Indie Round-Up – From the Inbox: May 24, 2021

Happy Victoria Day!

Fortunately for music fans, a tradition is a tradition, so I’m here on a holiday Monday providing you with 30 must-hear singles from the past week.

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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, share it around!

LOONY – either side

Wit her new EP soft thing only a month away, Toronto R&B artist LOONY has shared her final taste with “either side”. No surprise, her buttery smooth vocals float over a crisp, soulful R&B melody with a subtle hint of doo-wop for good measure.

Louisa Laos ft. inHarmony – seventeen minutes

Indie singer-songwriter Louisa Laos has turned the final moments before the end of a relationship into a sultry, heartfelt R&B-tinged pop tune on “seventeen minutes”.

Sam Seccombe – Waiting On Your Love

With his phenomenal new EP To Be Quite Frank out into the world, indie singer-songwriter Sam Seccombe has quickly become a hidden gem in the new music world. Picked from the track list, “Waiting On Your Love” is a guitar-pop tune in line with major acts like John Mayer and Ed Sheeran, but with a homegrown, humble demeanour.

Discover more personal favourites on my Staring Line-Up playlist and read the review of To Be Quite Frank here.

Vanessa Gimenez – Make It Rain

On her debut single “Make It Rain”, former Swimming Girls frontwoman Vanessa Gimenez wanted to keep the childlike sensibility that is filled hopes and dreams. The moody indie pop tune keeps a melancholy-filled nostalgia, playing the part of a ’90s coming-of-age film soundtrack with an underlying sense of hope and wonder.

Novaa – She’s A Rose

Berlin-based alt-pop singer-songwriter Novaa is releasing her new album on July 16th. The eponymous release will feature her latest single “She’s A Rose”, a tribute to the powerful women in her life.

Twiceyoung – A Place For Us

During a midnight walk while soul searching, Nashville-based indietronica artist Twiceyoung overheard the phrase “A Place For Us”. The words stuck and he created the new single as a way to manage the feeling of being lost and unsure about what is home.

Miiesha – Damaged

On her new single “Damaged”, Australian R&B singer-songwriter Miiesha uses her songwriting to come to terms with the intergenerational trauma and interfamilial struggles she has experienced. The powerful visual accompaniment touches on those struggles, using the metaphor of a broken down car to mirror the loss in her family.

Greentea Peng – Dingaling

With the June 4th release date of her debut album MAN MADE on the horizon, London-based artist Greentea Peng has shared her new taster “Dingaling”. Her mix of hip-hop, R&B, and Afrobeat come together for a smooth, slow-burning performance.

CHUNG – High Waves

Montreal rapper CHUNG has shared her latest single from her upcoming EP. The old-school hip-hop track “High Waves” is a solid first introduction to one of Canada’s most exciting new artists, with CHUNG’s steady, articulate flow leading the way.

BLK ODYSSY – Big Bad Wolf/Sober

Austin-based songwriter Sam Houston has switched gears into his hip-hop project BLK ODYSSY. His first single under the new moniker is the powerful two-parter “Big Bad Wolf/Sober”.

Joyner Lucas – Zim Zimma

Hip-hop artist Joyner Lucas brought along some friends for the new music video for his BMW-focused track “Zim Zimma”, off his 2020 album Evolution.

KAM-BU – Dumpling

One of the UK’s most exciting new grime artists, KAM-BU dropped two heavy-hitting tracks, including the psychedelic-inspired track “Dumpling” and its accompanying music video.

Here more Kam-Bu here.

Oren Major x The Grand Mess – Got It Boomin’

You may have already heard this track on the opening scene of Netflix’s latest season of Love, Death and Robots. “Got It Boomin'” is the bounce, electro-hip-hop track from Atlanta-based producer and artist Oren Major, and it lives up to the title with its strong presence and guest verse from The Grand Mess.

Rio Nilo – ODEE

R&B singer-songwriter Rio Nilo has some fun with old-school R&B and hip-hop influences on his new track “ODEE”. The song’s bouncing energy and head-bopping flow makes it an instant hit.

Will Wallace x Laurel Smith – Girls Money Cars

DJ and producer Will Wallace and singer-songwriter Laurel Smith have teamed up for a flashy, moody EDM hit “Girls Money Cars”. The London-based pair bring along some dark-pop influences before opening up into a festival-ready dubstep drop.

