I suppose you know you’ve made it when Microsoft Word’s spellcheck auto-corrects your name to include the accent on the “e.” Congratulations, Beyoncé—you’ve done it, but I’m sure you didn’t need me to tell you that.
Queen Bey tends to keep things quiet. We were all recently surprised by her new song with Naughty Boy, but generally, she takes the term “radio silence” very seriously. So, when “7/11” simply isn’t cutting it for the umpteenth time today, what do you do? Listen to Solange?
Similar, but not quite.
Broaden your musical horizons with me today as we go on a trip to discover the world of indie music. Featuring pop sensibilities but with lyrics that read at a college-appropriate reading level, let me introduce you to five new musicians to fill that Beyoncé-sized gap in your heart.
It’s a very big hole, I imagine.
1. Oh Land
Nanna Øland Fabricius took on the name Oh Land when a spinal injury permanently kept her from pursuing a career in dance. While Fabricius was raised in Copenhagen, Denmark, as a teenager, she studied with the Royal Swedish Ballet. Her parents sang opera and her father composed classical music, but her musical approach is far different from her parents. Drawing heavy inspiration from the dance-pop genre, Oh Land produces music which is equally sassy and danceable.
Oh Land’s voice is melodic and sweet and packs a massive punch. While you’re throwing your head to the short, choppy beats she provides, you’ll be swaying gracefully to her lyrical voice. She relies heavily not only on the synthesizer, but her own voice as well. It’s not only the synth that repeats rhythms and melodies, but also her layered voice that runs through her tracks.
Essential Tracks: “Sun Of A Gun” and “White Nights.”
2. HAIM
HAIM is a trio of sisters who used their own last name as their band’s name. I suppose they stressed not about accidentally using the name of a band that already existed.
HAIM formed in 2006 after spending their childhood in a family cover band named Rockinhaim. The sisters played local venues until the oldest sister, Este Haim, left to study ethnomusicology at UCLA while Danielle Haim toured with Jenny Lewis and with Julian Casablancas of The Strokes. The youngest sister dropped out of college in her freshman year to concentrate on HAIM once her sisters returned to California.
You’ve heard of HAIM. Even if you think you haven’t heard of HAIM, you’ve heard their music on commercials, on the radio, in general passing—I promise you. They feature a sound that is a blend of soft rock (the kind of sound you would hear while grocery shopping—but don’t let that deter you) with soulful, R&B-inspired vocals. There’s something incredibly calming about their music; occasionally you’ll hear a tropical-sounding flourish. In short, you’ll definitely find something you’ll enjoy whilst listening to HAIM.
Essential Tracks: “Forever” and “If I Could Change Your Mind.”
3. MS MR
MS MR is the project of musical duo, Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenow that is based in New York. Following Plapinger and Hershenow’s graduation from Vassar College (aka, they’re a bunch of smarty-pants) in 2010, MS MR released their first EP entitled, Ghost City USA in 2011. They received a lot of attention after releasing another EP titled Candy Bar Creep Show in 2012 due to their single, “Hurricane.” Their debut record, Secondhand Rapture, was released in May 2013.
There’s something incredibly chilling about listening to MS MR. They have a very hollow sound; the resulting echoes are that much more resonating within your ears. While songs like “Think Of You” have a quick, upbeat tempo, it’s immediately contrasted with Plapinger’s cool, strong, yet incredibly delicate, voice. It only emphasizes the fragility of the speaker as well as ultimately exposing the speaker’s dark inner-workings in MS MR’s songs. While you be inclined to shoegaze and sing along with violent fervor to MS MR, you’ll feel some sort of odd-guilt while doing so.
It’s an experience like no other. Listen to them. See them in concert—you won’t regret it.
Essential Tracks: “Think of You” and “Hurricane.”
4. Skylar Spence
Skylar Spence began releasing music in 2012 as Saint Pepsi, primarily deconstructing and sampling other songs in his own creations. He began to pique interest in the music world in 2013 upon the release of his Hit Vibes album. In 2014, he signed to Carpark Records. In 2015, he changed his name from Saint Pepsi in order to avoid trademark litigation with Pepsi Cola.
“But, Caroline!” you begin, “How could a male artist sound anything remotely like Beyoncé!?”
I’m not even going to answer your statement.
Skylar Spence is a nu-disco influenced, R&B-spiced, 80s-dashed conglomerate of pure joy. I make it no secret that I’m horribly in love with everything Skylar Spence produces. Skylar Spence is perfect for getting ready to go out, dancing your heart out with your roommates or even studying. He’s simultaneously mellow while inspiring even the shyest of dancer to hit the floor. Think smooth jazz-style guitar, the occasional sexy violin run and explosions of horn flourishes.
I’ve highlighted the songs in which he doesn’t sing because it they more closely resemble the work of Beyoncé, but I demand that you all listen to his new album, Prom King, which just came out today.
Essential Tracks: “Bounce Is Back” and “Cash Wednesday.”
5. Kimbra
Kimbra Lee Johnson, known mononymously as Kimbra, is a New Zealand-born artist who is now based in Los Angeles. She released her debut album, Vows, in 2011, which received many awards, but she did not receive global-renown until her collaboration with Gotye on his hit, “Somebody That I Used To Know.”
Now I’m sure you remember who Kimbra is.
She’s a bright little bubble of energy. I had the opportunity to see her open up with Foster the People back in 2010 at Central Park and let me tell you: Kimbra is a musical powerhouse. Even when her voice is raspy and intended to be quiet—its strength cannot be denied. It is slinky, sultry and above all: unique. Her songs range from heavy dance-pop tracks to smooth-funk and even R&B, so you have generic options. In the tracks where she looks to the past for musical inspiration, she takes an older style and refreshes it for a contemporary audience.
If you’ve been frustrated in the past by artists whose work all sounds the same, Kimbra is here to free you of your auditory nightmare.
Essential Tracks: “I Look To You” (A Miami Horror track, I understand, but she is the main voice in the piece) and “Warrior.”
You can listen to a playlist of these artists’ essential tracks via Spotify below.
[spotify id=”spotify:user:122980118:playlist:0kVeNxZmvcSdZRtaEyTqxz” width=”300″ height=”380″ /]
[Lead image via]
