Three chilled out indie rock tracks to be thankful for

Whistler – “Questions”
-If chill indie rock is your vibe, check out this evocative piece from Whistler. When I initially started listening to the track, I couldn’t help but think of some of the great indie producers we’ve featured over the years. The production mix on this track is absolutely magical. There’s a lightness in the composition that allows the lead to soar, while the guitars have a crisp incisive quality to them. The honesty, almost confessional style of the lyrics feel like they are completely genuine. When the lyric “this is all I ever wanted” comes through, the listener can’t help but feel a connection with the energy and message of the song. There’s a tragic uncertainty to the track, but it is incredibly well expressed here. It gives me a real empathetic sense toward the songwriter; I hope this all found a happy resolution.

Talker – “Summerlin”
-If you’re looking for an understated yet impassioned rock track, check out the latest from Talker titled “Summerlin.” The expressive lead vocal definitely stands out from the crowd. There’s something special in the cathartic, emo style strumming on the acoustic guitar. The mix makes it easy to follow the meaningful and personal lyrics. If you’ve ever had a place in your life that represented a wide range of emotions that made you wish you could stay but you knew you couldn’t, this song will resonate. It’s discomfiting in truly unique ways.

Ben Zaida – “2013”
-When I see “lofi” as a tag for music, that can really be a boom or bust characteristic. Let me tell you that with Ben Zaida lofi doesn’t mean low quality or low effort. This is an incredibly well-mixed lofi style with an infectiously vibey style. It’s rare to find such a chill song with such a good quality groove that makes you want to exist WITHIN the song. The little glimpses of nostalgia reminds listeners of the “good old days” even for those of us with those experiences long before 2013. The vocal mix on the chorus with the “dah dah dahhhs” are just the right instrumental feature to highlight that feeling of being with friends, making great memories together. This is an emotional song that’s happy remembering those days and sad feeling that those days are gone.