Indie can offer fun change
The term “indie” is often attributed to the coolest of the cool — those who don brands we’ve never heard of, smoke foreign cigarettes and take pleasure in tempeh burgers and kale.
But me? Well, I’m the least alternative person you will probably meet.
I come from the ultimate suburb — Irvine, Calif. — and I’ve grown up accustomed to shopping at Nordstrom and dining out at chain restaurants.
I don’t buy my clothes at lesser-known boutiques or eat at hole-in-the-wall joints. I don’t do my homework at coffee shops (nor do I drink coffee at all).
I like adventure and a little bit of spontaneity, but order and organization define my life. But on the days that radio hits and chart toppers don’t fit my musical needs, this is the alternative playlist I turn on to satisfy my indie craving.
“Day Dreams” — Midi Matilda
In an interview with the Huffington Post, indie-pop duo Midi Matilda stated, “We want our shows to be like Daft Punk meets The White Stripes.” They’ve nailed that goal with their songs, all of which are dance-worthy numbers. These Bay Area boys fuse their smooth vocals with jazzy beats. In this particular track, by splicing traditional instruments like the trumpet with the synthesizer, Midi Matilda serves up a refreshing song. I’m still stumped why an indie director hasn’t scooped this song up as a soundtrack addition for his or her film, but until then, indie lovers can continue to relish in the obscurity of Midi Matilda.
“Get Gone” — White Arrows
“Psychotropical pop” is the self-proclaimed genre of White Arrows, a band hailing from Los Angeles. Comparable to the sounds of Tokyo Police Club, White Arrows’ music has the capacity to help listeners unwind and relax. Impressively uplifting lyrics such as, “Don’t forget to tell yourself / Look inside of you and no one else / No one even cares about your health / Just ask my mom / she’s doing well” provide an excellent getaway during hectic times.
“Ghost” — Sir Sly
Sir Sly is the brainchild of Landon Jacobs, Jason Suwito and Hayden Coplen. These three Los Angeles natives are so alternative and underground that it’s impossible to find much information about them on the Internet. They’re the band that your indie friends probably don’t openly talk about because who would even think about sharing music, right?
“Always Like This” — Bombay Bicycle Club
British indie-rock band Bombay Bicycle Club can be best described as a happy group of boys producing memorable tracks. Their music is as quirky as their band name, which they took from an Indian restaurant franchise. The band entered the public eye when “Always Like This” made the Top 100 on the U.K. Singles Chart.
“Retrograde” — James Blake
Electronic music producer James Blake integrates haunting R&B vocals with bits of dubstep to create spellbinding tracks. “Retrograde” is the most recent single from his award-winning 2013 album Overgrown. Rapper Kanye West mentored Blake during the composition of “Retrograde” — a lesser-known and surprising fact, given not many alternative fans would expect the man behind mainstream hits such as “Mercy” and “Stronger” would have a hand in a song as indie as this one.
“Pumpin Blood” — NONONO
Stina Wäppling, Astma and Rocwell are three Swedish musicians who have banded together to create an eccentric collection of songs. Though I personally feel their other songs aren’t the best of indie tunes (Wäppling’s vocals can be a bit hard to handle at times), “Pumpin Blood” comes out on top as a striking hit.
“Toothpaste Kisses” — The Maccabees
Orlando Weeks of The Maccabees has one of the most tender and sincere voices of all English indie-rock artists. The song begins in a memorable manner, with the sound of a match lighting, as if to signal Weeks is singing to his lover over a candlelit dinner. This romantic song, with succinct yet heartfelt lyrics such as, “Cradle me, I’ll cradle you / I’ll win your heart with a woop-a-woo / Pullin’ shapes just for your eyes,” would make any softie swoon.
Have a suggestion for next week’s playlist? Tweet me @RiniSampath.
Rini Sampath is a sophomore majoring in international relations (global business). Her column “Traveler’s Tracks” runs Mondays.
Follow Rini on Twitter @RiniSampath