Top 10 Indie Rock - 29/04/2022
Updated: May 15, 2022
NUMBER 1
Dafydd Hedd - Fake Indie Song
Bristol/Bethesda, United Kingdom
Dafydd Hedd is no stranger to the industry. Having been heard on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio Bristol and Capital this artist has released his dreamy but hitting indie rock track called 'Fake Indie Song' today through the independent record label Bryn Rock Records. Inspired by the conflict of either following your dreams or having to earn a living, this bitter track recreates the joy of creating in an ever more corporate landscape. Spacey chorused guitars and a catchy riff encapsulates the song from the beginning. Tight and hard-hitting drums carry the vibe across the song. Dafydd’s grungy and frustrated persona along with his grainy and melodic vocal sets the story and the frustration and joy that creatives often live by. Click the link below to hear it!
NUMBER 2
Katanak - Weigh Down
Australia, Brisbane
2022 is shaping up as a year to remember for Dylan Cattanach AKA Katanak. After two years of keeping silent about the role of the extra he scored as bassist Jerry Scheff in the upcoming ELVIS movie by Baz Luhrmann, he can finally reveal his part in it. HOW EXCITING IS THIS! This role inspired Katanak to create his new single ‘Weigh Down’ and he’s embarking on his first tour. It’s all up from here. ‘Weigh Down’, self-produced by Katanak and recorded and mixed in the studio with Jared Adlam (Caligula’s Horse, Mitch King, Aleyce Simmonds), Katanak again shows his ability to switch up genres and jolt his listeners into paying attention. The confident energy of the music belies the darkness and context of the lyrics Katanak’s music reflects his wide-ranging influences of inspiration: The 1975, The Wombats, 5SOS, Circa Waves, Coin, New Hope Club, Two Door Cinema Club. This artist is amazing so make sure that you click the link below to hear his music!
NUMBER 3
Elektric Animals - Head In The Ground
Denver, CO, United States
'Head In The Ground' is the second release off Elektric Animal's upcoming EP titled 'Channels' which is due for release on 13/05/22. Each single has its very own tarot card created which is included in a pack as part of a giveaway for purchased EPs. We thought that was really cool! Channels have 3 new songs that each embody their own tarot card in order to symbolise the link between worlds and to show that there is power in connection regardless of which road you chose to take. We really liked this idea and the philosophy around it. Go check them out and if you can, grab one or more of those giveaways!
NUMBER 4
Will Spencer - Misty Rain
Windsor, United Kingdom
Will’s newest single ‘Misty Rain’ promises to win over the hearts of anyone who’s ever felt the same through the lyrics he addresses topics of mental health, apathy, and isolation. 'Misty rain is the first single in the run-up to the release of his debut EP. ‘Misty Rain' is primarily rooted in the spirit of folk music. It’s a song about feeling numb sometimes when you know you should be happy; when you can’t explain why. This song was recorded entirely at home and is self-produced. The artist made the following statement about his release - "I hope that this song finds its way to somebody going through something - just to make things ever so slightly lighter - like writing it did for me." This is an incredibly moving piece, so check it out using the link below.
NUMBER 5
The Ironed Curtain - Sell Me A Ticket!
West Lafayette, United States
"Sell Me A Ticket" is the newest single from the young indie rock band The Ironed Curtain. After meeting years ago in a university music class, they started rehearsing and became one of the most prominent music groups in the West Lafayette/Lafayette area. "Sell Me A Ticket" was originally a demo recorded on a phone, but quickly expanded to becoming their most collaborative work yet, featuring Ali Manges on vocals (who joined the group right after) and Kevin Braner on saxophone. It seamlessly blends together folk instrumentation, indie rock hooks, and catchy pop melodies. Make sure you check this track out using the link below!
NUMBER 6
Ask Carol - Quiet One
Oslo, Norway
With a haunting, melancholic vibe and a catchy melody, this cinematic, guitar-filled, unconventional love song, is a mix of dark alternative pop and dreamy indie rock. Carol's intimate, yet dynamic vocal, draws you in. It’s almost like Lana Del Rey meets a garage-ier Twenty One Pilots. This track is the second single from 'Ask Carol's upcoming debut album. We were given a few questions to ponder by the artists themselves - "Ever had the feeling that nobody understands you? That people think they know you, but they really don’t? Like the outsider kid in the schoolyard, misunderstood and insecure. The Quiet One...? Maybe even with a secret crush you dare not tell." This is a track that you need to hear, so click the link below to join their world!
NUMBER 7
The Rapports - Alive
“Alive” is a shimmering upbeat track just in time for summer. Sizzling with optimism and shining bright this uplifting indie banger is about feeling alive, being in love, and being in love with the world. Burning with positivity it’s time to whack on that suntan lotion, drive to the beach with this super catchy track turned up as loud as it will go. Bring on the summer! "Alive" is the second single release from The Rapports debut album "Taking Off". With a sting of singles and videos to follow, the album due for unveil Summer 2022. Recorded with label Noa Music in their countryside retreat studio of Normandy. Recorded and mixed by Island Records legend Andrew Lyden (John Martyn, Bob Marley, Buzzcocks, U2). Make sure that you hit the button below to hear it!
NUMBER 8
Flavus Nova - Illusion
Dungiven, United Kingdom
‘Illusion’ lures you in with dark and captivating lyrics, and delicately paints eerie visuals for the listener. A combination of raw and powerful vocals and edgy grunge guitars create an instant adrenaline hit. Flavus Nova is a 22-year-old Pop/Rock Artist and songwriter based in the UK. The singer-songwriter is from a small town in Northern Ireland. From an early age, she has been performing and began writing music at the age of 14. Nova is strongly influenced by ‘The Cranberries’, ‘P!nk’, ‘Paramore’, ‘The Cardigans’, ‘Radiohead’, and ‘Fleetwood Mac’. Her sound includes three distinctive elements: powerful vocals, a blend of grunge guitars and an eerie atmosphere.
NUMBER 9
SKYLIGHTS - Outlaw
Leeds/York, United Kingdom
York-based SKYLIGHTS released their 3rd single ‘OUTLAW’ on Friday 25th March. An intense rock n roll short sharp shock, it’s the lead track from the forthcoming debut album ‘WHAT YOU ARE’. SKYLIGHTS’ work ethic, honesty, integrity, and energy, their constant engagement with fans via social media, and a string of sold-out shows have earned them a fast-growing, loyal, and hugely enthusiastic fanbase around the UK. Their iron bond with their supporters is both admired and envied by their peers and many more established artists. OUTLAW was inspired by the people of Aberdeen, which has become their 3rd home after York & Leeds and the chorus pays tribute to an Aberdeen FC football chant, yet fits perfectly with current and recent events, without trying to be political, and reveals some of their early punk influences.
NUMBER 10
Jason Rueger and The Eyes - Infinite Wings
Los Angeles, United States
Jason Rueger and the Eyes' track "Infinite Wings" was written in the final week of a songwriting course instructed by Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes. "Our assignment was to write and record, in one week, a song that drew inspiration from a playlist that Robin curated himself," Jason says. "Some of the songs I knew, many I did not, but I kept going back to three in particular that rattled around my head as the week progressed. The opening notes of ‘Myself When I’m Real’ by Charles Mingus are sudden, fluttering and have a sense of excitement. I used this approach to build out my intro in the form of a spastic synth. I also wanted a cyclic, fluid and morphing guitar like Vini Reilly from The Durutti Column on ‘Otis’, and the two note dyads of 'Woncha Come On Home' by Joan Armatrading informed my approach to the melody.