The London-based Australian-born alternative indie pop act Tall Poppies release their latest single ‘World Keeps Spinning’ on December 1st, 2023. With a soft and motherly approaching melody with a sharp-edged black-and-white aesthetic, ‘World Keeps Spinning’ is a simple song that helps to keep the listener centred and hopeful in shaky and uncertain times.

Aesthetically pleasing as the white stripes and as folksy and earth as ABBA and Fleetwood Mac, tall poppies lay the foundation of what their ultimately new sonically relatable sound would be. Inspired by artists as kooky as Kate Bush and as whimsy as David Bowie, we can see and hear these influences throughout the song and the music video. A song that needs no intricate or complex depth to convey a solid and homely message.

Twin vocalist Susan and Cathrine Hay, alongside Doug Fink as the drummer injects a warm and belonging family vibe that automatically allows the listener to feel safe and a sense of togetherness throughout the track, even when listening to the track completely alone. Tall Poppies ‘World Keeps Spinning’ arrives as the warmest hug of a mother and the folksiest dance in your grandparent’s tales, and they are certainly here to stay.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of November 2023’ Spotify playlist.

The post Tall Poppies – World Keeps Spinning appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

17-year-old independent singer-songwriter Sophia Stephens drops her poetically soft and somber four-track EP Remnantal. Possessing similarities between a triad of Florence and the Machine’s ethereal beauty, Freya Ridings’s poetical softness, and Amy Lee’s gothic depth and surrender, Sophia delves into the distilling beauty of sadness, heartbreak and loss — but in a hauntingly, yet heavenly and unwavering, way.

Each song breathes a story of heartbreak by contrasting acceptance to the loss in life and the struggles to comprehend it. Having watched several loved ones become terminally ill throughout her life, the EP is a beautifully captivating memoir that could be found delicately sprinkled throughout an emotive movie soundtrack of her life. Sophia blurs the lines between sadness and beauty by emphasizing the grandiosity that pain and suffering can wash over.

The EP begins with “Shadowlit,” a bright and hopeful track that casts the question of “why?” throughout, and so leading into a “Submerge,” where we sink into a deeper and darker ocean; this track is a personal and poetic number that reveals a conscious flow of creative pain. Sophia reveals a harder-hitting and more prominent hook addressing feelings of acceptance amongst the grief in “Never Spoke’,” and ending the EP with “Familiar,” which creates a divine finale into a profoundly personal collection of poetry.

Remnantal is an EP that captures the hearts of those who are broken and eases the pain of all those who are hurt by not only turning into something graceful and stunningly sensitive, but by pathing the way for common ground in those who can relate to such misfortune – and so Remnantal is an release where tears can flow freely and unapologetically.

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“Familiar” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of August 2023’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

The post Sophia Stephens – ‘Remnantal’ EP appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

A short and simple EP from Missouri-based singer/songwriter Jason Heeter, Staring at the Sun shows us how to take our time and sit in the sun, taking it all in for one moment. With no frills and no fuss in its Americana and country intertwining, the EP is an easy-listening piece with a sprinkling of harmonica and scatters of bluesy-outdoorsy riffs you can melt into on your porch, as the sun sets into an orange evening.

Staring at the Sun gives us a break from all that is complex by giving us just enough water to float without sinking and just enough flames to keep us warm without burning.

Opening track “Lazy Day” is a smooth and wholesome reminder of how to enjoy the moment, while the finale “I Know You Rider” is a sweet and breezy track reflecting on lost moments. Every track shows us how to be deeply present whilst displaying a personal yet lighthearted approach for all its listeners.

Picture yourself on a warm and breezy day, driving up the freeway with someone you love, whilst everything passes you by. Staring at the Sun plays quietly in the background; this is the sound where you can feel a warm and welcoming sense of togetherness, with not only the ones you love, but also with yourself.

You can stream Staring at the Sun via Spotify:

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“Lazy Day” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of June 2023’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

The post Jason Heeter – ‘Staring at the Sun’ EP appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Salt Lake City-based new wave indie, grunge-esque band Pale Dream dropped their latest single “Something Tells Me.” Scattered with the art of nostalgia and archived footage that looks and sounds fresh out of the ’90s, you’d almost believe that it wasn’t released this year if nobody told you.

