As we approach the end of September, the colder days are creeping in quicker than expected. But luckily for us, we have a huge pile of festive and warm tunes to equip ourselves with.
In this week’s New Music Sunday, we are delighted to present to you ten songs from artists that all make their first appearance on Indie Top 39, so let’s dive into some brand new music.
Track Of The Week
Akin Amusan & Agi » Chemical Romance
Akin Amusan’s sophomore single release really hits home, in quite the literal sense, in a track that reaches out to those who felt a longing for a loved one during the pandemic.
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The sophomore single from Leeds-based R&B and jazz-inspired singer/songwriter Akin Amusan, ‘Chemical Romance’ really hits home with many of us in the UK and other parts of the world. With the additional vocal talent of female singer Agi, Akin Amusan creates an anthem for everyone who has felt a sense of longing towards a loved one in the recent events of COVID-19 and quarantine. With a sound-bite of Boris Johson’s plea for the British people to “stay at home”, the thematic sentiment behind this song becomes painstakingly clear. But above all else, it remiss listeners to cherish those they love, and check up on them, through alternative ways of connecting. But of equal importance, ‘Chemical Romance’ is a gorgeously soulful tune; one that really boosted our sense of love and affection.
Areen » Brand New Day
Areen continues his wild streak of 2020 releases with ‘Brand New Day’, and grabbed our attention with its sense of vibrance and festivity.
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Despite this being our first instance of presenting the electronic music artist Areen on Indie Top 39, this producer has had 2020 that trumps even the most productive of artists that we’ve spoken of thus far. By the time that 2020 draws to a close, it is said that Areen will have released a grand total of 23 new singles! The newest chapter, in this wild ride of a year, would be none other than his most recent single, ‘Brand New Day’. While Areen has dished out an extremely versatile range of brilliant electronic dance tunes, ‘Brand New Day’ grabbed our attention for having an incredibly festive, warm, and exotic atmosphere to it; one that transports us directly back to the height of summer.
Dead Cherry » Every Sale Is The Same
The debut single from Dead Cherry is a stark observation of Wall Street party hard-lad culture and presents the band’s wistful lyricism.
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‘Every Sale Is The Same’ is the debut single from the Manchester-hailing witful punk trio that are Dead Cherry. The song has been described by the band as one that “tears apart Wall Street party hard-lad culture”, and we believe that this message comes across clearly in both the lyrics and the sound that powers this starkly observant and dynamically gritty tune. The awesome bass riff that laces this track, along with the quick-fire, poetic delivery of lyrics, reminds us a lot of the likes of Drenge. In addition, the way that ‘Every Sale Is The Same’ is structured, allows it to be a remarkably engaging tune that had a firm grip on us with both hands clenched tight. We are definitely excited to hear more from their alleged upcoming EP.
Inky Nite » Bad Machines
‘The chemistry between the husband and wife that make up Inky Nite really shines through on their debut single’.
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Another debut single release this week comes in the form of ‘Bad Machines’, by the Brighton-based husband and wife duo, Inky Nite, which came to be as the result of lockdown productivity. This track heralds the kind of colourful and wondrous electronic goodness that feels synonymous with the Brighton music scene at this point. Along with this, the chemistry between the two halves of Inky Nite, help to create a brilliant vocal harmony that really melds in well with the electronic instrumentation. And lastly, the rhythm and structure of ‘Bad Machines’, help it to become an insanely catchy and memorable tune, one that is stuck on replay in our heads for sure.
Modern Guilt » Hoping for the Hoping
‘The warm and retro guitar riffs and fuzzy vocals on ‘Hoping for the Hoping’ creates a fun and accurate rock ‘n’ roll experience’.
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The rock ‘n’ roll-inspired trio that is Modern Guilt was certainly one of the many bands affected by the events of lockdown that took place earlier this year, with it being enforced only shortly after the band were beginning to blossom. Nevertheless, ‘Hoping for the Hoping’ is a brilliant representation of the bands positive, productive, and hopeful energy. The warm and retro guitar riffs, paired with fuzzy vocals, create an experience that feels both very reminiscent of early rock ‘n’ roll, and extremely fun to listen to. It is a track that captures a little essence of that summer feeling. And with the colder days rolling in, it’s tracks like these that we need more than ever.
