Thursday, December 31, 2015

Little Indie's Top Tracks Of 2015 Part 3 Sep - Dec




In no specific order, we present the third and final part of some of the tracks that rocked Little Indie's blog in the last 12 months.


Part Three: September - December

BROKEN HANDS - Who Sent You
The Canterbury outfit channel big anthemic riffs in this track from debut album, justifying the increasing presence they held during the year.




WHITE BAER - WHILE RUNNING FROM THE GODS
Darkly ominous opening notes, broaden out over five-and-a-half minutes into something bordering on epic, while Editors-like guitars and bass crash over Dan Hedge's emotive vocal with a breakdown around the three-minute before storming to a rousing finale of haunting cello strains, before concluding on a drum and feedback fade-out.




THE DUNWELLS - Hey Now
The Leeds quartet have put a gospel-tinge to their indie-pop anthem, with a chanted chorus flowing through layers of harmonies over a swooning instrumental.




BEACH SLANG - Young & Alive
A bone-crunching, thrashing monster from the Philadelphia punks that rears up on the high energy, angst and frustration of youth - and never lets up.




SLOW RIOT - Demons
Without doubt one of the finest things heard in 2015. Dark, compelling, and that urgent driving beat that works with the stunning guitar in the opening minute to make your spine shiver and your heart weep. As for Niall Clancy's resonant and stirring vocal, there are no words.




FRESH SNOW - Don't Fuck A Gift Horse In The Mouth
The Toronto outfit brought in Fucked Up's Damian Abraham and managed to create a masterful ten-minute work featuring elements of krautrock, drones, noise, and psych.




SLOWLIGHTS - Take What I Can Get
London indie foursome provider soaring vocal and propulsive beat over layers of guitar and percussion. It's the kind of song you can easily imagine becoming a live set favourite - as no doubt it will. Band to keep an eye on in 2016.




PUMAROSA - Priestess
The new London outfit picked up plays and praise all over with this autumn debut single, all of an ambitious seven-and-a-half minutes in length.




COQUIN MIGALE - LUV
Hooky, anthemic guitar lines that spread across the track's four-and-a-half-minutes-plus from its opening haunting notes. Layered with plenty of reverb, Alex Soper’s vocal explodes with a passion that lends a shoegaze element to the harder rock drums edge.




GLADES - Her (Loving You)
After wowing us with 'Falling Away' the Sydney trio - fronted by the impressive 18-year-old Karina Wykes - returned with this absolute gem (racking up over 107k Soundcloud streams), combining large amounts of synth-textured atmospheric melody with expansive electronic production. A band with big potential.




LEA PORCELAIN - A Year From Here
The Frankfurt electronic duo hus seemed to get better throughout the year with each release from their self-titled debut EP, which appeared in November - culminating with this cool ear-grabber of a song - and not just for the use of a ukulele, but soaring strings and synth-like laid-back percussion all add to make it something a bit special.




TESSERA SKIES - Such Great Heights (Raindrops)
The Newcastle trio build this song builds across pulsating synths, big sprawling guitar lines, and Mark Broughton's vocals (that bring a little shiver down the spine) to create an atmospheric soundscape that is simply beautiful.




SUIIX - Alright
The Sydney outfit combined Sarah Jullienne's velvet smooth vocals (she also took the production helm once again here) and an electronic dreampop wash of twinkling synths and drum pad orchestration that seep into your senses like slipping cold hands into warm gloves.




TWEAKS - Sisters
Building over four minutes on sweeping drums and synths, hymn-like, to an other-worldly climax with nods along the way to the 90s trip hop of Portishead and DJ Shadow. Throw in some twinkling keys and you have a perfectly formed debut from the London duo.




RORY WYNNE - Why Don't You
The 16-year-old rising Stockport star brought out this infectiously catchy earworm that highlights his penchant for short, spiky songs, though this time with quite poignant lyrics.




BLOSSOMS - Charlemagne
Stockport also spawned this quintet who struck gold with this fifth single, an immediately attention-grabbing piece of shimmering psych-pop, with big groove basslines, laid-back riffs, striking synth notes and Tom Ogden displaying a distinctive simmering vocal presence.




BENGAL LANCERS - Moon
Opening on subtle strains, this side of the London three-piece's AA single builds into something eerily spine-tingling - largely due to Harry Sullivan's chilling voice - leading to an orchestral climax.




PLEASURE BEACH - Dreamer To The Dawn
Title track to the Belfast band's October released EP, channelling huge atmosphetic melodies, striking synths and a rampantly vibrant rhythm that is guaranteed to hold the attention for the whole of its four-minutes-plus.




STRANGE NAMES - Trespassing
Led by New Yorker Liam Benzvi and Minnesotan Francis Jiminez, Strange Names have a gift for combining the finer elements of electro-pop with enigmatic vocals and soaring melodic infusion. Thi




MT. WOLF - Hex
Another evocative, moving and expertly crafted and produced track. A six-minute epic cut into four distinct parts and helmed by the roof-reaching pitch of singer and producer Sebastian 'Bassi' Fox.




L.U.V - I Can Be The Answer
Brisbane-based sister duo, Vivi and Maya Mohan (aged 17 and 20 respectively) followed up their September debut single 'Take Me To The Sea' with this dreamy, yet delightfully catchy, melody and dual overlapping vocals balance playful hooks with psychedelic influences.




EAST OF HERE - This Time
Everything about 'This Time' is exquisite, from Mike Holm's vocals geared to bring a lump to the throat, the emotive lyrics, the perfect melodies positioning, Joel Spiteri's plaintive guitar and keyboards, to the diamond sharp production. Absolute quality from the Sydney two-piece.




GLEAM - Believe
Third offering from the Birmingham outfit who formed at the start of the year. Lush psych-gaze, Ride-influenced groove, enhanced by Jake Bellwood's gorgeously soaring vocal.


1 comment:

  1. BLOSSOMS - Charlemagne is a tune. They're great live as well, caught them @ Slacker in London

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