Tag Archives: Indie Pop

Self Esteem – Compliments Please

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

pop with production that incorporates string elements and theatrical idea

Moods

It's like the glee club geeks got stylized by mtv

Thoughts

Initially I enjoyed some moments of this but it felt uneven. Great harmonies, acapella-group-like, which is technically impressive. Productions feature mostly sexy beats and lyrics that are genuine and heartfelt. It's pop in many flavors: full on Acapella, dramatic seriousness that soars like a Broadway solo, and danceable club ready tracks. She sings with such confidence that's hard to deny. Definitely a natural talent as melody is offered at every turn with a well-thought out vision at play. This is not an amateur effort and clearly a project of someone who has experience as a songwriter (she was previously a member of the group slow club).

I'm gonna give this album credit for sticking with me throughout 2019 and improving on relistens. That aspect alone suggests there is something worthwhile for alt-pop fans to checkout.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Self-Esteem-Compliments-Please/release/13311628

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w-FzH0008c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF5GSshWU3w

Spotify


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Self Esteem – Compliments Please

Description: Album Review of Self Esteem – Compliments Please


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Shy Layers – Midnight Marker

by ·

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

jazzy electro pop rock with vocoder

Moods

A record that puts me in a good mood: chill with a pop, happy but not cheery, loose while tight.

Thoughts

all around enjoyable, strikes a nice balance. Has the precision of jazz and electronic but maintains a loose feel. The vocoder lyrics add a nice touch: never trying to steal the spotlight but adding an accessible hook. This record succeeds with it's songwriting and leaves rewards got repeat listens. It's presented simply but is an intricate production.

Philip Sherburne did a nice write-up for Pitchfork on this:

As before, Midnight Marker’s breezy melodies and lilting grooves make for a nice, chill listen—good morning-coffee music, cooking music, countryside-drive music. But this is nothing like the studied, stoned remove of anything you’ll find filed under “#chill” on any streaming service. His synths have real bite. His drums, recorded with real sticks on real skins, are enviably muscled. Walsh has said that one of his takeaways from both highlife and funk was that the guitar could function primarily as a percussive instrument, and he continues down that path here, backing up more melodically outgoing riffs and runs with plucked pulse and flicker.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Shy-Layers-Midnight-Marker/release/12081230

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYuYnAdVZ7Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFwx4Ay70CU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28GZ8Nomy1w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbCAdmysIT0

Spotify


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Shy Layers – Midnight Marker

Description: Album Review of Shy Layers – Midnight Marker


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Tirzah – Devotion

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

DIY R&b

Moods

Somewhere in love

Thoughts

The unpolished rawness defines this album, the beats are sparse and highly repetitive with just a drum machine and synth short loop for each song; almost like a modern acoustic album. Her natural singing voice is subdued and focused on love; often in big statements but never too excited. I guess it's a testament to her songwriting that this works as well as it does.

It's an intimate listen, definitively British and at times ghostly like early James Blake.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Tirzah-Devotion/release/12415861

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZPP38OVT-M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA6c0WXGKjU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2EIDPpzXUE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KFvEvRAjyw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWUODt6LJ0Y

Spotify


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Tirzah – Devotion

Description: Album Review of Tirzah – Devotion


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Blood Orange – Negro Swan

by ·

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

Modern day emo synth pop with flourishes of hip hop

Moods

Comfortable with who you really are

Thoughts

Dev hynes feels fully exposed on negro swan and I'm not sure I like it. I love his songwriting (see my other reviews of his records) but the quiet style he portrays here lacks his great pop songwriting I've come to expect. I feel like a jerk writing this, he's getting more personal and yet I like it less? The production is great. His basic synth thing has just the right amount of modern dark hip hop production to it. I like the overall message (be yourself) and his inclusion of the recurring narrator works well. Just won't be the album of his that I come back to

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Blood-Orange-Negro-Swan/release/12647360

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVH_wxk9ZtE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fSgsvJC9Nw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj5uvKrDbmQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIlauccaH88

Spotify


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Blood Orange – Negro Swan

Description: Album Review of Blood Orange – Negro Swan


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

The Japanese House – Good At Falling

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Synth pop rock

Moods

Some incredibly catchy and well crafted pop music.

