By Kaya Miller
○ Binki
■ Genre:
■ indie pop, indie rock, funk, and hip-hop styles
■ Songs to listen to:
■ “Clay Pigeon”, “Revolve”, “Landline”, “wiggle”
■ General Description:
■ Reminds me of Pink Pantheress, but if it was darker; it is dance music
with an edgier sound. With visual lyrics, he creates a transformative experience with each song, you feel the exact energy he is trying to bring to the table; with “Wiggle”, the lyrics and music inspire relaxed, lighthearted dancing, whereas with “Revolve” or “Landline”, you can feel a darker presence, of anger or sadness. Especially with “Revolve”, it makes you want to angrily listen and dance along to the aggressive sounds and hurt lyrics. His music at times felt like a less polished Chase Atlantic or Arctic Monkeys. Part of what is great about the music is that familiarity and recognizable influence, all while making something that feels new and not attributable to anyone else.
■ Summary: Good artist to look out for, short but sweet discography and someone you should definitely give a listen to. Good for imagery and dancing, whether it’s moshing or a relaxed party atmosphere.
○ Sate
■ Genre:
■ R&B, Punk, Rock/Alternative, Blues
■ Songs to listen to:
■ “Warrior”, “Famous”, “The Answer”, “What Did I Do”
■ General Description:
■ The album, RedBlack&Blue is a must-listen, with an easy to follow sound story, starting off with her more heavy sounds, like harsh guitar and bass, like Seven Nation Army(White Stripes) in that regard. She is a good artist for modern “classic” rock and soul, as her rich voice fits the upbeat and riot like instruments in the background; She sings in a sultry and husky tone, that holds onto the listener and influences the music heavily- it is what ties everything together in order for it to hit the mark on perfect music to listen to when you want to amp yourself up. But it is not only workout music per say, songs like, “The Answer”, and “Silence” show off the soul part of her sound, almost gospel like. Another note is the captivating lyrics that draws out a good story that you can visualize yourself with each song- due to the power of her voice, it forces you to listen to her story and ideas.
■ Summary: A strong powerhouse artist, in every sense. The music, her lyrics, her voice, her production, all stand out individually, but put all together and considered as a whole, it makes Sate the perfect contender as a new artist to listen to in the rock world. Good for working out, cleaning, and intense moods.
○ Spencer
■ Genre:
■ Alternative/ “Indie”, Bedroom pop, (for me personally) similar to easy listening/study music, Lo Fi is a more accurate term
■ Songs to listen to:
■ “Drop”, “Lonely As I Ever Was”, “MyLuv”, “Want You Back”
■ General Description:
■ He has a very short discography, like most of the artists on this list, but
what he does have, is all very pleasing to the ear. There’s a very chill energy to it. It’s not a demanding style of music, in contrast to earlier artists like Binki or Sate—who can be used as background music but their sound is definitely something you listen to when you do not want to focus on your own point of view. Spencer’s music still has power, but it has more relatability because of the calming production and his soothing voice. “Drop” is a very good representation of his overall sound, something you can just appreciate for the simple yet moving lyrics and sound. Similar to more well known artists like Steve Lacy, Frank Ocean, and Khalid, Spencer has captured a calm storm in his music. The lyrics, again, are simple yet exciting when you really sit and listen, adding to the relatability and calmness generated by his relaxed voice, that shows his range and good control over tone.
■ Summary: Chill listening. It did not stand out for me originally, but if you really allow yourself to tune in, you can see the real beauty of his music. It has a cool summer vibe, like the aforementioned artists. Good to study with. There’s enough to keep you interested but it is not distracting and overpowering.