Muca & La Marquise » Blue Moon Bossa
‘Blue Moon Bossa’ is one of those tracks that takes you to the sandy shores of some warm, faraway island, with its bossa nova influences.
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Another tune that captures a summer-like essence would be the beautifully laid-back sophomore single from the duo that is Muca & La Marquise. ‘Blue Moon Bossa’ is definitely one of those tracks that take you to the sandy shores of some warm, faraway island, and this is mainly thanks to Muca’s goal to evoke his Brazillian origin, through representing the genre of bossa nova in this single. The mixture of Muca’s acoustic guitar licks and La Marquise’s soft and melodic vocals create a brilliant musical indulgence that we sunk into easily. And in contrast to the upbeat sound of their debut single ‘London’, ‘Blue Moon Rising’ is a far more nocturnal and soft melody, with a hint of melancholic atmosphere for good measure.
Pylon Heights » Midsummer
‘Midsummer’ feels like a brand new chapter in the musical journey of Pylon Heights, with a brand new mixture of styles.
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The first single to be released by Pylon Heights since their Arizona EP, which was released earlier this year, ‘Midsummer’ takes the band’s ambient style, and blends it together with some vibrant synth sounds, to create a track that feels incredibly upbeat when compared to the rest of their discography. Being a song about time-travel, with a nifty rewind-to-the-beginning style ending, it is definitely a song that many people who are looking back on the days of freedom. And given that the Arizona EP most likely served as a round-up of Pylon Height’s previous releases, and shares the same name as their 2016 debut single, ‘Midsummer’ definitely feels like a brand new chapter in the musical journey of Pylon Heights.
Sam Thomas » Mr Sunshine
‘Mr Sunshine’ effortlessly captures a chilled and warm vibe, that serves as a great transitional tune between summer and autumn.
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With a title like ‘Mr Sunshine’ it was clear to us that the newest release from Sam Thomas would be another tune to sprinkle a bit of the summer vibes over us. After experimenting with a lot of different genres of music, Sam Thomas had settled into hip-hop inspiration comfortably in his most current musical endeavor. ‘Mr Sunshine’ is Sam Thomas’ fourth single release, and really captures a chilled and soothing lo-fi hip-hop aesthetic, that feels quite reminiscent of Mac Miller. But feeling both sunny and autumnal, thanks to the bittersweet atmosphere that laces its indulgent production, ‘Mr Sunshine’ serves as a perfect transitional tune for the settling autumn.
The Islas » Close
‘Close’ is just as an enjoyable listen, as it is a track with a deeply personal underlying theme, of experiences with Christianity and comparing that to one’s own beliefs.
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The first release of 2020 by Norwich-based indie rock band The Islas, ‘Close’ offers a vibrant, atmospheric, and upbeat brand of indie, that certainly has enough of an accessible feel to effortlessly pull fans of the indie genre, and other music lovers alike, into its soundscape. By shuffling soft, cavernous verses and explosive choruses, ‘Close’ is an incredibly engaging and enjoyable listen, with a subtle hint of epicness to it as well. But what really wowed us was the story behind this track. ‘Close’ was inspired by frontman Nathan Baverstock’s experiences with Christianity, and being told that Homosexuality is a sin. With Baverstock’s brother being gay, it felt very clear to us that this track was as personal, as it is enjoyable.
The K’s » TV
‘TV’ is a wonderfully energetic and festive track that rivals the likes of big-city rock ‘n’ roll bands.
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The conceptual inspiration behind this newest release from The K’s is pretty self-explanatory from its title, but ‘TV’ is a wonderfully energetic and upbeat track that can really be felt by listeners who, like the members of The K’s, grew up having been fed so much information and influence through TV culture. The colourful and dynamic instrumentation, especially the guitar riffs and quickfire drum beats, allow this tune to really burst with festival-ready energy; one that we would kill to witness live when the time comes where we can reconnect at live shows once again. But on top of this, The K’s definitely showed us, through this track, that they can rival the likes of rock ‘n’ roll bands residing in the big northern UK cities such as Manchester or Liverpool.
Below you can find al of the 39 awesome songs that were released this week.
