Best of 2016

Since this blog started in the end of summer this year we've had the pleasure to listen to and review some amazing popmusic. We're so glad to have started this project and as so many others we've made a short list (top 5 actually) of the best songs that this blog have reviewed during this short lifetime. Big thanks to everyone who is reading our posts and to the bands and artists that continue to make interesting and challenging music. Don't let 2017 be any different. Keep sending us your music.

All the Best and a Happy New Year
/Weekly Indie Pop

1. LANNDS - Still
2. Jupiter Deluxe Tube - Cabin Song
3. The Tape - A Place to Stay
4. Avante Black - Drug Money
5. Frithiof - Love is a Long Shot

Jupiter Deluxe Tube continues to mesmerize

Darwinn Sato is back with her second tune from Jupiter Deluxe Tube, the dreamy indie pop project that previously released the beautiful song Restart Me (read review here). This new piece is called Cabin Song and from start it holds me absolutely mesmerized. What (I think) is so great about Darwinn Satos music creation is that it's so fearless. Looked at from a wide angle it's pop music but that doesn't keep Jupiter Deluxe Tube from experimenting and pushing the boundaries. Cabin Song is a perfect example of this. Starting of mildly with a stunningly simple but captivating guitar loop and then continously growing into an epic synth driven crescendo at the end.
Lyrically Jupiter Deluxe Tube has a given edge. Darwinns poetic language and the multiple layers and imagery that surrounds her texts gives every listener the possibility to discover different meanings, and interpret several significations in relation to ones own life and experiences. And even if, according to Darwinn herself, Cabin Song or for that matter the upcoming album as a whole is written with a specific person in mind this doesn't change the fact that her wish is to invite the listener to find meanings of their own in her songs. Cabin Song is the fifth song on Jupiter Deluxe Tubes upcoming album called Products of Insomnia (to be released 2017). On the album all the tracks are parts of the same story and in this context Cabin Song serves as a pivotal point. Weekly Indie Pop have (since the release of Restart Me) had high anticipations for the upcoming album and with Cabing Song released those anticipations sure aren't lowered.

Listen to Jupiter Deluxe Tube here:     

New music from LANNDS

Rania Woodard a.k.a LANNDS is back with a new captivating single called Wide Awake. Muscicians like LANNDS is a big part of what initiatly inspired this blog into being. Therefore this new release comes a little extra close to the heart. Wide Awake pulls LANNDS a little closer to the electronica scene than previous releases. It seems  a little darker, the bassline is less melodic but LANNDS still circuits around the dreamy, ambient sounds that are so defining for Rania Woodards artistry. All is enclosed by her emotional voice and lyrics that makes you wonder about the signification of being "wide awake in a sleepy world". Somehow Wide Awakes gradual rise and emotional vocals make me think about The XX and mainly their Coexist album. Regardless of LANNDS musical influences it still remains a fact that LANNDS is a force to be reckoned with and Weekly Indie Pop is absolutely captivated.

Listen to LANNDS here:

New Album from Should We Run

In contemporary pop music it's often hard to find music where both the lyrical and musical content seem to have been made with equal effort. However, if one takes a look at alternative music in the indie scene, this phenomenon is much more common. Should We Run is a band that's both contemporary viable and still challenges the mind. Existential ís the name of their new album (released November 19th). The record is a seven track indie treasure that, after a dozen of play-throughs, still manages to surprise me with elements not recognized earlier. Sometimes it's a bit experimental and qirky, but Should We Run always return to their key elements with the guitar carrying the listener through the alteration between the female and male vocals. Weekly Indie Pop's favourite track is the emotive and thoughtful Man of the Desert. It's a seven minute long story that makes me think of Conor Oberst and the Bright Eyes on speed. Should We Run truly is a treasure just waiting to be found.

