This LITM Pop Picks brings you a wide range of indie flavours from West African rhythms and soul to alt pop and rock fusions. Featuring artists- Michelle Sara, Matt Deangelis, Matt Kabalan, UDEiGWE and Easy Thieves.
1. Michelle Sara – Falling
Starting off the list with a free-spirited feel, Michelle Sara’s ‘Falling’ is one of those tracks meant for long journeys or sunset beach parties. The pairing of the vocals' cool, breezy temperature against the summery backdrop of the instrumentation creates a satisfying, holiday-esque feel. With its grounding bass notes, simmering synths, whistles, and vocal chimes, the track paints quite the visual with strong brushstrokes. Paired with lines like “Oh I need to let my body flow, I’m floating”, it’s sure to put you right into that fresh summer vibe. Listen here -
2. Matt Deangelis – Helpless To The Fire
‘Helpless To The Fire’, Matt Deangelis’s latest track, brings a great alternative flavor to that distinct indie palette we’re all familiar with. The track starts with gentle drifts of instrumentation before gaining viscosity and depth, building into a foot-tappingly good melody best suited for a contemplative mood. With a mix of retro and modern instrumentation, the arrangement layers a silky mix over deep grounding bass notes, clean drum beats, synth patterns, and shimmering brass notes, all enveloping into a clear vintage soundscape with unique chord progressions. This is one of those songs that floods your senses and eases every tense muscle.Listen here-
3. Matt Kabalan – The City With No Soul
Matt Kabalan’s latest track ‘The City With No Soul’ feels like a piece meant for slow evening situations, from winding down after work to post-heartbreak care. The track starts off with a smooth layer of synth legato strokes before a smooth duet of piano and vocals takes over, leaving a trail of bright and dark tones. From there, the song graduates with more instrumental textures, blending Kabalan’s uniquely earthy timbre with the diffused bass, drums, and speckled harmonies to create a fluid slow dance of colors from end to end. The production is beautifully minimal, leaving the mix fresh and earthy. Catch it here-
4. UDEiGWE – Lemma I
New York-based artist UDEiGWE has just dropped his latest track ‘Lemma I’ from his album ‘Four Lemmas’. Drawing from the artist’s strong foundations, the arrangement branches from jazz and soul to West African rhythms. This highly experimental setup results in a stunning choreography of riffs that scratches all the right parts of your brain. Along with the spoken-word style lyrics, each instrumental section—including the brass, piano, and bass—leaves a wild entanglement of notes directed by pure rhythmic expertise. Meanwhile, the drum section below ties it all together, leaving you with a satisfying feeling of newly awakened neurons and post-meditation euphoria. Listen here-
5. Easy Thieves – Situations
Coming in strong with their classic 90s alt-rock vibe, Easy Thieves’ latest track, ‘Situations,’ is a powerful addition to your playlists. It’s another breezy track on the list with a crisp mix of instrumentation, balancing deep, sludgy guitar riffs with shiny metallic overtones. In the middle, the arrangement throws the floor open for a crunchy guitar solo where each section perfectly complements the other. The track layers glassy vocals and their adjoining harmonies on top while leaving room overhead for an atmospheric haze to sweep in, easily drifting the listener from start to finish. The song feels best suited for long car rides with your friends or late-night walks.
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