Three new indie folk artists that are perfect for your summer acoustic playlist

Kyle Scott – “Wake”
-The acoustic fingerpicking on this track is wonderful and won my attention right away. Scott’s vocal also comes across with a gentle, expressive style in the opening. The more you listen, though, the more you’ll feel the sound open up. There’s an authenticity to it that puts me in mind of other acoustic singer songwriters in the vein of David Ramirez or even Jeffrey Martin. Scott’s writing style has this artful, poetic quality to it that doesn’t feel “sing songy” in a pejorative sense, rather more of a free verse construction that encourages the listener to resonate with the mood and lyrics. It’s a wonderful listening experience and I hope readers will take some time to connect with this one.

Ethan DeRose – “Lonely”
-There’s a “walk in the park” vibe to this song that I feel right away. The acoustic guitar has a clarity that I really appreciate, allowing the vocal to stand out in the recording. The line, “I know that you miss me so, but I thought that I was better off on my own… it’s all my fault.” If you’ve ever been the one behind a break up, you’ll relate to this track. This is an intriguing sense of heartbreak, not because someone left you but that you left them and have this sense of regret. I appreciate the sincerity of the lyrical work and the easy going guitar work. I don’t want to read between the lines here too much, but it does seem like this is a bit of a “rose colored glasses” view on what was and what could have been. If I could speak one line to this protagonist, I’d say trust your spirit. If it felt like you needed to move on, you probably did. I hope it all works out. In the meantime, thanks for such a lovely tune that is relatable and comforting for all of us listening from afar.

Eli Bordonaro – “Flowers”
-If you’re looking for a calm acoustic guitar track, definitely check out this one from Eli Bordonaro. There’s a brightness to his vocal tone that reminds me of an artist I covered years ago named Stu Larsen. There’s a dynamism to the vocal inflection that I really appreciate here. In short, you can tell the artist believes what they are singing. The subtle breaks for electric guitar solos feels just right. The overall composition is comforting and relaxing. There’s an atmospheric quality to the song that makes it easy to listen to in the background, creating this soundscape that feels comforting and engaging. I definitely appreciate the artful folk energy of Eli Bordonaro’s work.