Listen to Should We Run here:

Vast soundscapes from Ardency

Ardency is the name of a powerful atmospheric electro duo consisting of Daniel Noguera and Christian Gomez. A couple of weeks ago they released a new EP called For You, Only with four monumental songs. The EP itself feels like an ongoing dynamic rise, starting with the danceable Song for you and ending in the epic finale Sincerely... The main focus is on the instrumental parts and there are few vocal parts. However the fastidious vocals are really good, especially on the ICELANDIA cooperation Blurred City. From start to finish everything feels very tight, balanced and well produced. Ardency have managed some really amazing synth sounds and put them together in an impressive mix. Weekly Indie Pops favourite track on For You, Only is the third song named Blacklight. It's is a real dynamic treat that's starts of  with a kind of calm lonely feeling. Resembling the impression of standing on a shoreline watching the quiet, vast ocean and suddenly, without warning, getting hit by this enormous soundbased tidalwave. Completely washed over in emotional captivating tones. Ardency at their best!

Avante Black - Drug Money

Avante Black describes themselves as atmospheric and dreamy, two words that will always attract Weekly Indie Pops attention. A couple of weeks ago this quartet released their debut single Drug Money. Lead by vocalist Ottilia Zimmerman Kjulsten, the members of Avante Black have made a captivating and pulsating release. The electro pop scene in which Avante Black is operating is, to say the least, crowded with contemporary bands and artists. Still  Avante Black is an act that strectches the given limits of the scene and occupies their own unique spot. A name to keep in mind for days to come.


Listen to Avante Black here:

Hand Habits - All the While

Singer-songwriter and guitarist Meagan Duffy is the great mind behind Hand Habits. Duffy is probably best known for being a part of Kevin Morbys band, but she's been releasing music under the name Hand Habits for quite some time. All the While is the first single from Hand Habits upcoming album Wildly Idle (humble before the void) which is to be released early February next year. All the While is impressing and also reveals one of Hand Habits specific talents: the ability to make a dynamic and interesting sound with almost no major changes at all. The song manages to keep me interested with small variations. The steady strumming guitar and the melodic vocals gives a dark and emotional vibe. The lyrics going "All the while the rain will fall I still feel the same and all the while the wind will blow I don't hear your name" makes this song the perfect autumn anthem. A faithful companion on lonely and dark roadtrips into the void. It also makes the upcoming album a most highly anticipated one.  

Listen to Hand Habits here:

ekeaux - gone places

It's a huge atmospheric feeling listening to ekeaux latest song called gone places. Ekeaux  is a music projekt started by the artist Eric Ko. Eric makes both visual and sound based art and this can be heard (or maybe seen) throughout gone places. The whole song is like a slowly growing crescendo that starts of in a minimalistic way and then starts expanding with the addition of new elements. A heavy bass and melodic ambient guitar binds the whole song together and creates a soundscape that lead the mind to the likes of Sigúr Ros. Alike Sigúr Ros ekeaux have this visual aspect almost incorporated into the tones. It's as if the grand and impressionistic music adds a filmic dimension to reality. Like everything is seen through a dark veil or a grey filtered lens. Ekeaux makes music that in itself feels like a movement both inwards and outwards Weekly Indiepop is really glad to have made this new acquaintance.

Listen to ekeaux here:

EMBVRN - A trip to Paradise

EMBVRN is the name of the promising Singapore-based creative collective that recently released their third single called Paradise. Preceded by the singles Close and Freefall the latest song Pardise gives EMBVRN a strong development curve. On the previous releases EMBVRN makes a good impression but they still seem a bit unsure regarding the production and the musical direction. In contrast to that Paradise is on point. The song is built on appealing, atmospheric synths and the production brings an extraterrestrial feel, like floating of in space looking down on earth. The metaphysical language used througout the lyrics also make a great contribution regarding that impression. The use of religiously or more accurate theologically saturated themes of a revived spirit, the light in the dark and the longing to be in "paradise with you, only eternity with you" continues the transcendent path. The combination of melodic, spacious synth loops and memorable lyrics is what gives EMBVRNs electro pop unique edge. If they choose to work in accordance with the Paradise formula on coming releases then we sure have something to look forward to. 

