THE BEST INDIE POP SONGS TO BEGIN YOUR GOODBYES WITH WINTER

Image by Juju Han on Unsplash

March 20th is a little less than a month away, and do you know what that means? SPRING! Though the past year has felt a bit like a never-ending winter, the light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter and brighter every day.  

To help you bid your goodbyes to the colder seasons, we’re bringing you the best new indie pop releases of the week.

SHAMIR - OCEAN EYES

And the category is… vocals. Shamir’s “Ocean Eyes” cover (released on our very own label and produced by dullboy) is a masterclass in how to transform a song into something completely new. With moody guitars supporting his incredible range, he has turned what was once a chiller into a “haunted emo shoegaze rock song” as promised.

AUBREY HADDARD - PORTUGUESE RED

On “Portuguese Red,” Aubrey Haddard reminisces on Brooklyn nightlife and falling in love during pre-COVID times. The nostalgic lyrics are skillfully supported by her soulful voice and incredible guitar work. The chorus longs for simpler, happy days: “Took some time but for now we’re fine / lying on your couch in New York / simpler times / they’re on my mind / undefined / refrigerator wine.”

LEV - FIGHTER

Indie pop singer-songwriter Lev returns with a hard hitting new release, “Fighter.” With his signature honest lyrics and catchy melodies, this song delivers everything we’ve come to love about Lev’s music, as well as a new R&B and hip hop leaning sound. Lev builds his releases around transparency and lets us peer behind the curtain by posting the voice notes that became “Fighter” on his website. 

KATY KIRBY - PEPPERMINT

It’s here!!! Katy Kirby’s debut album Cool Dry Place has arrived via Keeled Scales and it is a MUST listen. With songwriting at the forefront, she is fearlessly vulnerable. “Peppermint” talks about the pieces of our friendships and relationships that linger on, compared to a mintiness on her tongue. With an arrangement that builds intensity throughout, it goes from a singer-songwriter jam to a full on indie rock song.

KWAKU - STUCK

Boston’s Kwaku warns of the harmful impact social media can have on one’s self worth and identity. We all love to paint a pretty picture online of a perfect Instagrammable-VSCO-filtered life, but rarely do those images reflect the reality… and the reality is that we’re all cooped up at home and just trying our best. What better place to get this message across than the all-consuming app TikTok. Garnering millions of views on the platform, “Stuck” resonated with listeners, and there’s no question why: Kwaku has created the song that we all needed to hear right now.

EMILY BEAR - U SUCK

From the team that brought us the “If Bridgerton Was A Musical” series on TikTok, Emily Bear flexes a different songwriting muscle on “u suck.” With jazz inspired harmonies and production that keeps you on your toes, she gently delivers a harsh burn. We all love a diss track, and folks- this one is great.

SKOFEE - SPIDERMAN (POST POP REMIX)

Skofee’s “Spiderman” got a funky new remix by Stefan Skarbek. Reflecting on the complex juxtaposition of emotions after a break up, “Spiderman” feels less focussed on the sadness, and more on feelings of jealousy, and confusion surrounding moving on. The new remix, however, provides something we can dance it all away to.

Looking for more of our favorite new music? Well you’re in luck. Be sure to check out our Spotify playlist updated every Tuesday.

Arielle Tindel is from Cleveland, Ohio. She recently graduated from Berklee College of Music with degrees in Music Business Marketing and Songwriting. In her free time, Arielle can be found gardening or playing bass.