indie

Silver Torches: The Living Fact

Who are we carrying a torch for? Why, it’s none other than the new act – Silver Torches! A project by songwriter Erik Walters, Silver Torches releases its debut album The Living Fact, and it’s one of the season’s bests so far.

Siblings: My Brother

What an apt move for a band of ‘Siblings’ to make an EP about ‘brothers’? Well, excuse the pun, but seriously, the newcomer British quartet makes blood relations sound cool in last year’s My Brother EP. Though only containing three radio-sized tracks, each one is jam-packed with that ambient folk vibe which haunts their influences, such as Bon Iver and The Shins.

Child Actor: Partner

If you think a union between R&B and electronica is impossible, then you might need to rewire your hearing. Fake Four Records’ new act, Child Actor, has come up with one of the most amazing R&B projects ever, and yes, it pertains to what I said above. Intermingling synth pop with rhythmic percussion beats, their debut EP Partner has set the stage on what was to become their trademark sound.

Kevin Michael: Brainwa$h

Breaking news: not only Ke$ha can rock the dollar sign, but so do newcomer Kevin Michael in his new “meditative†mixtape. Channelling Justin Timberlake and at times, early Chris Brown, Kevin’s sleekly-produced collection “Brainwa$h†is a formidable alternative to the (sometimes annoying) dubstep-infested RnB music of late.

Tearjerker: Hiding

Where have the good tunes been ‘hiding’? In Tearjerker’s stash of an EP! Canadian indie band Tearjerker has been seeing a recent surge on its following, a long way since their first LP in 2009 (“Slouchingâ€). However, Micah Bonte, Trevor Hawkins, and Taylor Shute refuse to stray from what they play best: trippy pop music.

The Warm Fuzzies: Fuzz of the Month

So, what’s the ‘fuzz’ of the month all about? Why, it’s no other than The Warm Fuzzies’ geek-tastic EP! Released in 2011, The Fuzz of the Month is the band’s planned year-long project, where they release one track per month. However, the holiday seasons must have kept them fuzzy in the pj’s, so the EP fell short of 2 tracks; the released 10 are still great, though.

Photocomfort

Sonically astounding, Photocomfort is an artist that should be on top of any indie folk lover's radar. Bursting into the scene from out of nowhere, it's amazing that talent and music like this has been kept hidden for so long. Led by twenty-something, Justine Bowe and her friend, Mike Moschetto, this self-titled debut is far too short, luckily every inch of it is packed with the kind of music you can bring with you anywhere and play anytime without ever wanting anything else.

The Willow and The Builder

The Willow & The Builder is an indie folk duo straight from Connecticut. Their music intertwines carefully sculpted melodies with gorgeous lyrics ready to wake up all of the winter spirits from the deep sleep. Released in October 2011, this 8 track self-titled album is filled with mesmerizing sounds of violin, trombone, viola, flute, trumpet, and masterfully sequenced drum additions, that should not be missed by anyone in need for some quality indie intervention!

Clownage: Premiers Maux

Clownage is a four piece high energy indie rock band from Paris, France. Their sound touches on Muse's arena rock formula but creates it's own identity with their incorporation of the melody into every song. Lead singer/guitarist Jérôme Litré-Froment has a strong voice that has a good amount of range and an impassioned delivery in both French and English lyrics. Guitarist Louis Teran, bassist Olivier Crescence, and drummer Jérôme Ceva all make a concerted attempt to change up the sounds and timing that make for an album of memorable and hummable songs.