Listen to EMBVRN here:

Dreamy debute from Jupiter Deluxe Tube

Sometimes you hear a song that pretty much has it all. This is the case (in my opinion) with the debut single Restart Me from Jupiter Deluxe Tube. This song is an emotional and ambient piece that still have catchy melodies. Jupiter Deluxe Tube is led by and revolves lead singer Darwinn Sato. Her emotional voice merges perfectly in this airy production with the driving beat and the atmospheric synths. Lyrically Restart Me is a song about the idea of sleep and dreams being an ongoing source of renewal in everyday life. The constant dreamy feel of this tune makes an almost cinematic impression. It's like you just want to be enfolded by this dreamworld with Darwinns moving solicitation for a restart pounding in your ears. This strong debut sure brings great expectations for the debut album Products of Insomnia which will be released next year, Weekly Indie Pop is really looking forward to it.

Listen to Jupiter Deluxe Tube here: 

     

Frithiof - Melancholy without sadness

Indie rock band Frithiof from Jokkmokk (Northern Sweden) is a name to memorize for days to come. A week ago they released their latest single called Love Is a Longshot and following that they’ve made a few shows throughout Sweden. Weekly Indie Pop had the pleasure to meet with Frithiof before their gig at Rock Bar in Örebro, Sweden.

Frithiof concists of frontman Frithiof, Bassplayer Anton, Drummer Andreas and also (for this mini tour) guitarist Christoffer. Though the name could fool you Frithiof is’nt  a solo project. Instead they are very clear about themselves being a band. The music (link below) many times sounds directly retreived from the 90’s indie scene and the band mentions acts like Radiohead, Green Day, Nirvana and also The Beatles as important influences.

Looking back the members have been somewhat undecided about which level of ambition to put into the band. During the interview they describe how this disunion is now history. Recently they have decided that this is what they really want to do with their lives, Frithiof says:

- I don’t think that there’s anyting I could really commit to except music. I was born into a musical context and it’s almost like a duty for me to keep making music.

The other bandmembers describes a similar striving. Impressing educations and fine jobs is not in their interest. What they want to do is make raw, spontaneous music for the fun of it. And this is what makes Frithiof a truly interesting act in contemporary music. Throughout our conversation they return to this unpretentious approach towards their own art. Anton says:

- We don’t think to much about our sound. One day we write a song with one type of sound and the next day we feel like writing something else. We’re really into the imperfect and rough and we always come back to a certain melancholy in our songs. We want to make catchy melodies without hassle.

The same can be said about the bands lyrics. Their written with the melody of the song in mind and touches subjects like love and friendship. Words that anyone can relate to. And maybe that can be described as Frithiofs edge. When Weekly Indie Pop listens to their concert later the same evening it seems obvious that if Frithiof can move the small crowd that showed up at this dive they could sure make a serious impact given the right conditions.

Listen to Frithiof here:

David Åhlén - Hidden Light

Hidden Light is the latest album release from Swedish Inde pop artist David Åhlén. The album contains eight low key songs that all carries that mystical sacred feeling that is so recurring for everything that David touches. The album was released on September 22 at the brink of autumn and the whole recording contains a shimmer of fall. The crispy vocals and the quiet backing brings a longing for departure. To leave, to find this concealed light that's disclosed in the metaphorical and theologically saturated lyrics. The title track Hidden Light is a beautiful song that slowly grows in strenght throughout its three minutes. It contains all the best parts of Davids artistry such as the repetative vocals, an interesting melody and also (which really pops out on this record) a really likeable brass section. One of Weekly Indie Pops favourite albums this year.

Listen to David Åhlén here:

Jeremiah Daly - Chicago Tapes

Jeremiah Daly (known from The Perfect Measure) have since a few years back been releasing music under his own name. His latest creation is the five song EP Chicago Tapes released in August this year. Jeremiahs both tentative and sometimes explosively powerful voice invites the listenter to embark on a journey through doubt, trust, anxiety and the feeling of never belonging or never finding home. And though Jeremiahs voice and the guitar merge togheter beautifully it's still the lyrics that makes his music truly interesting to me. The lyrics journey both inwards through Jeremiahs own personal struggles and outwards painting the relation between humans and also what best might be described as a troubled relationship to some kind of divinity. Jeremiah Daly is an artist who really inhabits the ability to invite and incorporate the listener in the struggles that he faces and that many can relate to. Weekly Indie Pops favourite track is Passerby, a song about inner homelessnes and the search for a place in the world where you truly belong. A place you don't even know yourself.

