Love isn’t always easy. It can come with break-ups, which then can lead to yearning for the past and pain moving toward the future. But there is also the fact that some may incorrectly read flirting and assume romance when it isn’t there. These 4 indie tracks capture experiences such as these.
Alexa Kate – The Aftermath
The very first thing that stands out about ‘The Aftermath’ is how the soft sweetness of the acoustic guitar is brought out by absolutely clean sonics. This is followed up with just as much production and musical prowess when the vocals cut in. The vocals are soft and bright, but they still deliver an emotional undertone with their quality, and this sound works well with the softer intro and outro, and the fuller middle part of the song. The chorus delivers a high point, drums, bass, and some synths for added atmosphere, floating around in the background. Also, the verse in the middle pulls back but keeps things rolling with a dynamic guitar mix and percussion backing it. Lyrically, it’s about a post-break-up when feelings of pain and a rose-tinted yearning for what once was.
William Pilgrim & the All Grows Up – Gbscs
‘Gbscs’, or ‘Great Big Stupid Country Song’, has a really nice bluesy swing overarching the track with a full band including guitars, bass, percussion, and organ-like synths. The vocals have a really nice rasp, which gives a breath of fresh air with how raw they are in a world where electronic vocals are showing up more. It’s a bit blues and a bit country, and the blues influences give it just a bit of an R&B flow. The mix has great placements, which really breathe life into the whole piece. Also, at around 2:05, there’s a really nice sax lead, and the buzz of the instrument really lands interspersed between the vocals. Lyrically, ‘Gbscs’ uses storytelling and vibrant imagery to depict a breakup that ended with a partner who was hurt and subsequently left. Like the last inclusion, it gets into yearning for what once was.
The Songs of Butler & Cupples – Better off Lost
‘Better off Lost’ is beautiful with its haunting undertones and acoustic guitars. It starts off in absolute soft simplicity, the vocals taking the stage in the mix, which highlights how beautiful the vocals are. It builds some gorgeous vocal harmonies and jumps out with more guitar layers and eventually introduces swinging percussion and some electric guitar. This track is a slow build, and as it builds, it introduces more electronic influences. Bit after bit tacks itself onto the instrumentation before fading back into softness for the outro. Compared to their more electronic discography, The Songs of Butler & Cupples did something fresh and new with this release. ‘Better off Lost’ tells a narrative of being in a break-up and not being able to move forward and forget, feeling stuck in connection and reeled back in when they’re near the object of their affection.
Anie Delgado – LOVERGRLL
After the emotion and softness of the rest of this list, ‘LOVERGRLL’ picks things up with its energetic indie, electronic sounds. The vocals are edited well in a way that they fit the electronic sound, but they still have a human-sounding life dashed in. Sometimes the vocals get the forefront, and sometimes a bit more focus is put on the lively instrumentation. Vocally, there is a bit of a spoken word twang in the chorus, but their rhythm makes it absolutely addictive. The instrumental portions are great, and this song seems fun for clubbing or for an introspective lyrical analysis. Lyrically, it comes from a story where a producer that Anie Delgado respected misread her kindness as flirting and reacted poorly to boundary-setting.
Written by Sage Plapp
Cover image by Weyuna Deadly
