Tag: Indie Rock

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No Suits – “Sex”

The new sophmore EP by Los Angeles locals No Suits, unsubtly titled “Sex”, is a distinct contrast to their debut EP “Virgin”. Marking a sort of end to their sonic puberty, their evolution from downtempo indie soul pop to confident and punchy funk-hop took form in the making of the new EP throughout the last year. The band’s unique sound comes from a tasteful blending of an indie psych-rock vibe a la Tame Impala with throwback elements from classic hip hop, soul, rock, funk and jazz. The result is music with a pervasive smooth swagger to it, which is likely the key to much of their recent sync success. The lead single off the record “Sue” has achieved over 2.6 million plays on Spotify and was featured in a segment with Brad Pitt for NFL on Fox. Their 2019 single “Clothes Off” has been in spots for MINI Cooper and […]

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Deep Dive: Jackson Boone – “Natural Changes”

It’s pretty likely you’ve never heard of Jackson Boone. He lives a fairly low key life managing a vegan juice bar tucked away all the way up in the top left corner of the country, while also quietly making stunningly gorgeous records. The song we’re highlighting today is the title track to Jackson’s album “Natural Changes”, a timeless psych-folk ballad with lush strings that is tailor-made for a bittersweet cinematic montage. Recorded at Cannon Beach along the Oregon coast with producer Riley Geare of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, “Natural Changes” is rich with vivid imagery of the Pacific coastal setting where it was conceived. Despite touching on heavy subject matter like death and passing into the unknown, the song remains light and dreamy with that small touch of levity Jackson often weaves into his songwriting. The string arrangement throughout is subtle and understated, elevating what would otherwise be a somewhat somber […]

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Bronze Radio Return – “Tell It To Me”

For nearly a decade Bronze Radio Return’s rousing, anthemic sound has created an undeniable upbeat atmosphere that’s one part dance party and another part roots-rock. If their name doesn’t ring a bell, odds are you’ve heard one of their acclaimed singles, leaving them affectionately dubbed “the band you’ve probably heard, but haven’t heard of.” Racking up over 85 million streams on Spotify alone, and with songs such as “Light Me Up”, “Further On”, “With Me All Along” and “Shake, Shake, Shake”, they have had an epic decade run with well over 100 high-profile sync placements. The list (more of a spreadsheet, really) includes broadcast spots for Nissan, Coca Cola, Starbucks, Home Depot, Blue Moon, Discover and Bayer and hit TV shows like “Shameless”, “Criminal Minds”, “New Amsterdam” and “The Rookie”. Just to name a few! Bronze Radio Return’s latest single, “Tell It To Me” is a song for the times […]

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The Kickdrums – “Blurred Colors”

Alex Fitts, widely known under his moniker/band name The Kickdrums, is a bit of a wizard. With one foot firmly in shoegaze indie rock and the other in the mainstream hip hop world, Alex has made a name for himself by effortlessly blending these two seemingly incompatible genres together as few others can. With their brand new album Blurred Colors with features by rappers R.A. The Rugged Man and Blu, the Kickdrums are back in full force. Standout single “Sunshine Guy” has electro-pop Big Data sensibilities, and it feels especially relevant with the refrain, “All these days are blurring together.” They suuure are. Over the past 15 years, The Kickdrums have shared the stage with revered indie rock acts such as Miike Snow, The Walkmen, Andrew W.K. and Miguel. As a producer, Alex has worked with artists like 50 Cent, Kid Cudi, Freddie Gibbs, A$AP Rocky and Lana Del Rey, […]

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The Kickdrums – “Sunshine Guy”

The Kickdrums has returned with “Sunshine Guy” – an ethereal burst of indie rock melancholia that lyrically reflects the strange days that we’re trudging through so far in 2020. While the song was written before we lived in a state of pandemic, it perfectly encapsulates the emotional rollercoaster and weird state of mind that most of us have experienced since being locked in quarantine. The song is built on layers of synths intricately arranged and intertwined with a bouncing bassline and reflexive percussion to create a soundscape that feels both otherworldly and intimately relatable. The Kickdrums is the recording alias of producer/singer/songwriter, Alex Fitts. Over the course of his career, Fitts has been celebrated for his incredible dynamism as a songwriter/producer. He’s produced for such legendary artists as Kid Cudi, 50 Cent, K Flay, Lana Del Rey, Freddie Gibbs, and Slaughterhouse while maintaining a sizable cult following on the artist […]

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Laveda – “Ghost”

What began as a singer-songwriter bedroom recording project in Albany, NY by Ali Genevich and Jake Brooks has now evolved into a full fledged Dream Pop experience known as Laveda. The first single off their upcoming debut LP What Happens After, out next month on Color Station, is simply entitled “Ghost”. This track opened the door to the heavier indie rock/shoegaze guitar sound that they worked so hard to harness throughout the rest of the record. After a scratchy lo-fi acoustic guitar intro with inaudible vocals, the song explodes with a tsunami of glittering delayed guitars and massive drums. It’s worth the wait.

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Featured Artist: Winona Forever

Paying ironic tribute to Johnny Depp’s infamous tattoo (despite him ultimately editing it to “Wino Forever”, which is frankly also not a bad band name), this self-described Indie Jazz Yacht Rock quartet from Montreal is as wonderfully quirky as their namesake. Also aptly named is their album Feelgood, with songs like “Happy Days”, “Joyride” and “Keep Kool” setting a pleasant upbeat tone throughout the record. Their distinctive sound is extremely technical yet very smooth, kind of like Dirty Projectors meets Brian Wilson. If you’re looking for smooth indie rock that plays a bit ironic or comedic, these are your guys. I mean just look at them. You get it.