Listen to Jeremiah Daly here: 

Hidinin - Something Better

Something Better is the second single from the Swedish Indie Pop band Hidinin. This new single is 3 minutes packed with energy and a chorus with undeniable hooks. Hidinin started in spring 2016 with the aim to do experimental Indie Pop. Something they've clearly achieved with the singles already released. Behind Hidinin is the Kadawatha frontman Daniel Kadawatha and drummer Sebastian Forslund. This is easily heard in Daniels characteristic voice but also in the significant ability to always deliver at maximum (which is a typical Kadawatha feature). Something Better is a song that sweeps you away. Tight production, nice guitar effects and lyrics that leaves you wondering, longing for some interpretational keys. What Hidinin is doing is definately Something Better.  

Listen to Hidinin here:

The Tape - Interview and Live report

The Tape is an ambient/dream pop band from Gothenburg, Sweden. The three members Ester (guitar, vocals), Alexandra (guitar, backing vocals) and Amorina (drums) have made a name for themselves as a powerful live act with a dynamic sound. Weekly Indie Pop got the opportunity to meet them over a coffee before their concert at Live at Heart festival.

Though they have known each other for a many years, The Tape as we know it today was formed in 2012. Ester says:

- From the beginning we were five members. This was when we were twelwe years old. From the start no one of us could even play an instrument so we started by playing covers. As time passed the band slimmed down to three people in accordance with who really wanted to commit.

The varied will to invest time and effort have led many promising bands to an early grave but The Tape stayed together and started to form a sound with what they had.

- We are all self taught and I think our sound have alot of personal touch because of that. For example, we don’t have a bass player which have made Ester play darker notes on her guitar while Amorina has developed a very melodic way to play the tom-toms, Alexandra says.

The band agrees that it’s the music that often captivates the listener in an early state, but after listening a while it is clear that a big part of their artistic errand also lies in the lyrics. From the start The Tape have been oscillating between the political and the personal. They write lyrics that describes personal struggles as well as the struggles they see in contemporary society and return several times during the interview to the importance of taking a stand and utilizing the platform you’ve been given. Amorina:

- We write about what is important for us as a band, but also in our own lives. This has made us write a lot of political music. Though, we do not wish to be branded as only a political band or associated with specific political organisations.

Though not shying away from political issues, The Tape want to be acknowledged as musicians first and formost. They talk a lot of their love of  playing music together and the process of experiementing with new sounds through guitar pedals, synths etc. The band reveals that on the new album that they are currently working on many of the lyrics are about anxiety and their sound is moving in a darker direction, news that makes us bursting with anticipation.

The Tape also love to deliver a captivating live show which Weekly Indie Pop got to experience.

As The Tape takes the stage at Live at Heart festival it’s clear that they have a lot of experience from playing live. From the first song to the last they own the stage and the music travels between ambient, almost elusive guitar elements and more explosive, drum driven parts.

Though the venue would be a dissapointment for any rockband, considering bad lighting and huge flower pot in the middle of the stage, The Tape doesn't seem discouraged. They utilize the whole stage and move around like candle flames with dreamy gestures.

They deliver both old songs from their first release Winter Cave (read our review here) and new songs from the coming album. During their older songs The Tape seems more confident though the song that made the biggest impression on me was the new song Coexist in which Alexandra takes a bigger part in the vocals.

Though some of the songs could have been shorter, the overall experience is that The Tape is a band filled with potential, with a very distinct sound and an important errand. As the final song fades out and Ester, Alexandra and Amorina raise their fists in a symbolic reaction towards the unequalities in the world it’s hard to not be moved.

