‘Ships’ – GLVES

GLVES takes us into the depths of the club to bring us this lament about a breakup, crooning “We were ships in the night / Let’s stop pretending / That we didn’t know” around a heady beat, drawing us directly into her narrative of needing to let go of the past. 

Heavy Heavy – Young Fathers

This sixth album from Young Fathers is as sprawling and contemplative as ever. An undercurrent of urgency drives this album, exemplified by stand-out track ‘Sink or Swim’—“You either sink or swim or do nothing”. Heavy Heavy is a tight album—clocking in at just over half an hour over ten tracks—and every moment feels precise and hard-hitting.

This is Love (EP) – Hallie 

Rising pop star Hallie finally drops her debut EP! Singles ‘Do It’ and ‘Love!’ are collected here alongside the upbeat ‘Shift the Focus’ and more acoustic ‘Labelless’, on either side of ‘Love a Lot Interlude’, a contemplative dip into the realms of dream-pop. The result is a sparkling collection of indie pop at its best.

Off With Your Head (EP) – RedHook

RedHook proves that Australian alt-rock is alive and well with Off With Your Head, a taster of their full-length debut Postcard From a Living Hell (21 April 2023). A real highlight is ‘Jabberwocky’, where the accelerating drum beat builds up to lead singer Emmy Mack’s proclamation: “Wake me up ‘cause this isn’t real / It’s just a bad dream”. 

Raven – Kelela

Five years on from her last full album, Kelela returns with Raven. She crafts an enchanting sonic landscape of pulsing electronic and R&B sounds, remaining at the forefront of both genres with this sequence of fifteen songs to sink into.  

‘Endless Summer’ – Jack River & Genesis Owusu

The titular lead single from Jack River’s sophomore album, to be released mid-year,  sees her team up with Genesis Owusu. Whilst the song is driven by River’s unique vocal tone, she and Owusu take turns to provide backup vocals, melding their sounds on a hazy, almost-psychedelic tribute to an endless summer.

I Hope You Can Hear Me Now (EP) – Suzi 

Suzi has gained steady popularity in recent years with singles ‘Amelia’ and ‘Everybody I’ve Met Hates Me’, establishing herself as an artist with a knack for frank, relatable lyrics layered over a catchy instrumental. The I Hope You Can Hear Me Now EP proves that Suzi can capture the best of Australian indie rock. 

‘Sticks and Stones’ – Jim Alxndr 

An explosive, entrancing single melding glitchy pop sounds with R&B sensibilities, taken from the Feels Worth Living For EP. Since his production work with pop legend Carly Rae Jepsen and New Zealand electro pop outfit Broods, Alxndr has used his music to explore selfhood and being human: "There's a monster in my bedroom / and he haunts me when I close my eyes". His latest solo work is certainly one to keep an eye out for. 

‘Teddy Bear’ – STAYC

South Korean girl group StayC has solidified their position as a leading Gen4 K-pop group. On ‘Teddy Bear’, they continue to deliver strong vocals and infectious energy in collaboration with producers Black Eyed Pilseung, in a return to the retro styles of 2021 hits ‘ASAP’ and ‘Stereotype’.

‘Lost Without You’ – San Cisco 

San Cisco have this ability to effortlessly capture the feeling of being at the beach, and they bring this quality to ‘Lost Without You’, the beginning of their rollout for their fifth album (late 2023). ‘Lost Without You’ blends its vocal, drum, and guitar lines stunningly—a harmony that seems to reflect lead singer Jordi’s plaintive chorus declaration, “I’m not leaving anywhere without you”. 

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Honourable Mention:

This Is Why – Paramore 

A momentous occasion for indie kids who were coming of age back in the early 2010s. This is Why is a sharp and addictive mosaic of contemporary living—we clapped, we cheered, and we relished in the band’s current trio of vocalist Hayley Atwell, guitarist Taylor York, and drummer Zac Farro coming together to make music again.

Listen on Spotify: