Breakout Canadian Songwriter Maddisun is no stranger to big statements. The prolific songwriter already has a full length to her credit. She doubles down with the 10 song Home Is Where The Music Is. In contempt of the industry’s recent relentless singles standard, Maddisun reclaims the songwriters purpose. All killer no filler, the new album showcases her adaptability while grazing her influences. Ready to acknowledge how her style reflects what might happen if Amy Winehouse had worked with Johnny Cash, she emboldens the sentiment on her trademark single Running. Paired with an elegant period perfect music video, Maddisun is exhilirating.
The star power is on full display. Equal parts small time charm and seductive flair, it’s her outlaw attitude and indie punk style that will draw alt country fans to her altar. With elite vocal skills, Running is hypnotic in the spirit of classic works by The Doors and the Animals. Like those elite frontmen, Maddisun is exotic and mysterious.
Stylistically, Running could draw comparisons to Shovels & Rope, a testament to how her inherit grit collides with her undeniable melodic beauty.
As the album evolves, there are heavy doses of Nashville inspired indie pop like the catchy Fading and Don’t Say No. The album is bookended by the atmospheric Home and Glory Day (Over and Over). The eclectic offerings interject the otherwise alt-country feel, connecting with diverse works by breakouts like Kacey Musgraves and Taylor Swift. Refusing to be boxed in, Maddisun is an old soul beneath the neon limelight. She embraces both ethos elegantly, cementing her status as a buzz worthy emerging artist with widespread potential.
Enjoy Running now our Best New Indie Playlist.
KNOTTS is buzzworthy on their new single Good Morning. An innovative minimalistic arrangement that defies convention while remaining approachable, it leaves proper space for the signature detail that is the singers rare voice. Attractive and elusive, she rips with attitude and emotional breaks that can’t be reached. An instinctual trait that can only be informed through formal training, but barely enhanced. It only aims to acknowledge the existence of this musical knowledge that was seemingly inherited.
The collective intention shares the art pop appeal of Dirty Projectors or more classically The Talking Heads, with an inclination towards magnetic tempo pick-you-ups. It begs you to dance while demanding some improvisational interpretation, a reflection of its unparalleled difference.
Refreshingly original and melodically ripe, wake up to Good Morning now on our Best New Indie Playlist.
Who are These People? They caught our attention with their impressive new release Levels. An amalgamation of influence and an inclination towards innovation, Levels is mesmerizing. Intricate layers are treated with dreamy sonic intention, all meant to burst through the arrangement with drama and surprise. Cut time tempo resets contrast beauty and chaos, quick enough to whirl you out of apathy but subtle enough not to destroy the infatuating melodies that already made you a fan.
We hear evidence of classic Grizzly Bear with a sonic presence known to Editors and indie pioneers The Doves. These People spare no sonic luxury, enhancing every vulnerable moment with tasteful precision. They would demand a large group to replicate this in concert, and the affect would be immersive and massive. Until then, turn it up and lose yourself to its psychedelic potential.
Enjoy Levels now on our Best New Indie Playlist.
ELLLA is innovative on the introspective Spirit Life. A refreshing employment of samples and sounds lift the composition to new heights. Frankly, the track would not hit the same if it wasn’t built around the sonic design. It would still be catchy, but not as effective. In the same manner the vocal is treated to meld into the sonic atmosphere.
There’s an electric presence to the production, an expose’ of technology like an industrial offering of indie pop. The sounds are just soft enough to stay undeniably beautiful, with the distorted drums bringing energy to the collective work. Dreamy industrial pop would be an appropriate designation, and we are all for it. The artist connects with dreamy producers like Kitty Craft, Jane Remover, and Elusin. Artists who value innovation while embracing melodic musicality.
Find yourself in Spirit Life now on our Best New Indie Playlist
Candy Cigarettes caught our attention with their single Found Footage. A rich atmosphere rumbles and ascends in tandem with the songs brooding progression. It all culminates in an immersive breakbeat outro that could have engulfed us for an extended session. It suggests how Candy Cigarettes might embellish their live show.
Candy Cigarettes’ debut self-titled album was released in 2016 and quickly became a mainstay of Portland’s DIY scene. With the release of their massive 11 song album Horse Lungs, multi-instrumentalist Lane Mueller makes a big statement. The artist realizes an eclectic vision that embraces Boards of Canada’s nostalgia, Elliott Smith’s emotional songwriting, Kid A’s atmospheric rock, and glistening 90s shoegaze. The result is intoxicating, a melting pot of dreamy melancholy and sonic chaos. With a semblance of Trip Hop in their groovy nature and subsequent drum design, they inject the spirit of Portishead with updated modern indie influence.
Enjoy Found Footage now on our Best New Indie Playlist
The Wild Is Calling 