Featuring an eclectic playlist of songs built around acoustic guitar and Brian Elodi’s distinctly raspy, relatable and modest indie voice, this album is something of a time capsule from the artist – a collection of moments years in the making, brought together in honour of his daughter.
Indie Pop
Promising stories of contemplation regarding influence, authority, and personal agency, Message Through Meadows is clearly songwriting-driven. The band are not flashy nor attention grabbing in their image or audio demeanour, they let the music speak honestly on each concept and feeling, and this is what lets these four songs feel so moving and emotionally memorable.
Long-time musician and artist Austyn Gillette creates a multi-layered indie-jazz aura with his latest project, blending saxophone, guitars, keys, riffs and rhythms, with a kind of Mac Demarco character and voice that’s distinct in both topic and tone.
Unexpectedly evolving twice throughout its lifespan, End And The Start lights up the space with humility and charm, offering memorable riffs, a long-form chorus expression, a brilliantly unique placement of the title – at the end of an exciting then mildly dizzying lyrical and melodic downpour – and it captures affection for its softness and passion carefully intertwined.
That quality is essential to the music that moves us, that stands the test of time – not a flashy outpouring of confidence or attention-grabbing performative flair, just a natural emotional charm and purpose to both the arrangement and delivery, and Full Circle has all bases covered on that front.
Catchy and evocative pop to drive fast and escape into – Luchino is a rising pop artist with a soulful but accessible and smart approach to making music, and My Whole Life is subtle yet effective in its blending of influences and simple, snappy melodies.
Sultry, smoky vocals and an equally art-noir set-up carve out an exotic and unignorable new lane, as singer and songwriter Luna Sterling guides us through a series of uniquely atmospheric stories, songs, and grooves.
These are gorgeously emotive vocals, delicate yet with just a touch of essential weight or grit to the edges to hit with impact, and the arrangement is something like dream-pop and indie rock carefully intertwined.
Something simply stumbled upon, compelling you to stop everything and just be, just listen, just settle. Nox Vale are a French band capturing a calming and unusual sound – a kind of colourful, not quite familiar sense of dreamy wonder. Paired vocals and something like complexity and minimalism walk hand-in-hand, as the wonderful Parallel Drift delivers a dose of pure artistic wonder and creativity.
Sometimes a song just holds you captive, grips you and moves you to listen more than once – to ponder the world and yourself in a new way for a while. Driver’s Seat does exactly that. Soulful grooves and raw intimate moments are scattered across a complex, provocative landscape of story and sentiment. Melodiva have that something special about their creative process, and it shows.
Great songwriting, a happy guitar anthem of quirky images, big dreams, and a fine fusion of organic folk-pop realism and cinematic, fully-loaded keys, strings and rhythms to elevate a catchy jam. KRANTZ captures a timeless vibrancy and warmth, with the uplifting wonder and romance of Dance on the Moon.
Four incredible songs, not a bad moment, nor one that’s less than great, in my view.