○ Arlo Parks
■ Genre:
■ Alternative/Indie, Pop, Jazz influences
■ Songs to listen to:
■ “Hope”, “Hurt”, “Portra 400”
■ General Description:
■ Excellent imagery present in the lyrics, followed by smooth flowing melodies, such as are present in “Portra 400”. Her music is very serene and like a dream or an indie romcom montage. Within the album Collapsed In Sunbeams, the lyrics are all versatile and unique to their individual songs, but also stay true to the overall theme. I did not notice as much wide scale storytelling within the album, but in this case this works out in her favor as she creates a different idea with each passing song, while the music works together to create a unified project. Very inspiring ideas are present, which gives comfort to listeners whether they are vaguely paying attention, or listening attentively. It reminds me of a lullaby at times, very soothing and captivating. Similarities are found to older jazz and soul artists like Sade, or to today’s catalog of indie musicians such as Clairo and at times Billie Eilish/Finneas. Despite these similarities in influences and taste, Arlo Parks has made herself a stand alone artist through the unique combination of instruments and lyricism present throughout all of the songs released so far.
■ Summary: Calming, similar studying atmosphere to previous artists. Inspiring and important messages in the lyrics alongside a generally relaxed
instrumental backing.
○ Benjamin Booker
■ Genre:
■ Blues, Folky, Rock, Garage/Punk Rock
■ Songs to listen to:
■ “Violent Shiver”, “By The Evening”, “Motivation”, “Truth is Heavy”
■ General Description:
■ Benjamin Booker has a very nostalgic voice, something straight out of
an old record player. As common within older genres, his music follows a more folk tale format, via the repetitive lyrics and his limited usage of extreme arrangements. However, what is used turns into an experimental sound as he plays around with the guitar and vocals, getting different effects on the guitars and voices, which creates this hypnotic sound similar to the psychedelic genre. One example would be, “Truth Is Heavy”, for a clear understanding of what I mean by this. His music, with all its nostalgia, reminded me of early 2000s/late ‘90s artists like Creed, Sting, Mazzy Star, Radiohead, and Dave Matthews.
■ Summary: Beautiful usage of the limitations of his chosen genre, moving lyrics and an interesting overall sound. His music was quite hard to describe as it fits in the box of the general blues and folk genre, but also sticks out and is hard to fully place. My only recommendation is to just take what I have said so far, and listen as blindly as you can, to fully understand the intrigue surrounding Benjamin Booker’s style.
○ Jany Green
■ Genre:
■ Lo-Fi, Pop, Hip-Hop, and Indie
■ Songs to listen to:
■ “No Promises”, “Runaway”, “Call My Parents”, “Promise You”, “Suffocate”
■ General Description: Jany Green’s Spotify bio literally says that he is
trying to spread some joy, and I think he can safely say he was successful in this venture; with very upbeat sounds and fast rhythms, his music creates a positive atmosphere, even if the lyrics are not very reflective. His music is very fun and freeing, like a happier Steve Lacy/ Khalid, or a lighter Binki and the still-to-be-mentioned Odie; it also reminded me of Charlie Puth a little from the production and general style. Every song I listened to, I ended up humming and bopping along to it to some degree. His style, based on the album Lost in Love, and some singles, is a refreshing mix of modern R&B, Hip-Hop/Rap, and new age pop. It has a recreational feel, so like most of the previously mentioned artists, it will not attack you with aggressive sounds, but is something easy to get along with and love. The lyrics were a surprisingly important factor, as they are both relatable and catchy.
■ Summary: Fun artist that is easy to listen to with catchy and attractive melodies/rhythms. Plus there is a smooth conceptual flow throughout the album. Not as good for studying compared to Issac Dunbar, or Spencer, but like Sate, someone to listen to when you are feeling mood-based music. And, depending on who you are, it could also work as workout music.
○ Isaac Dunbar
■ Genre:
■ Pop
■ Songs to listen to:
■ “Pharmacy”, “Comme de Garcon”, “Bleach”, “Woman On The Hill”, “Kissy Kissy”
■ General Description:
■ A very fluid sound, reminiscent of water in waves. He attempts interesting
experiments with various beats and vocal flows, that charm you in each song no matter the individual style. Moreover, individual albums like, Isaac’s Insects, and Balloons Don’t Float Here, share a strange cohesiveness despite clear structural differences in each song present. He has a familiar presence that may remind you of Conan Gray or Troye Sivan, yet manages a strangely unique usage of familiar styles and recognizable vocal similarities throughout all of his material. Like some aforementioned artists, he has an aesthetic that is hard to place, so don’t go into his music hoping to hear these influences. I would actually recommend just letting his music speak for itself after this description.
