Our Indie Kids playlist celebrates everything on the indie spectrum, whether that’s rock, folk or pop, because we firmly believe in taking a little walk off the beaten track every once in a while.
Los Angeles indie artist Wintur releases his emotionally eloquent single ‘writer’s block’, a deeply reflective musing on creative struggle. Gaining traction on TikTok, Wintur cultivates an ethereal, alt-pop experience, defined by blooming guitar twangs and cautious, hushed vocals. The track’s swooning, lush underscore perfectly complements the devoutly biographical lyrics. ‘writer’s block’ is a journey into the restless mind of an artist-to-watch, twisting with painful nostalgia and a soft vibrancy that draws comparison to the emphatic sensibilities of Billie Eilish and Conan Gray. It solidifies Wintur’s unique voice in the indie scene, making this single a must-listen for fans of introspective, alt-pop narratives.
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London-based songwriter Nick Howe, a consummate musician with a relentless drive, tackles raw emotion in his latest single ‘Blood’. Inspired by obsession and rage, the track delivers a hard-hitting dose of angst that solidifies his reputation for creating killer low-key hooks. Howe, who treats his music as therapy, uses this single to fully process turbulent emotions. The track’s intensity is grounded by the artist’s impressive background, which includes performing at Glastonbury and SXSW, and maintaining an average of 200 gigs a year. Hailing from a 200-year line of family entertainers, Howe’s inherent knack for performance shines through, even in this angsty delivery. ‘Blood’ is a powerful, honest look at the emotional process of a road-tested musician.
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Irish artist Malaki returns with ‘First Last Time’, a striking confession wrapped in cinematic hip-hop and raw emotion. The track explores addiction with unflinching honesty, capturing the familiar promise of “just one last time” through sharp lyricism and haunting production. Malaki’s delivery is both vulnerable and assured, tracing the momentary rush and inevitable crash that follows every vice. Drawing from personal experience, he turns pain into poetry, offering a deeply human portrait of temptation and self-awareness. Balancing grit with grace, ‘First Last Time’ reaffirms Malaki as one of Ireland’s most fearless young voices. It’s introspective, articulate, and undeniably authentic.
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Dublin rock quartet Big Sleep previews their debut album, Holy Show, with the tender single ‘Crude’. This track captures the band at their most stripped-back and sincere, offering a fragile, slow-burning moment of poetic vocal delivery and hushed instrumentation. ‘Crude’ is a deeply searching piece, evoking a wounded kind of hope, a sound reminiscent of early Ben Howard or Radiohead’s gentler side. The band explains it’s about maintaining an open heart despite the world’s unkindness. As the first taste of an album focused on the transience and messiness of love, ‘Crude’ is a fitting, vulnerable, and cinematic introduction that signals the depth of Holy Show, due in January 2026.
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Cortney Dixon’s focus track, ‘Cry About It,’ is a fierce, genre-defying centerpiece from her Hazard A Guess EP. Fresh from triumphant sets at Glastonbury and SXSW, the South Shields artist blends glam-punk flair with her gritty, down-to-earth DIY roots. ‘Cry About It’ channels this bold sound into an empowering, aspirational anthem. The song’s theme is a resounding middle finger to the jobs that “try to dull you down, suck the life from you and shake the dreamer out of you.” With the sass of Blondie and the edge of Wet Leg, Courtney Dixon delivers irresistible vocals and sharp guitar licks, proving her status as a compelling, multifaceted independent talent.
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Capturing the surreal sensation of reconnecting with a loved one who has passed, inspired by Annabelle Chairlegs’ dream of a “sprint through Manhattan with a ghost,” is new single ‘Concrete Trees’. This poignant, surf-tinged tribute to the artist’s late friend, Steph blends melancholic, surf-rock melodies with a subtle edge, the song explores the deep wish for one more moment with friends who are gone. Annabelle explains the track is for those you often find yourself asking: “Are you here with us now?” Accompanied by a Pooneh Ghana-directed video, ‘Concrete Trees’ stands as a vulnerable, yet catchy, indie meditation on loss, connection, and impermanence. It follows the well-received single ‘Ice Cream On The Beach’, further cementing Annabelle as an indie voice dedicated to emotionally raw storytelling.
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Henry Grace unveils a bold new chapter with his poignant single ‘Things’, the title-track from his upcoming second album. Co-produced with Blaine Harrison (Mystery Jets), the song finds Henry in his most emotive form, perfectly layering his dreamlike vocals over warm, tender textures. The track is a rich meditation on transition, love lost and found, and quiet restlessness. Starting delicately with just acoustic guitar and vocal, ‘Things’ soon blossoms into a wide-spanning tapestry of sound, incorporating strings, synths, and full-band instrumentation. This arrangement underscores Henry Grace’s evolution from a solitary troubadour to the leader of a fully realized band. ‘Things’ is a moving and layered leap forward, setting a high bar for his album, ‘Things Are Moving All Around Me.’
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With ‘Every Day’s a Saturday’, Ian McFarland captures the hazy rhythm of modern burnout and turns it into something effortlessly joyful. The track bursts with jangly guitars, falsetto hooks, and a fuzzy energy that channels indie greats while keeping Ian’s laid-back charm front and center. Beneath its sunny exterior lies a subtle melancholy, the feeling of coasting through chaos with a grin. “Every day’s a Saturday when the world’s on fire again,” he sings, turning irony into anthem. It’s smart, catchy, and deeply human. The perfect introduction to his upcoming EP, Midnight Surger.
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‘Star’ delves into the inevitable cycles of love, loss, and betrayal, delivered with raw, introspective energy. S.C.A.B.’s frontman Sean Camargo’s lyrics, “they’re gonna make a big star out of me, when I shoot above your head you can wish upon me,” set a tone of delusional escapism amidst inescapable patterns. The accompanying video visually amplifies this theme, depicting a macabre loop of friendship, betrayal, and a Frankenstein-esque resurrection, only for the cycle to repeat. It’s a stark, compelling exploration of how old wounds dictate new actions, and the struggle to break free from self-destructive patterns. ‘Star’ is a potent, alt-rock meditation on human fallibility and the enduring, often painful, echoes of the past.
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Formed from members of Beach Riot and Gnarlah, TOY PARLOUR bring immediate swagger to the UK’s alternative scene with their new single ‘Dead Inside’. The track is an undeniable rush of raw energy and fun riffs, proving why this outfit is one of 2025’s most intriguing newcomers. The band claims the song came to them instantly, a fact that translates directly to its infectious, spontaneous vibe. With pretty vocals soaring over an urgent backdrop, and mixed by Pete Hutchings (Royal Blood, Foals), ‘Dead Inside’ showcases their inherent knack for killer hooks. This track solidifies their momentum after a blistering debut at The Great Escape.
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PURPLE MELON 