So many artists, so many songs, so little time. Each week we review a handful of new albums (of all genres), round up even more new music that we’d call “indie,” and talk about what metal is coming out. We post music news, track premieres, and more all day. We update a playlist weekly of some of our current favorite tracks. Here’s a daily roundup with a bunch of interesting, newly released songs in one place.
MGMT – “NOTHING TO DECLARE”
Here’s a folky song from MGMT’s forthcoming album that comes with a lovely video shot in Pittsburgh and stars Inga Petry. “When I first saw Inga on TikTok, I imagined her as the star of a foreign film,” says director Joey Frank. “A certain brand of 1990’s European independent cinema typified by the Dardenne brothers always essentially follows a human navigating through life. Inga has been armless all her life, which lends a different kind of vulnerability to the simple narrative of a self possessed young woman traveling from Pittsburgh to Paris. In real life, Inga puts herself online in a very candid way on TikTok, but the ‘Nothing to Declare’ MGMT music video plays on the aesthetics of independent cinema to allow the audience a different sort of emotional fictive space with Inga as ingenue.”
—
YUSSEF DAYES – “THE COLOUR PURPLE” (LIVE FROM MALIBU)
Fresh off releasing his great new album Black Classical Music, UK jazz drummer and composer Yussef Dayes has announced a live album recorded in 2023 in the Malibu mountains, Live From Malibu. The first taste is the stirring closing track “The Colour Purple.”
—
TORREY – “NO MATTER HOW”
Bay area band Torrey announced their self-titled sophomore album, due out March 8 with Slumberland. New single “No Matter How” is an indie pop track with fuzzy guitars.
—
TEENS IN TROUBLE – “PLAYLIST”
Raleigh indie-punks Teens In Trouble have shared another sweet, catchy ripper off their upcoming debut LP for Asian Man, What’s Mine.
—
LAETITIA SADIER – “PANSER L’INACCEPTABLE”
Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier has shared another song off her upcoming solo album Rooting for Love. “Panser L’inacceptable” has all the Saidier benchmarks, with tropical elements intertwining with droning elements. It’s lovely and comes with a video created by Christopher Thomas Allen and Sadier.
—
SERPENTWITHFEET – “SAFE WORD”
serpentwithfeet’s anticipated new album GRIP is out next month, and the latest single is “Safe World,” which melds smooth R&B vocals and melody with glitchy electronics. “‘Safe Word’ is a sensual song about the beauty of trust that’s been earned and the wonder that follows when partners explore each other with care,” serprentwithfeet says.
—
BILL RYDER – JONES RELEASES “I HOLD SOMETHING IN MY HAND”
Former Coral member Bill Ryder-Jones releases his wonderful new solo album Iechyd Da on Friday and here’s one last early taste: “I Hold Something in My Hand,” like much of the album, rides aloft a beautiful wave of sadness.
—
ASTRID SONNE – “BOOST”
London-based Danish composer and musician Astrid Sonne shared a new single, experimental electronic track “Boost.” “I made ‘Boost’ lying in my bed, it’s a quite energetic track coming from a not very energetic place,” she says. “There’s a sense of release to ‘Boost’ and a feeling of not caring too much, which can be good sometimes when you need to seek out new settings.”
—
MARIKA HACKMAN – “THE YELLOW MILE”
Here’s one final preview of Marika Hackman’s excellent fourth album, Big Sigh. “The Yellow Mile” features Marika’s breathy harmonies against delicate acoustic backing.
—
MEAN JEANS – “SOMETHING’S GOING ON”
Ramonescore party animals Mean Jeans have shared a fast-paced taste of Blasted, due February 9 via Fat Wreck Chords.
—
SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY – “THE OTHER SIDE” (BLACK MAGNET EDITS)
Grindcore band See You Next Tuesday have announced Relapses, a remix album of their 2023 comeback album Distractions, due February 16 via Good Fight Music. The first taste is a sputtering rework of “The Other Side.”
—
LINDA SMITH – “SALAD DAYS” (YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS COVER)
DIY cult musician Linda Smith is getting reissues of Nothing Else Matters and I So Liked Spring on March 1 by Captured Tracks. To celebrate she’s shared this previously unreleased Young Marble Giants cover. “I first heard the album Colossal Youth by Young Marble Giants before I had attempted to make music myself,” Linda says. “I rediscovered pop and rock music after years of listening mostly to classical music. The new music was fresh and challenged notions of how good one had to be to play an instrument in public.”
—
LYNKS – “CPR”
London artist Lynks has announced their debut album, ABOMINATION, which will be out April 12 via Heavenly. Playful new single “CPR” explores the idea of savior complexes. “There’s this temptation to shrink yourself and make yourself seem all helpless and vulnerable with those guys, so they get to feel like some Big Strong Man protecting you,” Lynks says. “CPR felt like the perfect metaphor for that weird dynamic. I first had the idea for CPR while doing a first-aid course at my old job. I was mid-chest compression on my dummy, and suddenly the chorus just came into my head over the rhythm of my hands on the doll. I quickly ran to the toilet to do a voice note, then got back to saving imaginary lives,”
—
THE UMBRELLAS – “GONE”
San Francisco’s The Umbrellas release their second album on January 26 and here’s another jangly appetizer. “‘Gone’ talks about feeling stuck on trivial matters and chasing escapism to cope, even though you might not know what you’re looking for/what will help you yet,” the band say. “The song never really finds an answer to the question of what to do when you’re feeling stuck, but it does build some acceptance of the feeling, making the ‘rut’ feel all the more human and universal. We’re excited to add this song to our live set, since it’s one of our more power-pop songs and we think it really highlights Keith’s heroic drumming stylings and Matt/Morgan’s duo harmonious vocals.”
—
WATER FROM YOUR EYES – IF YOU COULD SAVE YOURSELF (YOU’D SAVE US ALL)” (WEEN COVER)
Brooklyn duo Water From Your Eyes have contributed a cover of Ween’s “If You Could Save Yourself (You’d Save Us All)” for Sounds of Saving (SoS) and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline are kicking off their 2024 “Song That Found Me At The Right Time” series. “The reason that I even started making music by myself was ’cause I was really mentally unwell, but I didn’t really know how to communicate,” says the band’s Rachel Brown. “I was like really depressed and suicidal for most of high school. I spent a lot of time thinking that there was no other option besides to have terrible thoughts that ruined my day. I did therapy for a long time. I feel like it gave me the tools, and just the knowledge that you can actually change the way you think. I just started writing songs ’cause it was like the only place that felt appropriate to be expressing the things that I was thinking about.”
—
GRUFF RHYS – “BAD FRIEND”
“People always refer to ‘good friends’,” Gruff Rhys says of his new single. “This song is toying with the idea of the ‘bad friend’. Maybe a bad friend is still better than not being a friend at all. Some friends function better than others, but they’re not enemies. Within the structures of 21st-century life, the pressure on people’s time – and what we are expected to be able to perform in daily life – is so kaleidoscopic. If I could shorten the sentiments to one line, it would be ‘all in good time’. It’s me reaching out to friends through song because maybe I haven’t had the chance to go to their house or talk to them on the phone.” Gruff’s new album Sadness Sets Me Free will be out January 26 via Rough Trade.
—
WHITELANDS – “TELL ME ABOUT IT” FT DOTTIE OF DEARY
UK shoegazers Whitelands will release their debut album, Night-bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day, on February 23 via Sonic Cathedral. This new single features Dottie from their labelmates Deary.
—
THE SECRET SISTERS – “SAME WATER”
The Secret Sisters announced a new album, and shared the first single, which you can read more about here.
—
LATE NIGHT DRIVE HOME – “BELIEVE ME (EVEN IF I’M LYING)”
El Paso band late night drive home have announced an EP, i’ll remember you for the same feeling you gave me as i slept, due February 16 via Epitaph. That’s a real The 1975-sounding title, and this grungy pop rock song might appeal to fans of that band too.
—
BRHYM (BRUCE HORNSBY & YMUSIC) – “DEEP BLUE”
Bruce Hornsby and chamber ensemble yMusic have teamed as BrhyM and will release their debut album, Deep Sea Vents, on March 1. This is the first single.
—
ERIKA DE CASIER – “ME WALKING ON THE BEACH”
Erika de Casier’s third album, Still, arrives next month, and she’s shared the first single, which you can read more about here.
—
SHABAZZ PALACES – “ANGELA”
Shabazz Palaces is following up last year’s great Robed in Rareness with a new mini album, Exotic Birds of Prey, which will be out March 29 via Sub Pop. This is the opening track.
—
ROSALI – “REMIND”
Rosali announced Bite Down, her new album and first for Merge, and shared “Rewind,” which you can read more about here.
—
FOUR TET – “LOVED”
Set to a slowed down funky dreambeat, Four Tet is in his downtempo sweet spot on “Loved,” with warm washes of keyboards broken up by occasional crashes of thunder. It’s the opening song on his soon-to-be-released new album.
—
BARELY CIVIL – “BETTER NOW”
Milwaukee emo band Barely Civil announced a new album and shared the second single, which you can read more about here.
—
GUSTAF – “STARTING AND STARING”
NYC band Gustaf have announced their second album, Package Pt. 2, which will be out April 5. Here’s the lead single.
—
KÁRYYN – “ANTHEM FOR THOSE WHO KNOW”
The Armenian-American artist, composer and producer released her first new music in four years, which she produced with Hudson Mohawke. Read more about “Anthem For Those Who Know” here.
—
GATES TO HELL – “RESURRECTED”
Louisville hardcore-tinged death metal band Gates To Hell signed to Nuclear Blast and released their first single for the label.
—
PRIZE HORSE – “FURTHER FROM MY START”
Minneapolis shoegazy alt-rock band Prize horse announced their first full-length album, and shared a new single, “Further From My Start,” which you can read more about here.
—
Looking for even more new songs? Browse the New Songs archive
