ALTERNATIVE POP - WEEK 37 2014

We may not all be able to live like Miley Cyrus and go topless to Fashion Week, but we can spend time checking out more of the best indie pop songs of the week! So slap on your favorite pair of pasties and keep on reading because there are some seriously good tracks ahead.

LANY - MADE IN HOLLYWOOD

With synths and electronic drums that sound like you’re time traveling back to the 1980’s, “Made In Hollywood” is a great song to blast while cruising around and enjoying the remaining warm nights before Fall completely takes over. With lyrics that mention the beach, the West Coast/Hollywood, and Michael Jackson, it’s a love song that romanticizes Los Angeles while proving that this Nashville band totally prefers the West Coast.

RESCUE SONG - MR LITTLE JEANS (THE NAKED AND FAMOUS REMIX)

A lot of people loved the original version of this track (after hearing it in a Honda commercial) back in 2011, but the Naked And Famous remix refreshes the song and gives it new life. With their addition of brighter synths, louder beats and electronic elements, the song takes on a more up-beat vibe, but Mr. Little Jeans’ soothing vocals keep the track pleasingly hazy and dreamlike.

SALT ASHES - IF YOU LET ME GO (MAIN MIX)

Britain’s Veiga Sanchez, aka Salt Ashes, has totally made me a fan with her latest larger than life electro-pop masterpiece, “If You Let Me Go.” There’s a lot going on in this track, with its funky bass line, big synths, and a whirlwind of electronic elements that all support her wonderfully poppy vocals that would make Madonna proud.

HARPER - ANIMAL

East London’s Harper may be hard to Google, but it’s easy to tell that this singer/songwriter has one hell of a voice and knows how to create some solid pop music. “Animal” features electronic beats and elements mixed with piano that give the track an intense and dramatic vibe.

CHARLOTTE OC - STRANGE

Charlotte OC sends out some gorgeously chilling vibes on “Strange.” Her smooth vocals float over some haunting backing vocals, while sparse yet effective electronic elements such as fuzzy claps and echoey beats give the track its moody flavor. You’ll definitely want to listen to this track with headphones, as there are subtle glitches and bleeps that could be easy to miss.

IGGY AZALEA FEAT. RITA ORA - BLACK WIDOW

Iggy Azalea is settling in just fine on mainstream radio and she plans to stay there with her second single, “Black Widow.” Rita Ora proves that although we still think of her as the poor man’s Rihanna, she can deliver one hell of a chorus that is really the main reason why this track is doing so well. It’s a lot less poppy than “Fancy” with its dark and futuristic beat that makes this heartbroken track all the more intense.

AMTRAC - THOSE DAYS

Kentucky’s AMTRAC (I know, Kentucky isn’t exactly this first place you think of when you think “electronic music producer”) is continuing to create buzz and put you in a good mood with his latest track, “Those Days.” It’s an uplifting house track that samples Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” and a nonstop beat that Club MTV would’ve totally been into.

OCTAVE MINDS - TAP DANCE FEAT. CHANCE THE RAPPER & THE SOCIAL EXPERIMENT

Electronic producer Boys Noise teamed up with singer/pianist Chilly Gonzales and created the collaborative project Octave Minds. Collaborating with Chance The Rapper and The Social Experiment, “Tap Dance” is a wonderfully upbeat piano driven track that will have you singing along with Chance as he repeats the words “tap dance.” Things really take off around the 2:10 mark as the hand claps, horns, and electronic elements come in that mix together to create something awesome.

TINASHE - PRETEND FEAT. A$AP ROCKY

On the latest single from R&B new artist, Tinashe, you’ll find yourself coming back to this bubblegum pop meets R&B track, “Pretend.” With lyrics about wanting to hook up with a friend (“Let’s pretend I ain’t your friend/ So we can get it on again”) and a beat produced by Detail, it’s an insanely catchy track that’s way better than “2 On.” A$AP Rocky’s verse happens towards the end of the track, serving as the cherry on top of this tasty R&B treat.

CRAIG DAVID - ALL THE WAY (ABSTRACT YOUTH AND SH?M EDIT)

When I think about Craig David, I get flashbacks from the year 2000 when I avoided his played out smash hit “Fill Me In” like the plague (hey, I’m just being honest). But Sydney’s Abstract Youth and London’s Sh?m give his poppy 2005 track, “All The Way,” a fresh new flavor with their addition of quirky electronic beats and synths that bring it into 2014.

SAM SURE - HUNGER

UK-based singer/songwriter Sam Sure shows off his intoxicating vocals and beautiful production with his latest track, “Hunger.” Featuring various electronic elements likes claps, clicks, and spastic synths, everything blends together to create a simply solid track.

SANDRA KOLSTAD - ZERO GRAVITY STATE OF MIND

Norwegian songstress Sandra Kolstad totally made me fall in love with her electropop track, “Zero Gravity State of Mind.” This track is packed with quirky electronic elements that sound magically space age and futuristic, thumping drums, and piano that gives the song a unique vibe. And with Kolstad’s infectious vocals, you’ll find yourself singing the words “zero gravity” to yourself for the rest of the day.

FMLYBND - YOUNG WILD

We here at BitCandy introduced you to FMLYBND a while ago, and we still love them and their latest track, “Young Wild.” This track is synthpop at its finest featuring soft and breathy gang vocals, big synths, and a beat that slowly builds and gets you dancing in no time. Once you get to the 1:32 mark, the song will have totally sucked you in with it’s catchy hook and awesome production.

GREAT GOOD FINE OK - YOU’RE THE ONE FOR ME (SLINGER REMIX)

First of all, let me point out that I absolutely love this band name. Secondly (and more importantly), this song is simply awesome and Slinger made it even better with his addition of bright synths and electronic beats that turn it into a ridiculously uplifting dance song. The track is very well paced, as it gives you a break from the intense synths around the 1:32 mark and slowly eases you back in with breathy “aaaahhhs” and claps.

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And on that infectiously dancey note, I'm out!

About Erin Crider

Erin Crider eats, breathes, and sleeps pop culture. If you have a question about a one-hit wonder from the ‘90s or need help remembering lines from a SNL skit, she’s your girl. When she isn’t lurking the internet, she's either going to a show or hanging out at Disneyland. Erin lives in Southern California and has a B.A. in Creative Writing from Cal State Long Beach.