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.
‘Backslide’ is a shimmering, emotionally charged track that captures the band’s knack for turning nostalgia into something fresh. Glowing synths, sweeping melodies and punchy, ’80s-inspired drums give The Strike’s song an unmistakably cinematic quality, while its soaring vocals and anthemic chorus deliver plenty of pop precision. Balancing longing with restraint, ‘Backslide’ feels familiar without becoming predictable, showcasing a band increasingly confident in its songwriting. At the heart of the track is The Strike’s ability to translate the energy of their celebrated live shows into recorded form. Euphoric yet reflective, ‘Backslide’ offers a compelling glimpse into the world of their upcoming third album, A Dream Through Open Eyes.
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As a fiery preview of their upcoming album, She’s Wild, Little Quirks’ single ‘Game Boy’ captures a bolder, darker turn for the band, bolstering their signature folk-pop warmth with heavier rhythms, razor-sharp hooks and an expansive indie-rock bite. Taking aim at a overly rehearsed romantic player, the New South Wales outfit channels frustration into an infectious, attitude-packed anthem. Driven by sisterly harmonies and a restless energy that demands movement, ‘Game Boy’ masterfully transforms heartbreak into pure liberation, proving once again why this Australian quartet remains one of the most exciting acts on the circuit.
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‘Who Burnt The Mountain’ is a haunting, deeply personal protest song that turns environmental grief into sound. Built around an insistent chant, the track incorporates field recordings gathered during Josephine Illingworth’s pilgrimage through the Welsh borders, from birdsong and distant calls to the deceptive quiet of woodland at night. As the song develops, these natural sounds are distorted until the birds resemble human screams, creating an unsettling portrait of ecological destruction. A crackling fire recording adds further weight, while communal singing from a Himalayan train brings a sense of connection and shared reverence for nature. Raw, atmospheric and quietly devastating, ‘Who Burnt The Mountain’ makes its message impossible to ignore.
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Shush turns the familiar pain of long-distance love into something unexpectedly bright with new track ‘Face Time’. By exploring the contradiction of sounding joyful while telling a deeply depressing story, the track places heartbreak, obsession and emotional baggage firmly in a major-key setting. The result is a colourful collision of rock energy and vulnerability that reflects the band’s Miami roots and trilingual identity. English and Spanish weave naturally through the song, while the group’s influences and irreverent personality give it an infectious sense of character. There’s plenty of chaos beneath the surface, but that seems to be the point. ‘FaceTime’ embraces emotional messiness without losing its playful spirit, making distance feel strangely exhilarating.
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Purple Melon regular néomí delivers more ethereal folk-pop anchored by deep vulnerability and sharp, dark humor with latest release ‘I Wish I’d Never Met You’. From her EP, Crunchy, Sad and Strangely Happy, it explores the agonizing complexity of loving someone while regretting who you became together. Written across Nashville, LA, London and Rotterdam, the song embraces life’s simultaneous highs and lows without forcing neat resolutions. Echoing Phoebe Bridgers and Laura Marling, néomí’s lush arrangements and confessional storytelling mark a bold, self-assured chapter for one of indie-pop’s most compelling singer-songwriters.
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Fright Years elevate their sonic ambition on ‘Dye Star’, the magnetic second single from their forthcoming EP via LAB Records. Produced by Pete Hutchings, the track trades early rawness for a denser, more expansive indie-rock architecture. Glitchy piano swells and layered guitars drive propulsive verses into a soaring, anthemic chorus, where Jules Kelly’s vocals pivot gracefully from quiet introspection to full-throated catharsis. Exploring the messy journey toward self-discovery, the song embraces life’s lingering uncertainties rather than forcing neat answers. Dynamic, confident, and fueled by restless momentum, ‘Dye Star’ captures a maturing band fully stepping into their power and ready for bigger stages.
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In ‘Made of Gold’, Niki Miss conveys the complicated aftermath of a relationship with an appealing blend of melancholy and momentum. Delicate verses, shaped by understated synths and subtle 80s and 90s influences, create a reflective atmosphere before giving way to an immediate, melodic chorus. Drawing together indie, synth-pop and alt-rock, the track balances dreamy textures with a more direct, emotionally charged approach. Its central tension of wanting to move forward while remaining haunted by an idealised past gives the song a relatable emotional weight. ‘Made of Gold’ finds beauty in that uncertain space between letting go and holding on.
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Racing at a blistering 160 BPM, ‘My Name Is Yesterday’ showcases Seattle’s bloococoon at their most urgent and dynamic. Taken from their EP My Favourite Ghost, the track seamlessly merges driving post-punk rhythms with rich alt-rock textures. A delicate acoustic intro rapidly shifts into propulsive basslines and stormy drums, framing the painful realization of becoming someone’s past. Breezy verses build tension before erupting into a roaring, triumphant chorus and a wave of controlled guitar chaos. Blending raw emotional gravity with danceable energy, bloococoon delivers a fierce, high-octane anthem that solidifies their place among Seattle’s most compelling rising acts.
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Josh Jarman’s solo project, Classic Trucks, debuts with its self-titled single. It’s a wry, meandering meditation on becoming an artist later in life. Written in a single sitting, the track channels the anxiety of a “sapling artist” in their thirties trying to fly amidst capitalism, chaos, and overwhelming noise. Blending existential dread with absurd humor, Josh contrasts delicate creative vulnerability with the harsh realities of the modern world. Instead of offering easy answers, ‘Classic Trucks’ embraces the friction between optimism and neurosis, delivering a charmingly grounded, relatable anthem for late bloomers everywhere navigating the absurdity of adulthood.
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‘Sideways’ turns a string of everyday failures into something remarkably upbeat. Its narrator may be flaking on birthday parties, sleeping through mornings and losing jobs, but there’s little room for self-pity here. Instead, the track embraces its sideways existence with a shrug and an infectious sense of humour. Punchy guitars, a locked-in bass groove and funky indie-rock rhythms create a tight, playful backdrop, blending garage-rock grit with woozy, off-kilter touches. The result is energetic without feeling overworked, while the tongue-in-cheek lyrics give the song plenty of personality. Wiht this KOATS establishes himself as that one messy, funny and strangely reassuring friend.
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