Thoughts

Another BJ Burton jammer, dude is on a seriously good streak at creating memorable pop. After many repeated listens the album is top heavy with good singles like 'maybe you're the reason' and 'you seemed so happy', the later borrows from jangly 80s pop in a good way. Production overall borrows from that big synthetic 80s drum sound. Amber Bain's voice, a lovely indie (re: imperfect) front girl, is produced in a way that could carry ships across seas; full and extending.

The album takes a deliberately quieter and personal midsection. Amber lazily singing lines like "everybody hates me" in true millennial fashion is juxtaposed with Giorgio moroder like synth lines.

Production gets decidedly more basic as the album unfolds with the final two tracks really just leaving her singing some slow songs. It's not my favorite but they are genuine and crafted with love.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/The-Japanese-House-Good-At-Falling/release/13372422

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEzYD4ZielY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J88UF4HxHhw

Spotify


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The Japanese House – Good At Falling

Description: Album Review of The Japanese House – Good At Falling


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Louis Cole – Time

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Quick bedroom synth jazz funk pop

Moods

the white thundercat of synths

Thoughts

He's got a distinct sound of synth poppy synth funk. It's quick like those little soulful flourishes a keys player might lay in but all the time. It's jazzy and technical, good, but songwriting can get tiring. I like the lyrical themes, digital insecurities around sex and relationships; timeless but modern.

I have fond memories of knower shows and wish Louis the best luck as a proficient backbone of brainfeeder.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Louis-Cole-Time/release/12543607

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8Sjam1hnrA

Spotify


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Louis Cole – Time

Description: Album Review of Louis Cole – Time


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Lorde – Pure Heroine

by ·

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

Pop with a very distinct nonchalance and sparse dark production.

Moods

Inner white girl

Thoughts

Overly hyped, this is just ok. Like her sound but the songwriting is very generic. I guess this bored kind of style is notable but probably not the right demographic for this.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Lorde-Pure-Heroine/release/5230312

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8Ymd-OCucs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlcIKh6sBtc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pstVCGyaUBM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2JuxM-snGc

Spotify


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Lorde – Pure Heroine

Description: Album Review of Lorde – Pure Heroine


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Sylvan Esso – What Now

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

nu-school electro/synth alt-pop

Moods

Fun

Thoughts

Pretty good overall with some standouts like just dancing. Memorable pop songs with good production, good if you want something easy and danceable.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Sylvan-Esso-What-Now/release/10192239

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgPIW8AtdSE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=effZUjig794

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYeGMw21fgM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-_NNIX8cDA

Spotify


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Sylvan Esso – What Now

Description: Album Review of Sylvan Esso – What Now


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Hippo Campus – Landmark

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

An indie band with pro production

Moods

Remember that godawful song 'holiday' by vampire weekend? These songs capture that memorable poppy summerness featuring lyrics that are comfortable yet inquisitive.

Thoughts

Hate to keep using other bands to describe hippo campus but this reminds me of early Phoenix with some production flair. Works well, there are some all out classics on that I think a lot of people would enjoy. ‘Vacation’ is probably the best example with it's anthem worthy hook and shimmering mellow vibe like a chillwave version of pavement for today's 20 somethings.

BJ Burton produced this. The more I hear his work I realize he's developing a track record of seriously good music.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Hippo-Campus-Landmark/release/10084727

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3TQKEUne5Q

Spotify


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Hippo Campus – Landmark

Description: Album Review of Hippo Campus – Landmark


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Mitski – Be The Cowboy

by ·

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

Lush singer-songwriter pop with a ‘big’ sound

Moods

A pitchfork 8.8 record

Thoughts

I don't get the hype on this one, mediocre in my opinion.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Mitski-Be-The-Cowboy/release/12384951

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfylNmkR8dw

Spotify


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Mitski – Be The Cowboy

Description: Album Review of Mitski – Be The Cowboy


Rating: 2 out of 5