■ Summary: Good for chilling or laying around, or for casual dancing/parties, and studying. Not peaceful like earlier artists, but still comforting and fun to listen to. An experimental artist, which works heavily in his favor. Change is present in all the music released. Nothing feels exactly the same, but his recordings each possess a certain distinction that just makes you know it’s Isaac Dunbar.
○ Morgan Reese
■ Genre:
■ Indie, Sunshine/Soft pop, Folk- Pop, Pop
■ Songs to listen to:
■ “Invisible Girl”, “Joe, “Honey”, “I’m Not Cool Anymore”, “Dating Montage”
■ General Description:
■ I would listen if I were studying or just relaxing, or going through a
romantic struggle of some sort; her music really fits a lot of scenarios, but in terms of theme, there isn’t much deviation from the “teen lifestyle”, for lack of a better description. Her music has a more story-like concept than other artists with such captivating and visual music. One example of this would be “Dating Montage”, which is described as her own movie scene, or her life as a romcom, and it perfectly captures that implied sense of playful romance and lost reality. It also reminded me of Mxmtoon, or Frances Forever, but do not let yourself get too stuck on why it is familiar, and just listen to the enjoyable earworms that, like with Jany Green, just spread some joy. “Joe” is good to listen to for a more experimental turn of style, and “Honey” showcases her beautiful tone and voice really nicely. With a great understanding of combined influences and amazing imagery throughout her lyrics, she is certainly someone to look out for, even if you are not originally a fan of her style in general.
■ Summary: Although her general style was not something I am particularly fond of, or used to, I still found myself thoroughly enjoying what was presented to me on her album Letters From An Invisible Girl, whose mix of indie/feel-good pop (that we see popular today online and on radio), and of classic funk with new production tricks, was a perfect introduction to an artist I hope we see more of in the future. Her music is particularly good for a specific audience in certain songs, but is still good for anyone to listen to, especially if trying to broaden their horizons.
Odie
■ Genre:
■ R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, Alternative, Afro-Beats
■ Songs to listen to:
■ “North Face”, “Slowly”, “Bliss City”, “Faith”, Little Lies”
■ General Description:
■ This mashup style was really captivating to me, and familiar in the sense that it was like new versions of artists I already listen to, like Joji, or Brockhampton, both of which are a bit more experimental with their rap & indie mix. They also share a unique sense of sound, as Odie layers afro-beat style arrangements under a low voice and then adds random sound effects here and there. This creates an elaborate symphony for the ears, and I like the feel it evokes in the general headspace. His lyrics also really stood out to me, because they were all leaning towards a darker side, but still felt light and easy. One specific song really showed his vulnerability though, and that would be “Little Lies”, because it does not try to mask the upset in the music, but fully embraces it and plays around with what can be done with that emotion.
■ Summary: Hard to fully describe because it is such a unique audio experience, but I highly recommend to not only listen, but listen with headphones first, to catch all the little details that make up the beauty of Odie’s music. Good for when you just really want to sit with your thoughts, and kind of escape because of a moving and demanding musical style. Even if just listening to it playing in the background without full attention, the strangeness fully captures your attention and stays with you.
● Links:
○ Articles to Read, featuring more artists of more specific genres
■ Indie: https://www.buzzfeed.com/andiwynter/black-indie-artists
■ https://www.binnews.com/content/2021-06-10-these-black-indie-artists-ar
e-shaking-up-the-music-world/
■ https://www.tuko.co.ke/307708-10-black-indie-artists.html
■ Alternative/Rock:
https://www.altpress.com/features/black-alternative-artists-deserving-more
-attention/
■ https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/10-black-alternative-artists-and-bands-
that-should-be-on-your-radar/
■
● (ps, the artists included here were all mentioned in at least one of these
articles)