From the Inbox: Indie Round-Up (Feb 1, 2021)
Coffee, anyone?
I think one of the little things in life that I miss the most is taking that first sip of coffee from a diner or brunch spot on a Sunday morning after a late-night. The ceramic, white mug that is everywhere just gives the coffee a certain flavour and experience that you just can’t get at home.
I take mine black in case you were wondering.
Speaking of coffee, I recently launched a new account on Buy Me A Coffee, which is a great way to support the blog and donate. Right now, it is just donation based, but I would be happy to give you a shout-out as a token of my gratitude!
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You can find Dusty Organ on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify to stay up to date on new releases. You can listen to the entire collection with our handy From the Inbox Spotify playlist (it’s also embedded at the bottom of the post).
Most importantly, if you enjoy something, don’t forget to share it around!
Michaela Slinger – Make You Sad
Vancouver-based singer-songwriter Michaela Slinger put out her new single “Make You Sad” recently and it now has a stunning music video/short film to go along with it. Her mix of ’80s pop and West Coast folk makes for a wonderful recipe of sincere and melodic music as she sings about the natural complexities of relationships.
You can hear a clip of our conversation on the upcoming podcast episode and stay tuned for the full interview later this week.
Arlo Parks – Hope
British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks released her debut album to critical acclaim over the weekend. It’s no surprise; I’ve been following her new releases over the last two years and the rest of the collection is fantastic. Her last single from the album “Hope” was a slow-burning track about friendship and platonic love, and comes alongside this stunning short film.
Read the review of Collapsed In Sunbeams here.
Justine Tyrell – Radar
Calgary-based R&B artist Justine Tyrell has shared her new single “Radar”. Recorded live off the floor with no edits or retakes, this sultry and raw performance is an intimate ’00s-inspired R&B hit.
Conor Albert & Alice Auer – Forget
You might remember this combination of musicians from their previous single “Smile” which was featured on an episode of From the Inbox: the Podcast. Musical up-and-comers Conor Albert and Alice Auer have teamed up once more for their new single “Forget”, capturing their silky smooth chemistry for this elegant re-introduction.
Austin Sexton ft. Thuy – Over
Slipping onto the silky ’90s R&B and ’00s pop carousel, nu-R&B multi-instrumentalist Austin Sexton has shared his new track “Over” featuring vocalist Thuy. Hints of soul, pop, and hip-hop make their way into the track about a relationship reaching its end.
QNA – Me Me Me
Jazz-infused hip-hop group QNA have a certain je ne sais quoi about their music. Flying Lotus, Free Nationals, and touches of the experimental side of Robert Glaspar come to mind on their new single “Me Me Me”.
Flo Gallop – 21
Sure, I may not be 21 anymore (closer to 30 thanI am to 21…), but that doesn’t mean I can sniff out a good banger when I hear it. London-based indie pop artist Flo Gallop has some fun with her young, carefree lifestyle on the new track and lets us in on the excitement.
Holow ft. Max Green – Chemicals
Oddly enough, Paris-based producer Holow wrote this new French-house track up in the French alps during an reclusive songwriting session. Him and California-based friend Max Green have put out a simple club banger “Chemicals”.
BENIN – Freaking You out
Everytime I scroll through social media, it seems to be like a clean 50-50 of good news/funny content, and bad news. Like on Saturday – my Twitter feed included a tweet about SOPHIE’s passing and then immediately below it a joke about how “Jizz” was trending on Twitter (there’s a soccer player).
Well, London trio BENIN took that weird, dooming loop of “doomscrolling” into a club, disco-inspired banger “Freaking You Out”. It’s a perfect summary of the feeling of being in a good mood while you know there’s a lot of terrible shit happening around you.
It’s featured in the latest podcast episode.
Barry Paquin Roberge – BPR Strut (Join Us & You’ll Be Fine)
Disco is alive and well with Montreal-based group Barry Paquin Roberge. The nu-disco six-piece are releasing a new record on February 26th, and their new music video and single “BPR Strut (Join Us & You’ll Be Fine)” is neon-coloured, exercising clip that will get you moving…just don’t stare into their eyes for too long.
You can find it in this week’s podcast episode.
Matilde G – Doorbell
Italian-born, Singapore-based teen pop artist Matilde G is hoping to continue her success in 2020 after releasing four singles independently. With a team behind her and a stellar new pop single “Doorbell”, this might just be the push she needs to find the spotlight.
Ashnikko – Daisy
Ashnikko dropped her new album DEMIDEVIL on the 15th and I’ve been cranking her hit single “Daisy” for a few weeks now (yes, I know it came out August 2020). There’s something so powerful and hypnotic about her eccentric pop persona and her music is a perfect transposition of her performer status. Plus that bass hits and she can sing.
Find this track and more on our Starting Line-Up playlist.
Chillpill x Rico Nasty x Soleima – LiL BiTcH
Want to win prizes for playing video games AND listen to sweet tunes? Producer chillpill along with punk rock vocalist Rico Nasty and Danish singer-songwriter Soleima have teamed up for an unapologetic electro-pop banger that also features a video game where a leaderboard finish can earn you $500!
Barra Brown – WHOA HEY!