Like many other retro indie and alternative artists that know how to capture the art of the past, Pale Dream do so in a way that enlightens the feelings of simplicity that are missing from a lot of music today.

“Something Tells Me” draws on similarities to bands such as The Smiths and Nirvana; it takes us down a path of memories that involve friends, kicking rocks, and camcorders before the internet took over. With clean reverberating riffs and fuzzy indie vocals, the pixelated footage of the music video from snapshot to snapshot takes us back to a time that we completely forgot to remember — comparable to looking through an old photo album from a past time.

The humility and simplicity amongst “Tell Me Something” is nothing short of reminiscent whilst carrying the essence of the messy-teen-culture of the 90s in the middle of America, with a Malcolm in the Middle type of boy spirit where everything is just “so whatever”.

Pale Dream explore the art of nostalgia in “Something Tells Me” with such authenticity that we almost believe that it is truly and honestly the way the boys in the band live their life, and not just for the aesthetic and image of the music.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of May 2023’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

The post Pale Dream – “Something Tells Me” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Petrov, the Hero releases his latest single, “New Fortunes.” a positive Beatles-esque seaside number that reaches out to the deepest darkest blue seas of our mind to calm the crashing waves of chaos and confusion.

A gentle and pondering melody delivers a laid-back and joyous simplicity. Petrov, The Hero does well to initiate a contrast between the sea and the sun within his fluffy and distilling vocal, and clean-bluesy riffs.

Giving us no particular questions, with no particular answers, “New Fortunes” is a track that wraps us up in a brief moment of solitude and comfort that sees us through the day. With a lush and lazy aesthetic, “New Fortunes” grants permission for us to kick back and bask in the sun.

“New Fortunes” steps away from depth in emotion while sailing the surface to create a sense of innocence when he says “What more can you do?” — prompting a realisation that “New Fortunes” is a song that just lets us be, whatever we will be.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of April 2023’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup. The submitter accepted our content-based offer, which included financial compensation for our time writing, editing, and publishing this article.

The post Petrov, the Hero – “New Fortunes” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

South London-born and Southampton-based rapper, instrumentalist, and producer Goostavo drops his warm yet woeful track “Runaway.” Goostavo inhales his thoughts and feelings and exhales them with a sleepy, sulky, and sullen despair throughout “Runaway,” with moody and jazzy lo-fi sounds paired with a cloudy-sunset aesthetic.

Goostavo draws upon notions of escapism, confusion, and a desperate need to slow down; the artist (who had written this track not long after being diagnosed with ADHD) does well to demonstrate that by creating an offbeat tempo and bendy riffs. “Runaway” reflects the desires of somebody who wants and needs to see the world through a slow-motion lens with delicate melodies.

Imagine yourself sitting on a beach, alone, with the deepest of sunsets and the strongest of drinks, as the wind blows the sand into a hazy fog; that is a reflection of “Runaway.” A daydream of some kind in a cosmic collection of conscious thoughts unfolding before us, a diary of watercolour emotions and dreams.

If holding on to a precious moment could be designed in a musical form, then “Runaway” does well to demonstrate that. “I just want to runaway, not in solitude, then everything will be okay,” Goostavo says as he guides us through the personal yet extremely relatable idea of breaking free from the rat race and so, finding peace within the mind and soul.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of April 2023’ Spotify playlist.

The post Goostavo – “Runaway” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Brighton-based quartet Ocna consume on their bluesy and euphoric single “Because,” following up the previous singles “Can’t” and “When.”

“Because” is a track that’s neither here nor there, neither up nor down. It sonically captures the essence of light and dark and pain with ease. The velvety vocals and the sludgy beats intertwine with a shimmering, synthesized slow motion that creates a melodic musical high. “Because” wraps its arms around you with such warmth that one may feel when the morning sun cracks through the leaves of the trees.

The track is somewhat ambiguous with the underlying meaning and focal point, where it does leave the lines blank for interpretation. Textures and layers soak through as would watercolor to canvas, taking us on a fresh and beautiful musical journey.

The four-piece band layer a post-rock aesthetic with an emotion that makes us feel a sense of complete acceptance by slowing the pace down to create a distilling, rippling effect built upon a still lake of calmness.