Review: The Tape - Winter Cave

The Tape is an indie rock/reverb pop trio from Gothenburg, Sweden. They released their five song debut Winter Cave last year.

Although the confessed post rock influences are evident, I would mainly categorize this as pop, with strong melodies and hooks, front and center. Texturally the soundscape is based on ambient guitars and powerful vocals, with the drums being a chaos agent, constantly on the move in often unforseen directions. The lack of a bass player is covered by letting one guitar focus more on the low end and the drummer using the toms as a dynamic force. This, however, should not be viewed as a construed attempt of emulation. Rather, the basslessness cracks open the traditional rock formula and lets each of the musical elements - notably the drums - serve as a melodic instrument in its own right. Here, the lack of convention paves the way for an unusual dynamic between the playing styles of the group members, which - the band itself states - can be attributed to their autodidacticism. If a downside to this particular setup should be mentioned it is its tendency of almost always using "faster", rather than "heavier", as the means of dynamic transportation. However, one will not benefit much from comparing The Tape in this regard to bands with traditional setups; it is simply something different.

This is not slick pop, rather the focus is on the atmospheric and emotional capacities of the music. While this signals a liberating and fitting unpretentiousness and serves as a catalyst for the passionate energy the band emitts, there are a few times where the imperfections take me out of the experience; where the relative hurry of the recording process shines through. Surely, not all will feel this way, but the picky listener may consider themselves informed and encouraged to see past these moments so as not to miss out on an energetic experience.

As a debut, Winter Cave is the bands introduction of themselves and their invitation to the listener to join their previously isolated space of creativity. If a conjoining theme for EP is to be sought, it would be the longing for a haven where all can be who they want to be, though the topics range from anti-racism, feminism, broken families and the subversion of cultural norms. Here the political and the personal meet and find fruition in each other. Some of the lyrics are confrontational to say the least, while other songs take a more tentative stance. Extrapolating from the lyrics I find myself asking questions about what it means to be a part of a pluralistic society. Can there really be one unifying "common sense" for everybody without leading back to the kind of conformism the band attacks? If I could make one request in regards to the lyrics it would be a greater strive to go beyond the conjuring of liberal axioms, in search of a way to get behind the defensiveness of the "non-believers". Though this will require a continuous scrutiny of ones own agenda and motives, I believe it is the only way forward that doesn't lead to hardened hearts on both sides of the conflict that The Tape portrays.

Each track of the EP takes on different roles as part of the whole. The first track, Common Sense, draws the listener in with ambient drones and a powerful chorus, while the concluding Seeking My Way Out is the bombastic epic whos seven minute run time allows for more experimentation and extravagance. However, my favourite track is A Place to Stay. This is for me the unifying song that incorporates everthing that is good about The Tape; the ambience, the memorable melodies and the dynamic rock parts all come together with poetic lyrics adressing the longing for emotional and cultural freedom of expression.

Though only a first step of what seems to be a promising cultural career, Winter Cave is all that you need to familiarize yourself with, and get hooked on, The Tape. The trio's album debut which is in production now will reportedly take the music in a darker direction and be a more thought through installation. Needless to say, I can't wait.

MERGES - ATL

ATL is the dark and emotional debut single from Merges. From beginning to end the song is loaded with tension between the beautiful and bare vocals and the dynamic drumbeat and ambient guitar. ATL is a passionate story about a love affair that goes on though both parts knows that it's over. I paints a shivering ending for two lovers and a promising start for Merges.

Listen to Merges here

LANNDS - Wide Awake in a Sleepy World EP

The American indie project called LANNDS recently released a four track EP called Wide Awake in a Sleepy World. The four songs togheter form a beautiful, partly ambient landscape revolving around the guitar and vocals. One of the most interesting things about LANNDS is the lyrics which have several layers and seemingly opens up towards a transcendental reality. Indie Pop Weeklys favourite song is Metanoia which is kind of a closing anthem of the EP. We look forward to hear more from LANNDS in the future.