The Cure and The Smiths. With crunchy guitars and great songwriting, Sleepy Head should please indie rock fans looking to escape the recent insurgence of synth dominant bedroom pop.
Enjoy Sleepy Head now on our Best New Indie Playlist
Prolific songwriter Sofia Dragt expands the reach of her sound on her new release ISA. The impressive 7 track release includes cinematic instrumental interludes between catchy doses of indie pop. A homage to the era of the album, Sofia remembers a time when music was digested front to back in one patient sitting, a respite from the real world and all of its hurry. Stop rushing and get lost in gems like Temporary Gold. Theres evidence of the indie soundscapes of Bon Iver and the retro appeal of cosmic retro star Kate Bush. With a sweet voice it should connect with fans of Phoebe Bridgers, Holly Humberstone, and Clairo, as Sofia makes a bid to be our next indie pop sweetheart.
She shows a penchant for intricate melodic designs like on the emotive Up Until Five. She digs into an expansive electronic palette, bringing production cues known to innovative shape-shifters like FKA Twigs, but in a more accessible pop package.
The Train Goes On shares the prior tracks affinity for innovative soundscapes in the vein of Bon Iver and Francis and The Lights. There’s even a hint of Taylor Swift’s recent indie transformation, connecting with her works that involved Bleachers and Aaron Dessner.
With interweaving instrumental breaks, ISA is equally charming and ingenious. Get started with Temporary Gold now on our Best New Indie Playlist
The Miser is an exciting new single from Excuse Me. The upbeat dance ready release is lifted by a clever instrumental arrangement. The one constant being the snap of the snare, The Miser’s musical parts evolve and ascend into the songs progression. Building into melodic overtones and chordal voicings, the collective parts create a savory musical soup. On the opening verse, a breathy expressive vocal wavers between soft affect and passionate falsetto as exit notes are stretched in echoey grasps. As the song progresses, the vocal also exhibits more passion, less inhibition. From croon to shout, it connects with magnifying vocal performances known to Spoon.
Fans of Phoenix and Miike Snow will dig this elegant panned wide dual guitar arrangement over a dance pop beat. The upbeat classic indie drum work could also draw similarities to TV On The Radio, but with a bit more polish.
Coming from 5 distinct musical backgrounds, Excuse Me. Is a rare collaboration in the era of one man band bedroom pop. The various contributions are part of their appeal, as it brings a rich eclectic detail to their sound. With each new offering on The Miser, the vibe of the song adapts slightly, as each member brings their signature touch. In that way, the song only gets better as it progresses. It catches you from the start, but keeps you in it with every new section. The standard of curators everywhere, its likely to win them a treasure of placements for their impressive release.
Enjoy The Miser now on our Best New Indie Playlist
Neon Fields present a dystopian anthem on their new single Shelter. With alterations of war drums and new wave percussion, Shelter is epic. A passionate vocal ripe with blue-eyed soul beneath an atmospheric design recalls classic works by Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins. That subtle nostalgia is tweaked with modern minimalistic electronic intellect, with hints of The XX and James Blake in the tonal palette. Like those elite Indies, the sound is a byproduct of this trios make-up. Drummer Luke Russe, Singer Ed Barrett, and multi-instrumentalist Piers Ward keep it tight. Limiting themselves to this makeup is part of their appeal. Everyone brings something meaningful to the arrangement. There are no weak links in Neon Fields.
Lyrically, Shelter should connect with a lockdown generation who battled bouts of fear with hope. It’s slightly dramatic, but you can’t underscore how that experience changed all of us a bit, and some of us a lot. What we have now, those of us that made it through, is a new awakening of futility. A new humble ethos, and a metaphysical curiosity where skepticism reigned supreme. It’s not that funny anymore, we’re trying to get our groove back. Shelter is a proper tribute for perseverance, in the spirt of our ancestors, we honor those that didn’t make it through by never forgetting while always carrying on. The plight of humanity: find shelter, live to fight another day.
In an almost post-pandemic world, its daunting to accept that new perils of war and destruction await us. And so it is that Ukraine falls under siege. We’ve barely escaped the virus with WW3 at our doorsteps. To lend their support to the effort, Neon Fields is selling the downloadable track on their website with all profits going to the Disasters Emergency Committee. A leading charity aiding the relief effort in Ukraine.
Take Solace in Shelter now on our Best New Indie Playlist
The Wild Is Calling 