V!V – MY NRG

Electro-pop artist V!V was inspired by her friends’ response to the question “what makes you feel like a badass bitch?” for her new single “MY NRG”. Inspired by ’90s hip-hop. the song’s bounce comes from both the timeless groove of her predecessors and the confidence of her performance.

STACEY – Strange (But I Like It)

Los Angeles-based pop singer-songwriter STACEY has shared her’60s/’70s-inspired tune “Strange (But I Like It)” and her self-directed, space-age inspired music video.

BEVERLEE – Logic Is Lost

Los Angeles-based alt-pop artist BEVERLEE wrote her new single “Logic Is Lost” after feeling disconnected from her home of New York and not quite at ease with being In L.A. The synth-pop song combines a cluster of influences before breaking off into an electrifying second half for a grande finale.

Munkey Junkey – Oo Aa Na

Lo-fi hip-hop producer Munkey Junkey is using his new single “Oo Aa Na” to poke fun at his “monkey”-like behaviour while in a long-term relationship. The ups and downs, mixed with irrationality and taking things for granted transpose into an electronic-infused bedroom lo-fi track.

Tré Nixon – B!ue Gam3boy

Mixing ’70s funk, ’90s video games, and a sugar-rush of energy, Tré Nixon has shared his new single “B!ue Gam3boy”, sounding like a mix of Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars, and Joe Jonas.

https://soundcloud.com/user-39716282/b-ue-gam3boy

Hanson – Annalie

The Hanson brothers have moved past their days of “MMMBop” – the pop rock trio are releasing their seventh studio album Against the World as seven monthly singles by the end of 2021. Their lead single is the jangling Americana-pop single “Annalie”, keeping with their familiar upbeat spirit and lively songwriting.

The Demos – Private Eye

Indie rock outfit The Demos wrote their new single “Private Eye” over Zoom last year. The Strokes-esque tune is an easy-to-enjoy guitar-pop tune mixed with synthesizers and steady percussion.

Hannah Georgas x Bartees Strange – Dreams (Remix)

Branching off from her 2020 critically-acclaimed album All That Emotion, Hannah Georgas has announced a new Versions EP featuring collaborative remixes of a handful of tracks, including “Dreams” and the Bartees Strange remix.

Three Cheers Too Late – Kicked In (Acoustic Session)

New Jersey-based pop-punk five-piece Three Cheers Too Late have turned their hit single “Kicked In” into an acoustic version. Written around the time the group were making the leap into music full-time, the song’s powerful message becomes a little bit clearer on the heartfelt rendition.

Glass House Point – All to Rest

From their lush and contemplative new EP Verglas, alternative rock group Glass House Point have shared their new single “All To Rest”. The EP was inspired by frontman Dylan Graham’s introspection and feelings of isolation while on tour, and “All to Rest” captures the melancholic, dark-pop side of the collection before adding their own mathy, indie rock flare.

Mountain Head – Let It Out

Indie psych-rock duo Mountain Head have shared their sunny, carefree new single “Let It Out”. The Hannah Brothers take their jangly influences and combine them with grungy psych-rock and indie pop glow for a fun, gritty track.

James and the Cold Gun – Plug Me In

Cardiff, South Wales alternative rock duo James and the Cold Gunhave shared their new single “Plug Me In”. A tribute to the cathartic release of turning up the volume, the rock n’ roll track is a riff-driven energizing performance from an exciting rising act. Putting the guitar front and centre, the ‘solo’ at the end of the new single is actually played by 8 different people—all of the band members, producer Adrian Bushby, his assistant engineer, photographer friend of the band Feisal Khazragi, and their drummer’s girlfriend Chloe.

Kinda Sorta – Need You(r Soul)

Detroit newcomers Kinda Sorta have shared their second single “Need You(r Soul), a fuzzy, surf-rock hit written about being obsessed and consumed by something or someone.

J Flint – Til Flowers Bloom

Indie singer-songwriter J Flint hasshared his new single “Til Flowers Bloom”. Written with longtime friend and collaborator Alex Siegel in a cabin in the woods, the lo-fi folk tune is about feeling distant and disconnected because of self-inflicted walls of insecurity.

Sir Was – Spend A Lifetime

Swedish multi-instrumentalist and producer sir Was has shared his new single “Spend A Lifetime”. The dreamy, synth-wave track features his distinct falsetto and chill, lo-fi production, creating a warm and inviting sonic soundscape.