Dipping into the world of jazz, we have Barra Brown, the Portland-based producer and band leader. His new album LFT:RT will be out March 5th and will feature a handful of collaborations with friends, including the latest single “WHOA HEY!” featuring acclaimed trumpeter Tree Palmedo. Using public doman astronaut training footage as a music video, the experimental jazz/hip-hop track enters into a sci-fi dimension.
The Thirds – Iceberg Theory
West London hip-hop duo The Thirds keep things natural with their music. Full takes, minimalist sampling, and “underproducing” allows for their influences and accents shine through. Their new single “Iceberg Theory” keeps with the timeless sample-based hip-hop and steady verse-swapping delivery.
Matt Yonge – Time With You
Montreal-based rapper Matt Yonge is keeping busy with his new track “Time With You”. Dishing out a steady, uncomplicated mix and flow, Yonge keeps things easy and entertaining on his latest release.
AKA AKA – No Place To Cry
Berlin-based dance duo AKA AKA wanted to create something more “pop” than their usual dance music. The result is “No Place To Cry”, bringing out the glowing synthesizers and laid-back hooks of pop’s best features.
EMELINE – 6 foot deep
Perhaps you may have heard of Westerfeld Mansion a.k.a “House of Legends” – Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin have both lived there, and even the leader of the Church of Satan. There’s a lot of creepy markings and history etched into the walls of the house, so L.A.-based indie artist EMELINE decided to take her new single “6 foot deep” into an creepy direction.
Sacropolis – The Sinner
Frankfurt-based indie rock quartet Sacropolis have put out their third single “The Sinner”, a summery, glistening indie pop rock tune with plenty of bright guitar licks and a catchy, cinematic chorus.
Skegss – Valhala
Aussie rockers Skegss have just announced their new album Rehearsal will be out March 26th. The Byron Bay trio were inspired by the show The Last Kingdom for their latest music video for the song “Valhala”, bringing out their best viking performances as they celebrate the best nights with friends.
Lo Talker – Don’t Hide That Light
Athens, Georgia alternative folk rock group Lo Talker have their debut album coming out on March 19th. Their second single “Don’t Hide That Light” is a wonderfully optimistic and lighthearted track – but don’t expect that to match in their cult-classic music video and its twisted ending.
Gold Baby – Captain Dorego
Grunge-pop group Gold Baby will be releasing their debut EP Rabbits on March 26th. The dreamy London trio shared their new song “Captain Dorego”, inspired by an old country song from the 1920’s about a hobo’s paradise. The lo-fi, dream-rock track comes with music video shot on an old video camera and features the band and their friends dancing in a community centre, keeping it lighthearted and exceptionally down-to-Earth.
Squid – Narrator
As the boom of the next generation of post-punk-revival continues to grow, Brighton-based group Squid are keeping things interesting with their progressive, math rock-influenced take on the genre. Their lead single “Narrator”, which will be off the band’s upcoming album Bright Green Field, is an exciting and hypnotizing track that features dazzling riffs and criss-crossing time signatures that gradually build and build for a thrilling 8-minute piece. The music video is equally as compelling, mixing together reality and CGI.
You can hear more about it in the new podcast episode.
Frankie & His Fingers – To Die Would Be A Great Adventure
After breaking up in 2010, New York indie rock trio Frankie & His Fingers were never sure they would ever get back into the swing of things again, but after being joined by guitarist Ryan Stoutenburgh (brother of bassist Adam), a proper reunion seemed like a possibility. Their upcoming album Universal Hurt is the fully-formed product of their return, and includes their latest single “To Die Would Be A Great Adventure”. The soaring chorus and melancholic, emo-rock instrumentation is a wonderful combination and a strong first taste of the band’s promising future.
Brandon Jenner – Something About You
You may recognize the last name. Son of Caitlin (Bruce) Jenner and songwriter Linda Thompson, Brandon Jenner eventually grew up with David Foster as a step-father.
That’s a lot of big names in one sentence.
But not to let his parental situation steal the light from his music, Brandon is a folk singer-songwriter in his own right, lead by his rustic, yet soothing vocals. His new single “Something About You” is an unfiltered example of his strength as a performer, keeping things cozy and honest.
Mat Kearney – Powerless
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Mat Kearney is releasing his new album January Flower this May, and the record’s opening track “Powerless” is out now. The song’s uplifting and energizing spirit helps to bring out Kearney’s crisp, Chris Martin-esque vocals, as he sings about letting the unpredictability of the universe move you forward.
Ben Howard – What A Day
London singer-songwriter Ben Howard has announced his return with his new single “What A Day”, which will be off his fourth studio album Collections From the Whiteout – co-produced by The National’s Aaron Dressner. Along with the new track, Howard shared the non-sensical, animal-hallucination music video based on an Old English rhyme.
Find it on our Starting Line-Up playlist.
Sturle Dagsland – Dreaming
Closing things off is Norwegian experimental singer-songwriter Sturle Dagsland and his latest single “Dreaming”. The cluster of haunting vocals, ethereal instrumentation and warped effects creates a stunning wall of sound. His debut, self-titled release will be out February 5th and explores a wide style of genres, with names like Björk, Sun O))), and Death Grips coming to mind.
