Three indie pop tracks to put at the top of your new music playlist

Kylie Rothfield – “Old Man”
-From the first time I clicked play on this song I found myself impressed with the quality of the vocal and the impressive production. It’s the kind of song that feels atmospheric and vibey in places, but you also want to turn it up for the chorus. It blurs the lines between moody indie pop and a rowdy indie rock style. It works really well and will pull you in, trust me. The line “I can’t make you younger old man” feels like a scathing line. Lyrically I will admit it’s a bit unsettling (a focus on an age gap “relationship”) but I am incredibly proud of Rothfield for tackling such a significant (and sometimes troubling) topic.

Cole Swensen – “Linger” (Cranberries Cover)
-I don’t often approve covers, so when I do it’s a really fantastic track. That’s certainly true of this remarkable track from Cole Swensen. I think I’ve approved everything he’s sent me for over a year now and this song certainly fits within that discography well. The strings provide additional texture to an emotional lyrical delivery. The line “but I’m in so deep, I’m such a fool for you” just feels like he means it. I guess it has always been a love song, but something about this version makes it feel all the more desperate and intentional. The sense that he craves the person is really strong here. This is a wonderful arrangement and performance, well worth exploring and sharing.

Jagged Jaw – “All I’ve Ever Known”
-I dig the beat on this song and I bet you will too. It just feels like a jam. The bassline is great, the percussive syncopation and the hand claps just work really well here. The vocal has this chilled out energy to it that feels more like vibey indie pop than it does the soulful sound you might expect from the rhythm section. But trust me when I say it all comes together for an experience. There’s even a bit of psychedelic work in the production that gives it satisfying layers. The vibey repetition provides an almost hypnotic sensibility to it. I’m not sure what all was involved in the composition and production here, but… I get the sense they were a little higher up than me (if you catch my drift). Nevertheless, I dig it.

Image courtesy: Kylie Rothfield IG