By Aaron Jackson
Have you ever had the urge to listen to the most absurd underground music? Show off to your peers that you’re able to enjoy the latest Bjork album without feeling confused? Do you ever just want to get into all this “good” indie music but you’re too scared to jump in?
I can’t guarantee you’ll be able to appreciate FKA Twigs by the end of this list. But I can promise that you’ll at least be able to stand listening to Lana Del Rey when that one friend of yours decides you need to “broaden your tastes.”
To start us off: love her or hate her (and I kind of fall in the latter category), we have Halsey. I don’t hate Halsey, I just found her album, BadLands, to be a bit lackluster – I’ve heard it before. But for someone new to this type of music, Badlands could be very refreshing, as its lyrics take on different themes when compared to mainstream pop music and it also approaches its sound and aesthetic differently. It’s good in the sense that it doesn’t isolate those new to the genre since it still has its poppy tracks, “Colors” and “Roman Holiday”. So definitely do give Halsey a listen if you’re interested in checking out what Indie artists can offer.
Halsey rocking electric blue hair
Next up: Hayley Kiyoko. You might have remembered Kiyoko if you watched the Disney Channel Original Movie Lemonade Mouth or as Velma from Cartoon Network’s Scooby Doo! The Mystery Begins. She began to see some musical recognition when the video for her song Girls like Girls got mainstream attention. Hayley’s sound is very close to what you’d hear on the radio…but then again it isn’t. At its core it’s still pop, but with alternative elements incorporated into it. There are hints of Chill Wave and folk that all come together to give it this peppy, up-beat sound. It’s as if she found a way to liquefy sunshine and embed it into every song she makes. And her lyrics, though a bit nonsensical, help to give her music an airy, whimsical feeling. Her music is so happy that it makes me forget I’m listening to an indie track. Currently she has two EPs, A Belle to Remember and This Side of Paradise. I definitely think you should give both a listen.
Hayley looking outlandish and ethereal
Lastly, the Mother of 10’s indie pop, the Matriarch of the Blog-o-Sphere, the ring leader of quirky teens everywhere, Marina Diamandis, stage name: Marina and the Diamonds. Marina first came to prominence when she placed second in the BBC’s “Sound of 2010” competition when she was still in her The Family Jewels era, but it wasn’t until her 2012 release of Electra Heart that she really blew up in the Blog-o-Sphere. Electra Heart was a concept album centered on a character names Electra Heart and her reign as “Queen Bitch from Hell” after being through countless awful relationships. As you’d guess, this sets up the album for some killer lyrics and some fantastic storytelling as Marina really does use it as a platform to study the characters and archetypes of a relationship. Although, even with all the cynicism packed into this album, the songs are surprisingly upbeat, catchy and overall, poppy. I mean this isn’t a surprise when you have writers for Kelly Clarkson and Beyoncé co-writing on the album as well as producers for Katy Perry and Britney Spears. Yes, there are catchy hooks and danceable beats, but there’s also a certain wittiness and tongue-in-cheekness that just radiates off this album that isn’t like anything you’d find on the radio, but somehow feels like it should be there. After Electra Heart, Marina released her 2015 work: Froot, an abrupt left from her sharp tongued, poppy sound, to a more rock oriented, dream pop one. Froot is very approachable and still very much a great album, but I feel as though if you were to listen to Marina, Electra Heart would be the way to go. I wouldn’t suggest jumping straight into The Family Jewels as it is one of her more experimental works; I think it’s golden but it could be very off-putting to someone new to the genre.
Marina looking like a goddess as usual
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
These two artists are just a tad too…“out there” for me to recommend to anyone.
First honorable mention: Melanie Martinez. Her solo album, Cry Baby, is about …well you guessed it, a cry baby. She’s focused on relating some really dark themes to the challenges faced by a child. Even though I love her as an artist, I’m not gonna lie; her persona can be off-putting to many. However, musically, she has a lot to offer production wise and sound wise that could be very appealing to a first time listener.
Grimes absolutely owning that astel pink hair
Finally: Grimes. Even though I love her to death, she really only has one accessible album – and that in itself is moderately avant-garde. Her previous works, Visions, Geidi Primes and Halfaxa, are more alternative compared to her latest album, Art Angels. They borrow more from dream pop and have a more ambient, washed out sound. Art Angels still has that same Grimes quirk, but it embraces pop much more than her prior releases and not only does it embrace it, it allows for it to shine spectacularly. Along with its amazing production and overall aesthetical choices, Art Angels is not only her most accessible work, but it’s one of her best.
Start listening!