Three engaging new indie folk tunes that immediately stand out from the crowd

Romain Alix – “Still Here”
-The atmospheric work on this song stands out right away. The haunting, emotional vocal style captivates right from the start of the song. It demands the attention of the listener in the way that Bon Iver did when he first came onto the scene. This is not the typical jangle folk that we hear a lot; this is an artful, intellectual style of folk music that commands concentration. I appreciate the production quality here that allows the high pitched atmospheric sounds to establish depth while the acoustic guitar and vocal feel more rooted; it’s an intoxicating combination.

Hazlett – “doing my best”
-The pattern of phrasing in the opening of this song reminds me of a famous folk revival artist, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. It’s someone like Hozier or City and Colour. Nevertheless, Hazlett have their own talented style here that brings together elements of both folk and rock instrumentation. There’s something about the understated production that really allows the vocal mix to shine through. The lyrics are worth exploring as well, “I’m ok but I’m kind of upset.” Talk about an anthem for 2025. I think we’re all feeling a bit of this. The psychological and emotional core of this song is definitely worth diving deeper into on and individual level.

Crispy Watkins – “Plaintain”
-I thought about saving this song for a piece on the connection between folk and Americana; it certainly could live in that space. But you know what, it’s just such a good track that I could write about it almost every day and find a way to connect it to several different types of music. There’s something about the style that reminds me of what I love about Needtobreathe; it’s an engaging, thoughtful piece of folk music that doesn’t conform to genre conventions. It exists as an artful and heartfelt expression of life, a declaration of existing in the summer wind. “Something’s broken and I need oh to hold your hand.” If you are blessed to have this type of person in your life, then you’re already smiling by this point in the writeup. This is a gem of a song about a concept that is one of life’s great pleasures. Sit with it and you will almost certainly find joy.

Image courtesy: Crispy Watkins IG