If you’re anything like us, you’re probably overwhelmed by the sheer number of albums being released on a weekly basis.
Popdust’s weekly column, Indie Roundup, finds the five best albums coming out each week so that you don’t have to. Every Friday, we’ll tell you what’s worth listening to that might not already be on your radar.
Touché Amoré, Lament
Touché Amoré are well aware that it’s hard to focus on the positives right now, but the Los Angeles post-hardcore group are still have their sights set for the light at the end of the tunnel. While Touché Amoré’s acclaimed 2016 album, Stage Four, served as a tribute to frontman Jeremy Bolm’s late mother, Lament serves as a reflection on personal growth, which Bolm delineates in evidence as mundane as his personal preferences (“I found the patience for jazz”) or as broad as his relationships: “On the anniversaries of the worst kind of days / My phone was mostly silent, one excuse was ‘giving space,'” Bolm howls on “A Forecast.” Lament isn’t blatantly optimistic, instead acting as Touché Amoré’s realistic approach to hope.
For fans of: Title Fight, Pup, and Tigers Jaw.
Lupin, Lupin
Following half a decade of frequent releases and relentless touring as the primary vocalist of indie pop stalwarts Hippo Campus, Jake Luppen has emerged with a solo project that provides deeper insight into his artistic psyche. Under the moniker Lupin, the album expands on the experimentation Hippo Campus explored on their last full-length, Bambi, though the kaleidoscopic melodies of Lupin are veiled in a glossy sheen indebted to ’80s new wave. Embellished with funk and left-field electronica, Lupin is a passion project in the truest sense of the phrase, driven by nothing but Luppen’s own intuition and newfound confidence.
For fans of: Duncan Fellows, Porches, and Dayglow.
Dead Famous People, Harry
Kiwi indie pop outfit Dead Famous People first emerged back in the 1980s, playing a role in a highly influential New Zealand punk subculture known as “Dunedin Sound.” However, despite demonstrating promise early on in their career, Dead Famous People never released a proper album—until today. The band was approached by the U.K. label Fire Records to finally record their first full-length release; Harry, taking its name from Savage’s child, marks the band’s return after nearly three decades. Equipped with soaring melodies, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and the trademark jangle of Dunedin Sound, Dead Famous People are playing a unique role in helping to keep the ’80s underground alive.
For fans of: The Bats, the Clean, and Look Blue Go Purple.
Slow Pulp, Moveys
Though most of the members of Chicago’s Slow Pulp have been playing together since their childhood growing up in Wisconsin, the group has only just now put out their debut album. Moveys is a refreshing blend of swirling shoegaze and rootsy folk, complete with the featherlight vocals of singer Emily Massey. Moveys is a poignant reflection on personal upheaval and learning to adapt when the world seems to be crumbling; Massey wrote much of the album’s material after an excruciating bout of both Lyme disease and Mono, and Slow Pulp had to finish the album in quarantine. Dreamy and meditative, Moveys is a fitting backdrop to navigating a new normal.
For fans of: Alex G, Hovvdy, and beabadoobee.
Future Islands, As Long as You Are
It’s been almost seven years since Future Islands made their network television debut with a soulful performance that swept the indie rockers into a coveted moment of Internet virality. Now on their third album, As Long As You Are, Future Islands are practicing the act of letting go. The 11-track LP is another collection of the band’s heartfelt synthpop, discerned by the immediately-identifiable vocals of Samuel T. Herring. As Long as You Are celebrates coming to terms with self-doubt and burnout and learning to welcome new chapters with open arms.
For fans of: Wild Nothing, Destroyer, and Twin Shadow.
Mary Lattimore, Silver Ladders
As a trained harpist, Mary Lattimore is shaking the status quo of the role classical instruments play in today’s music. The Los Angeles musician has worked alongside rock icons like Kurt Vile of The War on Drugs and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth. Lattimore’s latest release, Silver Ladders, exemplifies her striking proficiency as a soloist. The album was recorded with Neil Halstead of shoegaze icons Slowdive, whose gentle, humming guitar is heard at times in the background. Lattimore’s complex plucking takes the lead, however, making Silver Ladders a stunning work of ambient music, perfect for drowning out the world’s noise.
For fans of: Julia Holter, Julianna Barwick, and Grouper.
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