Since music is such a big part of my life, I am constantly going through periods where I will listen to specific artists and bands for a while, before switching to something else. For the most part, I am deeply passionate about classic rock from the sixties and seventies. Bands such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Fleetwood Mac, would probably be among my most listened to. My Apple Music library is endlessly composed of bands such as these, yet I do listen to a little bit of everything when it comes to musical genres and time periods. When it comes to music from the present day, I find myself gravitating towards indie artists the most. Â
Indie artists are not usually signed to big record labels, making them in a way “underground.” Something that makes indie artists stand out so much from popular mainstream artists to me, is primarily in their sound. I have found that their sound is oftentimes experimental. Overall, I feel they have a very distinctive and alternative sound that very much sets them apart from mainstream pop artists. Oftentimes, indie artists are even inspired by classic rock bands that I so deeply love. Â
I am always on the lookout for new, modern artists, and this list is composed of the ones that I have been liking for a while and am currently listening to.Â
LAUFEY
The way that I discovered Laufey was by sheer chance, but I like to think that it was meant to be. And it was all thanks to my sister. Over the summer while in the car, she had her songs on shuffle, and one of Laufey’s songs came on. It instantly caught my attention, and the funny part is that my sister and I have near complete opposite music tastes. But this time, I was honestly very surprised by what I was listening to. We exclusively listened to Laufey on repeat for the rest of the car ride. Something special that I find about Laufey’s songs is that they take me to another world. They all have a dreamy and fairytale-like feel about them, literally reminding me of Disney princesses’ songs. To top it off, I also love how romantic she is in her music. I think that in this day and age it is very rare to find artists like her, where their originality and creativity stand out so much from the majority of others. She is now an artist that I envision playing in the background on a balcony during the sunset overlooking the ocean.Â
BEABADOBEE
The first song that I heard from Beabadobee was around two years ago, and it was “The Perfect Pair”. She recently released a new album titled This Is How Tomorrow Moves. The first song from this album that I listened to was “Beaches,” and I especially love the cool guitar solo. Just like with Laufey, Beabadobee’s entire sound is also one that I do not hear from artists nowadays. Yet, at the same time, her music is just as unique, channeling the sound that singers of the very early 2000’s possessed. For example, Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles” and Sara Bareilles’ “Love Song,” both songs which I adore, have that same feel as with Beabadobee’s music. Listen closely to her song “Take A Bite” and you just might see it too! Without any prior context, I would assume that it is a song that was likely released decades ago.Â
TOPSÂ
This is a Canadian band that I discovered recently. Their songs are a mix of indie and dream pop. The first song I ever heard from them, “Perfected Steps,” came on randomly in my car one day. Within ten seconds of the song, I had fallen in love. From its melody to the way it immediately reminded me of Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk. It feels like a song that would simply belong in that record. I then listened to the EP where this song is from, Empty Seats, and there is not one single boring song in it. The last song, titled “Future Waits” has become my favorite song from them and one that I have played on repeat too many times to count. Diving deeper into their discography and listening to more of their songs, I realized that each song of theirs is so unique and fun to listen to. Not only does this band totally remind me of Fleetwood Mac, but it also reminds me of The Cranberries, yet another band that I love. I would say this is the perfect crossover between the two!Â
MELODY’S ECHO CHAMBERÂ
When I first discovered Melody’s Echo Chamber, it was as if I had found my very own personalized artist. From her voice to her lyrics, to her psychedelic sound, I felt like she was an artist I had created in my mind come to life. For the first time, I’d found an artist that I could now call my “favorite,” leaving other artists behind that I listened to a lot. Anything that has a loud electric guitar in the background I have always admired, but with Melody it was all my favorite qualities in an artist combined. She mostly sings in English, but sometimes alternates to French (which is something I truly love too!). She has released a couple of unbelievable albums throughout her career, yet my favorite, and the one I think is her best work, is Emotional Eternal. I have listened to this record so many times on repeat and have recognized myself in some of the songs, almost as if she had written them from my point of view. This album is not only in my list of top ten favorite albums ever, but it is also, to me, a masterpiece with impeccable production. My favorite song in Emotional Eternal is “Pyramids in the Clouds.” It has an eastern sound to it with the sitar that plays in the background. I absolutely adore it when artists bring a touch of culture into their songs and blend that with their own musical style that they already have.Â
This is the music that I have been listening to. I think it’s interesting how I have come to discover each of these artists. They all have a story to tell, and this is what is so fun about finding new artists that you end up being a fan of. Â