TOP INDIE SONGS - WEEK 14 PART 2

Hello everyone! Jay-Z’s awkward Tidal press conference may have proved that the music industry is in a very strange place at the moment, but we’re here to bring you even more of the best indie tracks of the week to help restore your faith. We have the latest from Sofi De La Torre, an awesome track from Tei Shi, and great stuff from newcomers MIYNT and The Districts. So sit back, relax, and don’t cancel your Spotify-subscription just yet (let’s face it—Tidal might be kind of a flop), and read on to discover even more awesome new music!

BORNS - SEEING STARS

Today we’re kicking things off with Garrett Borns, aka BORNS, and his latest single “Seeing Stars.” The track is off of his new EP, Candy, and it’s a hook-filled indie pop track packed with bouncy drums, fun synths, and charming vocals that I wouldn’t be surprised to hear in a commercial one day.

JAMES BAY - LET IT GO

No, this isn’t a cover of that damn Frozen song (but just admit you’ve belted it out at least once...or twice)— British singer-songwriter James Bay will totally give you chills with his latest pop-ballad, “Let It Go.” The track is carried by Bay’s smooth croon and raw guitar chords, before slowly adding a subtle beat, bass, and backing vocals as the song goes on.

SOFI DE LA TORRE - LOVERS WORK LATE

New singer Sofi De La Torre describes her sound as “pop done right” and that’s exactly how I feel about her latest single, “Lovers Work Late.” Her unique vocals flow over drum machine beats, clicks, and dance-inducing electronic elements that make for a solid pop song that will make you want to check out the rest of her material.

THE LANDING - THEN COMES THE WONDER

From his debut EP, We Are, comes New York-based artist The Landing and his latest track “Then Comes The Wonder.” Described as “space-pop,” it’s packed with galactic-sounding electronic elements, hand-claps, and airy vocals that make for a seriously awesome track.

TEI SHI - GO SLOW

New electro-pop artist Tei Shi will put you in a wonderfully chill mood with her new song, “Go Slow.” Featuring her whispery-soft vocals, futuristic-sounding synths and electronic elements, and a slow-grooving beat, it’s a awesomely uplifting and mellow track that you’ll keep coming back to. Her new EP comes out next month, and I’ll totally be checking it out!

RONNIE RICHALDS - MY KIND OF LADY

New singer-songwriter Ronnie Richalds creates catchy indie/R&B vibes on his track “My Kind of Lady.” Featuring a hi-hat filled beat, awesome vocals, booming bass, and subtle electronics under the guitars, it’s a fresh genre-bending slow jam with a slight ‘70s flare.

WARHOLA - UNRAVEL

Belgium-based electronic artist Warhola makes quite a splash with his smooth and sensual single “Unravel.” The track has a lot of elements going on like space-age synths, clicky beats, echoey electronics, lot’s of bass, and some super smooth vocals that create an awesomely epic vibe.

MIYNT - NICK DRAKE

New Scandinavian pop artist MIYNT definitely has my favorite track of the week with her new single “Nick Drake.” It’s a haunting and sassy slow-burning pop song with echoey vocals, groovy drums, synths, and subtle atmospherics that create a totally fresh take on the electro-pop genre. Her smooth vocals are almost hypnotic as she sings “we don’t care about the radio.”

THE DISTRICTS - HEAVY BEGS

Philly-based new band The Districts create moody indie-rock goodness on their latest single “Heavy Begs,” which I could totally see being on the radio in between The Killers and Arctic Monkeys. The slightly-distorted vocals are a great touch, and I totally love the breakdown around the 2:35 mark that slowly builds back up with fuzzy guitars and thundering drums.

INE HOEM - THIS YEAR

Norwegian songstress Ine Hoem will take you by surprise with her moving and beautifully written song, “This Year.” The track slowly builds over its duration with softly pounding drums, uplifting keys, and even some orchestral strings are thrown in for good measure. Her vocals are truly beautiful and make for a totally inspiring track.

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And that does it for part 2! See ya next time.

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.