These LITM Rock Picks range from distorted electric guitar to Americana acoustics – featuring vtchk, Zak Coghlan, James White & The Wild Fire, and more!
1. vtchk – Control
Opening vtchk’s latest album, A Room, is Control – a track that’s heavy on the guitar, heavy on the distortion, and heavy on making sure you feel its impact with full force. The song is produced to leave you disoriented: at the heart of it all, it’s quite minimal, but by using a sound that’s fuzzy, almost gnarly, it surrounds you, pushing you around before you realise what’s happening. It pulls you in with its hypnotic quality, and throughout its runtime, it becomes clear that vtchk prioritises creating mood over sounding simple for the sake of accessibility – and this works wonders to create a track you won’t be able to stop looping.
2. Zak Coghlan – Lead Balloon
“Our youth, it came and went so soon / Now I’m standing at your door with a lead balloon / Did you ever see it from my point of view?”
These lines, over restless, almost impulsive guitar and drum layers, open Zak Coghlan’s latest single, Lead Balloon. Going through the ups and downs of youth – from emotional growth to the intensity of loving someone in a memory – the song tackles heavy feelings with a bittersweet balance between regretting what happened in the past, and being glad it happened anyway. Towards the middle, the song comes alive with a jangle of guitars that perfectly capture this whirlwind of emotions – check it out here!
3. James White & The Wild Fire – Bonfire
Placed in the midst of a sound that’s at once folk, country, and Americana, James White & The Wild Fire’s Bonfire is built completely on acoustic instrumentals that give the song a certain natural feeling – like you’re part of a bonfire music circle, singing in chorus with everyone else. It leans into an emotionally-charged, almost anthemic sound that feels like the calm before the storm. The reason Bonfire works so well is restraint. Despite themes of “a bonfire coming” and burning “to the ground”, as the band sings, it never overwhelms you; instead, it allows you to sit in that charged atmosphere, bracing for what’s next. Listen here!
4. Guest Directors – Meet You on the Land
Guest Directors’ latest album, Before You Get Broken, opens with Meet You on the Land – intriguing, captivating, and confident. Brimming with distorted electric guitars juxtaposed with stunningly clear vocals, the song feels like it’s coming to you from a fantastical corner of your mind; weaving a tale of moving from ocean to land while subverting traditional themes with lines like “Dreams call me home… And who are you to say you want to settle down / and keep me on the ground, but I can’t stay,” the song’s sense of identity is as strong as the character it portrays. Give Meet You on the Land a listen here!
5. Blueprint Tokyo – Orange Tiger
Orange Tiger is urgent, restless, and delivers a sound that’s a clever fusion of all the elements that make indie rock recognisable for what it is, and all the influences that have made indie rock evolve into the myriad different sounds that it is today. The track has a solemn, almost ominous feel to it, while still retaining a light and airy sound; the two come together to create something that feels like it’s on the verge of unravelling. Blueprint Tokyo’s energy is a constant ebbing and flowing presence that keeps the track engaging, and you on the edge of your seat. Listen here!
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