“Because” is an approachable yet impactful track that calms not only the mind but the soul — and whilst Ocna make us dig deeper into our innermost thoughts and questions, we inevitably revert to the idea that it is all just “Because” — there is nothing more and nothing less.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of February 2023’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup. The submitter accepted our content-based offer, which included financial compensation for our time writing, editing, and publishing this article.

The post Ocna – “Because” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Funky indie rock-pop trio Wild Horse impress with their single “Cougar.” The Brighton, UK-based lads jump on the track with some bubbly and feel-good sounds, telling the tale of a powerful yet unhappy woman trying to escape the ball and chain of a broken marriage, with the use of psychedelics and one-night stands.

The empowering – yet also extremely despairing – track does well to highlight the contrast between freedom and recklessness. The “mushroom haze” of “Cougar” contextualizes the actions and emotions in a story-like manner that puts the “Cougar” as the main character of their tale — similar to the likes of The 1975 and the Arctic Monkeys.

The funky riffs and raspy vocals make this track not only perfect for an exciting wine-filled and broken-heeled ladies night out, but also a more morose effort that encapsulates the essence of frustrations that can be the result of an unhappy marriage.

The trio land a spot in a simple yet British essence of indie pop-rock with their ability to model direct lyrics that highlight the thoughts and feelings behind secret desire and bitter revenge. They do this by simultaneously creating a versatile feel-good, easy-listening tune that you can play on both an energetic Saturday night and a reflective Sunday morning.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of February 2023’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup. The submitter accepted our content-based offer, which included financial compensation for our time writing, editing, and publishing this article.

The post Wild Horse – “Cougar” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

“Shoot the moon” stands as the opening single from post-punk band megalashhh‘s debut EP, cheap thrills. The single offers a numbing atmospheric state of catatonic emotion. With its blurred video game aesthetic and isolated familiarity of late-night games conveyed in the video’s visuals, greasy takeaways and mindless screen-fed routines flash with sincere intrigue.

megalashhh capture the essence of existential dread in a dampened yet thought-provokingly emotive way. The band highlight the connections between loneliness and modern technology throughout the lyrics and the music video for this consuming single. The stylish “I can tell when you’re on your telephone,” vocal adds engrossingly to the suavely memorable mix.

The song embodies all the bad habits adopted in modern society and simultaneously expresses its resentment. The very essence of “Shoot the moon” echoes the hamster wheel of pattern-lead routines that consumes late-night junkies, with distorted bass line licks and distilling vocals that send us into the innermost ripples of our waking consciousness.

The depth and darkness within “Shoot the moon” offer a much gloomier sense of grief beyond boredom and laborious routine. It delves into the dread associated with loneliness, isolation, and depression — also highlighting the obsession with making deeper connections with a screen and a sofa rather than realizing that we all have to open the curtains and look outside — because we are “not like anyone.”

Stream the EP:

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of January 2023’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup. The submitter accepted our content-based offer, which included financial compensation for our time writing, editing, and publishing this article.

The post megalashhh – “Shoot the moon” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Bradley Denniston releases his 6th single “Haunted By You” under his label, Radium Records. Don’t be fooled by the energetic and sparkling nature of the track. The modernized ’80s indie-pop track is quite the opposite. The bubbling, bouncy beat is entirely juxtaposed with the frustration and woe behind the motivating meaning.

“Haunted By You” is a track that expresses the realization of becoming an afterthought to someone you once profoundly connected with. 

Denniston captures the essence of making good out of a bad situation on the track, effortlessly conveyed as he transforms his woe into wonder through the energy of sound. Denniston proves how to inject an abundance of joy through the optimism of pop, power, and positive energy.

Denniston has worked his magic by finding a happy hybrid on this delightful single. He expresses his innermost darkest thoughts and feelings by transforming them into a sound that can bring everyone together through the power of dance. With his fresh and clean vocals under a glimmering pop-lead nostalgia, Bradley Denniston demonstrates a whole new meaning to discovering a happy light at the end of a dark tunnel.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of January 2023’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup. The submitter accepted our content-based offer, which included financial compensation for our time writing, editing, and publishing this article.

The post Bradley Denniston – “Haunted By You” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.