Soy Christmas
This duo out of Saint James [NY] does a lot with a little. Combining vibrant vocals with bedroom electro pop, Soy Christmas creates an effervescent indie sound that I’m all about. “Oh No” comes wrapped in the approachability of a thrift-store sweater: warm, a little nerdy, and perfect for those #NormCore Millennials. Score that digi-download of “Oh No” here, but you can take it for a spin first below. I also suggest delving Soy Christmas’ 2016 dual-single, Get Upset, if you have the interest and the drive.
AIHVHIA
This track was described to me as a “call-to-action moodscape”. That sounds absolutely awful, right?? It wasn’t. In fact, AIHVHIA has a lot of elements that would usually annoy me: an orchestral indie-folk sound (which is a bit played out right now) and an unpronounceable name. Nevertheless, “Don’t Look Back” hooked me. AIHVHIA breathes life into this new song and it resonates with energy. Sure, it’s a little hippie, but it’s really good. This track comes to us from the band’s 2017 LP, Planet. Give “Don’t Look Back” by AIHVHIA a listen or head here for the complete LP.
Roxiny
Roxiny is both a singer/songwriter and women’s rights activist who “frequently leads music workshops for GEMS, an organization that rescues girls from domestic sex trafficking.” But, for this article, we’re focusing on Roxiny’s musical endeavors. After getting her first major break as a backup singer for Sleigh Bells in 2013, Roxiny went on to collaborate with other artists, but now she’s ready for her solo debut. Her first solo single, “9 Months”, takes some of the grit and angst of post-punk and mixes in some indie pop to keep things lively. The topic of the song’s narrative deals with the oppressive force of toxic relationships. Check out “9 Months” by Roxiny below or head here for that digi-download of the single!
Julia Piker
Once a distinctive vocalist hits big (i.e. Fiona Apple, Lana del Rey, et al.), you can guarantee that music writers like me are going to get hit with knockoffs for the next two decades. True story. What all you sassy singer-songwriters need to realize is that music journalists are never looking for a re-hashing of what’s already been done. Julia Piker gets that. She draws from the fierce femmes that came before her (like PJ Harvey and the aforementioned Apple), but she puts her own spin on it. “Bullet” might be my new #GrrrlRawk anthem. Give “Bullet” a spin or head here for the complete (new) EP from Julia Piker.
Dylan Rockoff
Straight talk: if you think there’s no place for the sultry stylings of indie pop singer-songwriters like Dylan Rockoff (or John Mayer or Jason Mraz, etc.), then you probably aged out of the demographic. You’re old. Or maybe you’re just a stick in the mud. “Come Over” is fucking catchy and I can definitely see it getting some pre-teen emotionally entangled in Rockoff’s sexy single, in addition to some guilty listeners of consenting age too. Preview “Come Over” by Dylan Rockoff below or head here to score a copy of the single for your personal playlists.
