An intoxicating lush vocal delivery is pushing Rowan Drake to the front of the indie turned mainstream relay. Drake ascends to a full sprint on his recent How Do I Love Again. The single has the potential to become his trademark slow jam, embracing a classic 50s framework with clever indie updates to keep the vibe new. It’s a gorgeous blend of shoegaze and contemporary songwriting, with Drake sinking into the haze of the mix on natural texture alone.
The gritty basement guitar tones add to the underground appeal, but he likely won’t hang below the surface for long. With 400k+ listeners tuning in monthly, Drake is soon to be every kids new favorite vocal crush. With the legacy of Jeff Buckley staking some claim to this sound, the rents are bound to dig him to.
Rowan Drake is featured on our Best New Indie Playlist.
Brendan Scott Friel embraces poetic contrast on his new single Simon The Doubter. The aggressive punchy drums pump beneath and indie folk design, conceptually representing the lurking fury buried within this tale of silent aggression. “Do I stand a chance of healing from this hurt? Someone hold on to me.” Simon The Doubter could be a call for help or an existential crisis with perceived subtle Biblical resonation. This acquired interpretation might not be the intention but it presents as brilliant all the same.
Those emotional historical details have found discovery through poets and novelists for years, and Friel adds to the journey with his songs own cinematic flow. An intriguing composition that feels like it’s running towards something new at every melodic shift. No matter how you take it, Simon The Doubter is a really strong single that effectively brings both a vibe and a narrative you can hold close to your heart. Brendan Scott Friel should connect with smart dynamic indie projects like Pedro The Lion and Big Thief.
Hear Simon The Doubter now on our Best New Indie Playlist.
Tom Lark is a true original. It’s his essence as a storyteller and musical presence that offers him the ability to give familiar musical movements new life. It’s his magic trick. The sentiment is on full display with his recent Brave Star. A simple song with a slightly buried vocal meant to trigger your volume finger. To turn it up is to immerse yourself in its gorgeous sonic design.
Within that sonic deliverance lies the epic that is Brave Star. This anti-hero tribute has all the charm known to your favorite unassuming champion. The affect is cinematic and evolves like a silver screen narrative. Tom Lark is a sure thing for fans of Karl Blau and Wilco.
Hear Brave Star now on our Best New Indie Playlist.
Bringing the heat from Arizona, decker. erupts on his recent release My Gift. The vintage retro crooner rips through his nostalgic number with a fiery fury known to Rocks first movement. The presentation is dense with a full horn arrangement to honor the singers big presence. His performance is strong enough to break through, and the recording analog design brings additional texture and sense of place.
For us My Gift falls in with the works of retro revival artists like JD McPherson, artists who make first wave rock feel as rough and rebellious as it truly was. decker. bings the gift of passion, and for that we are grateful.
Hear My Gift now on our Best New Indie Playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 