It wasn’t long ago – about two decades – when the southern US was the place to find the hottest, upcoming indie band. From Louisville to Athens, Georgia to Austin, outfits such as My Morning Jacket, Drive-by Truckers, Okkervil River, and Shearwater were transforming rock ‘n roll. Or more accurately, they were re-defining southern rock, bringing the music of Lynyrd […]

Endless Scroll by BODEGA If Seth MacFarlane collaborated with Trey Parker and Matt Stone to create a lo-fi, post-punk rock album, what would it sound like? If we had to make a guess, it would resemble Endless Scroll, which is BODEGA‘s incredibly witty, intelligent, and amusing debut album. Packed with 14 songs with only two exceeding the three-minute mark, the […]

In March 2017, we proclaimed that Spanish singer-songwriter Odina was “(o)ne of the more remarkable, young talents to arrive on the indie scene in the past twelve months”. She has just released the stunning single, “Why’d You Make Me Cry”, which exhibited Odina’s maturity and imaginative storytelling. Major music sites and taste-makers, such as Clash, NYLON, and The Line of Best Fit, […]

 Approximately a year ago, Sam Valdez quietly launched her career, introducing herself with two dazzling singles – “Hours” and “Don’t Want To Be Yours Anymore”. Comparisons to Angel Olsen, The War On Drugs, and Hope Sandoval were inevitable and unsurprising since they are three of her influences. She is not, however, an imitator nor a follower, but rather she […]

 Two years ago, Swedish alt-pop outfit Wildhart released their debut EP, the aptly titled EP1, which was a dreamy and stirring effort. Now reduced from a trio to just Ylva Holmdahl (vocals) and Kiwi Berg (synthesizers), the duo have transformed themselves. As oppose to the ethereal and cosmic nature of their first record, Caught In A Fisheye is the end […]

Jim James is undoubtedly one of music’s most influential, innovative, and unpredictable individuals. As the front man of My Morning Jacket, he’s transformed the Louisville outfit from a southern-rock band to an indescribable tour-de-force. He’s produced some of the great albums of the decade, such as Basia Bulat’s Good Advice and Ray LaMontagne’s Ouroboros. Then there is his tireless work […]

A career that spans six years and includes three albums, a handful of EPs, and a cult following in New Zealand and Canada, The Response are the best trans-Pacific band you’ve likely never heard. That is until now. Just like their personal lives that took them from Christchurch to Vancouver and back, Andy (vocals/guitars/loops) and Vic Knopp (vocals/glockenspiel/bass/synth/drums) have never […]

Jesse Jo Stark‘s life since her infancy. Her parents are the founders of high-end fashion and furniture brand Chrome Hearts, whose clients included bands like the Sex Pistols and Hollywood film studios. Her godmother is none other than Cher, and she grew up in a household where music was as much a part of the family’s life as were costume […]

Nightgown by Why Bonnie Austin is the epicenter of many things. Food trucks and trailer food, Tex Mex, and, of course, it’s the heart of the world’s indie music scene. From mega festivals like SXSW and Austin City Limits to producing artists like Spoon, The Black Angels, Shakey Graves, Shearwater, and Explosions in the Sky not to mention legends Willie […]

 Sweden has developed a reputation as a pop music factory. Actually, it has earned that with ABBA, Roxette, The Cardigans, Robyn, Lykke Li, and Tove Lo becoming global sensations. The well runs really deep, though, with Amason, Miike Snow, Shout Out Louds, and Little Dragon selling out venues across the world. The land of the Tre Kronor, however, does […]

 Predicting stardom for any artist, especially an independent one that shies away from the mainstream and Top-40 templates, is an inexact science to say the least. Some will excel despite the odds, and others will hover below the radar in the pursuit of advancing their craft. One thing, however, is certain. These artists, such as Therese Lithner, will touch […]

Five years into their career, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever have slowly moved out from under the shadows of their more famous kin. Their first two EPs – The French Press and Talk Tight – helped the Melbourne quintet develop a reputation as a frenetic and lively indie-rock band. Their live performances put them on par with the likes of fellow […]

Friday, June 15th, 2018, was not a public holiday in Sweden, but there was a massive celebration happening. For indie music fans and followers of the burgeoning Tre Kronor indie scene, two groups of individuals celebrated a shared milestone. Just three days ago, alt-pop outfit Kluster unveiled their debut album, which is Rama Lama Records‘ first full-length release. This union […]

Since officially arriving in 2014 with their tantalizingly rich EP, Pale, followed by the hypnotic Pine and 2016’s emotional roller coaster, Please, Plush established themselves as one of the Bay area’s most promising bands. They also quickly emerged as a new outfit ready to take shoegaze and dream-pop to new heights. Along the way, however, they’ve undergone a couple of adjustments. […]

Throughout history, very few bands create music that evokes images and emotions of their name. Band names are often just a label or a term with a hidden meaning. For Greek sibling duo Ocean Hope, however, their descriptor describes their sound – that of the warm breezes that flow through the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas and across the country’s hundreds […]

Fusing east and west in alternative electronic quirkiness, Optivion first came to our ears’ attention back in 2015 with Free Unicorn. Drawing influences from literally all over the place, Alex (lead vocalist/percussion/harmonica/guitar) and Rie (backing vocalist) have combined their talent once more with the release of Light Spindle. As they explain: The album is about the process of creativity: a […]

 A mélange of dark and introspective sounds, the British band LOCKS recently released their debut album, Skeletal Blues, which is a collection of Gothic blues that explores the complex darkness inside everyone of us. The string-based quartet (guitar, fiddle, and double bass plus drums) works from where Lou Reed or even an older Leonard Cohen might have left it […]

 In 2015, I described Natalie Prass’ self-titled debut as “everything I love about music. It’s music you can dance to, and music you can cry to.” Since then, she’s actually recorded two records, scrapped one, and released her proper sophomore record, The Future and the Past, on June 1st via ATO Records. According to an interview with Consequence of […]

“In the end I will run back to you”, Sam Evian lushly expresses on “IDGAF”, the opener to his superb sophomore full-length, You, Forever. These nine words describe both the theme and emotions that fill the album’s eleven songs. In other words, You, Forever is made for summer road trips, as wind-swept, coastal melodies breeze through each track. The journey, […]

 Over in the UK, a renaissance in electronic music is happening. Pigeonholing the cinematic affairs of Phoria, Maribou State, and London Grammar within the genre, though, would be a disservice to their creativity and innovation. Some call it alternative, but post-rock indietronica pop is a more fitting categorization. Another band making some of the most gorgeous and breathtaking music […]