I recently did a round-up review of several underground punk artists and as I’m rather into indie rock as well, I thought it would be interesting to check out some less well known artists from that genre of music. All the tracks below have elements of indie rock within them, but they do vary slightly in terms of style. There should be something for everyone though, so read on to find out more and check the tracks out in our Underground Indie Rock Spotify playlist – you might discover your new favourite artist!
By Jane Howkins
Photo by Of Shadow And Lights
Of Shadow And Lights – Under Control
Of Shadow And Lights are an indie rock band with a slightly heavier edge to their music – I found myself reminded a little of Muse and Franz Ferdinand when listening to Under Control, although the band do have their own unique vibe as well. The band are the brainchild of musician Angelo Pitone and I loved his vocals here. The guitar melodies are really groovy and provide a great rhythm to the track as well. One of the things I really enjoyed about Under Control was the dynamic change on the bridge – the track suddenly changes into a much slower tempo, providing an almost haunting melody, before the guitars and synths kick back in again. You can find out more about Of Shadow And Lights on their website and their social media pages below:
The Dirt Luck – I’m Trying.
The Dirt Luck are an LA based duo consisting of John Hale & Dan Douglass – I’m Trying is their first single to be released from their debut EP Bummer Summer.
I was very impressed at the quality of the song considering that this is their very first release – the production is a little raw but I think this actually works with the style of song and it’s to be expected from a debut release. The track has more of a 90s rock/alt rock feel to it than some of the other songs on display here, and it has quite a nice, upbeat feel to it, sounding just perfect for summer listening! Despite the upbeat sound, I’m Trying was written during the pandemic and does have quite a melancholic feel to the lyrics, and I quite liked how the themes of the song clashed with the upbeat rhythm. It will be interesting to see where The Dirt Luck go in the future, so keep your ears peeled for more from them!
Lost Club – Alone
Lost Club is the musical stagename of Florida native Nick Garcia, who creates the music for Lost Club by himself – a very impressive feat in my opinion!
Alone is the title of his latest song – despite having an indie rock sound to it, the track also has something of an 80s feel – I liked this mix of styles and Nick’s dreamy vocals work well with the synths and guitar melodies. Lyrically, the song seems to be about questioning whether your relationship is still worth pursuing, which is something a lot of people can probably identify with. It’s actually the first song to be released from his second EP, Phantasmagoria, which you should also check out if you like this track.
The Lonely Together – Keep A Secret
The Lonely Together are a Scottish indie rock band with a slightly dreamy feel to their music – Keep A Secret is their latest single release.
I felt like there was something of an 80s indie feel to the song, which might be in part due to the dreamy feel of the track, which I enjoyed greatly. Keep A Secret also has something of a nostalgic feel to it, showing a band that can combine many different styles together successfully. The whole thing sounds very anthemic (particularly the chorus), and I liked the little guitar melodies that play in the background – it will take a few listens to fully appreciate everything on offer here. I predict big things for The Lonely Together so make you sure you check them out!
Wynona – Get Back To Myself
Wynona are a British indie rock band who despite being formed in Osaka, are now based in Reading in the UK. Get Back To Myself is on the softer side of the indie rock scene, with the band having something of an alt-pop feel to their music as well. It’s a very catchy song and I really enjoyed the main guitar melodies – the vocals suit the style of track well too. I was reminded a little of some of the alt rock music that emerged in the late 90s/early 2000s and Get Back To Myself is certainly very impressive, especially for a debut release!
Alex Julia – Like The Sun
Alex Julia is a New Jersey based singer-songwriter – Like The Sun is her latest single to be released. As well as having an indie feel to it, the track also contains elements of pop-rock, country and folk, making for quite a nice mix. The upbeat rhythm and guitar melodies are fantastic and I loved the fuzzy guitar tone that appears on the pre-chorus. Like The Sun is catchy but never sounds overly mainstream, which is definitely a plus for me – the piano that appears later on in the track was also very nice. If you like this song then make sure you check out the EP she released last year, titled Better Part Of Me.
