Three unique tracks bringing an contemporary twist to the indie rock genre

Emily Rose Burnett – “erase me”
-This song feels like it lives at the intersection of indie pop and indie folk music. There’s an understated bassline that feels like the connective tissue holding it all together. Burnett’s vocal provides a lovely texture that makes the listener ease into the sincerity of the lyrics. The whole sound takes off with the big chord at the one minute mark, capturing the listener’s attention and captivating the room. The shifting dynamics and overall curious introspection in the lyrics make for a song that’s sure to stand out from the indie rock crowd.

Little Quirks – “Game Boy”
-I’ve always been a sucker for a song about gaming (or just the theme in general). This track has that going for initially capturing my attention, but it was the power chords and amazing lead vocal that made me stick around. There’s something about the little vocal crack at the end of some of the main verse lines that feels delightfully idiosyncratic to this sound. I appreciate the mix of the big time energy in the instrumentation with the depth and sincerity of the lead vocal. The full production mix comes together for a balanced style that seems like it almost stands outside of rock history; it’s simultaneously a bit of a 70s power ballad, a 90s alt rock track, and an early 2000s stadium rocker. I don’t know how it does all of those so well, but it does. Give it a spin and see if you agree with my assessment.

Cali Santo – “Iron Eyes”
-When you click play on this track you’re not going to immediately think of it as indie rock; bear with me, though, because it definitely reflects some of the characteristics of the genre. It opens with more of a narrative folk style, with an introspective acoustic guitar and captivating lead vocal. Near the 1:30 mark, though, there’s more of a cinematic accompaniment that enters the track. While it’s not the rollicking style of rock music you might expect, it absolutely captures the mood of the genre. Think of more a Jackson C. Frank or Jeff Buckley style of indie rock rather than some of the more in-your-face jam rockers. This is a beautiful connection point of orchestral, folk, and rock music for a sound that is equal parts soothing and transcendent. It’s worth your time, for sure.