The Devil Is in the Details: The Pepe Deluxé Interview
Pepe Deluxé make intricate songs with some of the world’s rarest instruments. James Spectrum says his band’s music is meant to be explored again and again.
indie pop
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The 15 Best Indie Pop Albums of 2021
In 2021, indie pop had the job of scoring the world’s reopening, marrying joy and uncertainty. From Wolf Alice to Illuminati Hotties, these albums got the gold.
Belle and Sebastian’s Studious ‘If You’re Feeling Sinister’ Turns 25
Belle and Sebastian’s 1996 showpiece If You’re Feeling Sinister balanced poignance and exuberance with its character-driven stories and became an indie-pop classic.
Hayden Thorpe Is Experiencing All of the Metafeelings
Former Wild Beasts vocalist Hayden Thorpe explores new headspaces, psychedelics, and sonic territory on solo album number two, Moondust For My Diamond.
The 10 Best Belle and Sebastian Non-Album Songs
This might not be so far away from a best-of list of all Belle and Sebastian songs, considering how these tracks show the breadth of the group’s styles and moods.
Pip Blom’s ‘Welcome Break’ Is Cautious But Still As Exuberant As Their Debut
Dutch four-piece Pip Blom can still light up a room with jangly guitars and amiable vocal hooks, even if Welcome Break suffers from sophomore album syndrome.
Constant Smiles Continue Their Chameleonic Ways with the Pop-Infused ‘Paragons’
Listeners familiar with Constant Smiles’ mutative oeuvre will find Paragons intriguing for the chameleonic adoption of familiar pop templates.
Kacy Hill Bares Her Soul with ‘Simple, Sweet, and Smiling’
Creative and gifted Kacy Hill does a wonderful job updating the sounds of 1980s synthpop and soul on her new album, Simple, Sweet, and Smiling.
Penelope Isles’ Genre-Hopping Rarely Rises Above Pastiche on ‘Which Way to Happy’
Penelope Isles love a lot of different music, and they spend much of Which Way to Happy approximating those influences and not quite establishing their sound.
Electropop’s Mr Little Jeans Re-emerges with “Jump to Fall”
Mr Little Jeans’ first single in three years, “Jump to Fall” is a dreamy and compassionate song that ruminates on difficult issues while wrapped in delicious synths.
Snail Mail’s Songwriting Reaches Dizzying Heights on ‘Valentine’
Snail Mail’s Lindsey Jordan laughs, cries, and fights her way through Valentine, one of the best albums of the year. Snail Mail is about to get a lot bigger.