Elektric Animals – Woe is Me
Woe Is Me is a blistering new track from Denver based band Elektric Animals, with the song also having something of an alternative rock sound to it as well as an indie rock feel. The chorus is particularly catchy and I also felt there was a stoner rock sound to it, showing a band able to mix together catchy melodies and heavy riffs – something that isn’t always easily done! Woe Is Me has a very anthemic sound to it and I can’t wait to hear more from Elektric Animals in the near future, so make sure to check out their socials below!
Megan Black – Freedom Belongs To Him
Megan Black is a Scottish musician and singer-songwriter who writes songs about many relevant topics within society today, such as mental health issues, feminism and LGBTQ+ issues, which are very important to her as a member of that community. Freedom Belongs To Him is her latest release, combining together elements of indie, rock and the blues to create something that really has a rock and roll feel to it. There’s a certain soulful swagger to the song which I loved and Megan has a truly great voice. The track is not available on Spotify yet but you can find more information on Megan’s socials below.
The Daily Spreadsheets – Sun Towards Me
We’ve actually featured The Daily Spreadsheets in our Discovery section before but they’re a band I’ve been keeping an eye on for a while now, and they just seem to get better and better! Sun Towards Me is their latest release, and whilst it definitely has elements of indie rock present within it, it also has something of a 60s feel – this is one of the things I love about this band, as they seem to draw from a wide range of different influences. If you’re into indie rock but looking for something a little different then The Daily Spreadsheets may be right up your alley!
HCK9 – Pretty Thing
Pretty Thing is a little different from the other songs on the list here, with HCK9 combining together elements of pop-punk, rock, electronica and pop music together with an indie sound. The track is extremely catchy but also has a dark edge to it and was inspired by the classic Jekyll and Hyde story. The lyrics and themes are very dark and the atmosphere created by the music fits very well with this – I really enjoyed it and the strings that appear later on in the song are also gorgeous.
Adry – Well.
Adry is a musician and songwriter who has been releasing music ever since his debut album Rule Of Sadness was released in 2009. He’s back with a new song titled Well, and we’re happy to announce that it’s well worth a listen. The track has elements of pop-rock present within it and I really enjoyed the little guitar and piano melodies that run throughout the piece. It has quite a mellow feel to it but the dynamics change a little on the chorus, giving it more of an upbeat feel. Check out Well if that sounds good, and make sure to check out Adry’s other work if you enjoy it!
Rae Radick – Blur The Lines
Blur The Lines is Rae Radick’s latest single, with the song being originally created for the soundtrack for the short film Dissolved Girl, released on May 5th 2021. Rae describes the track as being a cross between Evanescence and Led Zeppelin but it does have an indie rock feel to it, being one of the heavier songs on this list. Rae has a fantastic singing voice and I loved the riffs on display here – the track also has something of an alternative rock/hard rock sound to it and it’s great to hear something that merges so many different rock genres together.
Props – What Are You Waiting For?
Props is an eclectic UK musician who has been steadily building up a fanbase over the last few years – What Are You Waiting For? is his latest catchy release. It’s an incredibly catchy song and one of my favourites on this entire list – Props manages to successfully combines indie, rock, pop and electronica to make something that really does sound great and I promise you won’t be able to get it out of your head once you start listening to it. I’m really excited to hear more from Props in the future and you should be too!
The Hilder – Lost On You
The Hilder are a band from our very own county, being based in Bridlington in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Lost On You is their debut single, making it all the more impressive how good the track is. Lyrically, the song is about relationships breaking down and how to move on from them, giving a positive spin on breakups. Musically, the song has quite a classic indie rock sound, reminding me a little of the music that became popular in the noughties, but it’s a lot better than most of the landfill indie that emerged during that era. The track will be released on Friday so is not available on the playlist yet, but you can find out more on their socials below.
The Spotify playlist can be found below, also including several other tracks by other artists: