Top 3 Albums: The Mid-Year Indie Review 2024

As the musical landscape continues to evolve, with RnB and rap artists consistently topping the UK charts, alternative music has continued to embed a sonic undercurrent which personifies the British identity. The indie scene acts as the blueprint for taking strides in innovation and raw artist emotion; in the midst of 2024, an array of albums have emerged as refreshing sounds for what critics have described as a stagnant era. Taking fans by storm and bringing attention back to the genre, a diverse range of sounds from politically evoked punk records to rock ballads have shaped a revival for the indie music. I have compiled a top 3 albums of the year so far which I feel should be leading your current playlist:

1) Beholder- The Blinders

So the Blinders dropped a modern underground classic. 'Beholder' encapsulates a deep declaration of impassioned darkness in the lyrics, accompanied with destructively composed backing sounds. The band have certainly evolved their punchy, direct textures of their debut album 'Columbia' which captured durgy basslines and hooky punk verses. Their layered guitar production projects 'Beholder' into manic territories we were yet to see them fully explore, all while retaining that undercurrent of emotive rawness which tailors their discography.

The album wastes no time in setting the pace; the opening track 'Ceremony', imminently followed by 'Breaklights', heads straight for the jugular with up-tempo drum beats, tight riffs and stomping choruses. These songs equally raise heart rates and melt the headphones directly into the ears through Thomas Haywood's indie rasp, reminding fans of the band's unlimited ceiling; now you're hooked.

The listener is then transcended into some of The Blinder's most lyrically impressive work, reminiscent of Morrisey's depiction of macabre cynicism. "Tombstones in her eyes" recurs throughout "While I'm Still Young", overlaying an echoey, delayed guitar effect; it seems the band have mastered a concise morbid aura here.

As we drift from one anthem to the next, we notice the cohesive excellence of sonic placement which elevates 'Beholder' to the apex of 2024 indie; by the time we reach the middle of the album, this becomes noticeable. 'Waterfalls of Venice' begins this intended deceleration as we see a build up of layers until the chorus descends into total hysteria. The tune then fittingly fades out, using a reverse delay effect to bleed seamlessly into the highlight of the album. Revolving around an acoustic guitar base, overdubbed with wet and dreamy guitar licks, 'Nocturnal Skies' is judiciously used to become the focal point of the album, standing alone among the chaos. I seldom listen to a newly released song which leaves me fully emersed and left breath taken by it's beauty.

An unfortunately-timed amicable split was on the cards for the Blinders shortly after dropping a series of political charged anthems, which could be argued to be their most ambitious work to date. If anything, The Blinders embody the struggle of distinctive raw sounds across today's indie market, with pop-funk sounds at the forefront of the movement. Despite the band's resounding ability to convey a sense of realism which should resonate with the public, it seems that investors are hesitant to propel art so pure towards it's rightful summit. Especially after this album, The Blinders deserve their place on the European circuit and there is no doubt that this album will speak for itself upon their anticipated return.

2) Loss of Life- MGMT

Pioneers of modern electronic rock, MGMT, stamp their name into the history books with their 5th Studio album with new label 'Mom+Pop' 15 years after the release of the revolutionary 'Ocular Spectacular'. Upon the back of their return in 2018, 'Little Dark Age' hushed critics as the Connecticut duo experimented with pop-esque synth melodies to place them firmly back amongst the greats of their generation. 'Loss of Life', while clinging onto remnants of the fuzzy cyber-scapes that formed their distinctive sound, boasts an amalgamation of classic MGMT with an acoustic base, evidently drawing from a 70's soft-rock influence. Did we think as a community we would see this crossover? Perhaps. Has it worked? Absolutely.

It's no 'time to pretend' that this album was ever going to be brimmed with belters about the enjoyment of youth as we see a more tender side to this writing aesthetic. Loss of life exists on the verge of a concept piece, commenting on the bittersweet state of the new enlightenment era where societies challenge authority while subconsciously deceiving themselves into the tropes of social media. Group member, VanWyngarden told ABC News that the band aren't on Tiktok despite their success on the platform and summarises that the record "is sort of about being scared of technology".

This notion prevails in the second track 'Mother Nature'; the emphasis on humanities yearning to "write the fairytale for the rest of our lives" in a world so full of opportunity blends with the necessity of rebuilding society and starting again.

This theme runs concurrently through the tracklist. You catch glimpses of satire in lines which refer to "6 dollar coffees" in 'I Wish I Was Joking' or in 'People in the streets' where I drew comparisons to Simon and Garfunkel's observations of the metropolis in 'Homeward Bound'. The scene creates an image of soulless beings listening for "the starting gun [but] when you're living the dream and your ears are bad" which implies society isn't oblivious to challenges around them but technology forces them into constant gratification and complacency which coincides with a lack of boredom. MGMT's dual message is clear.

The focal point of the album is obviously "Bubblegum Dog" due to it's strongly strummed acoustic pattern and snappy melody. That fuzzy synth kicks in during the chorus along side a distorted chord progression which launches the listener into a haven of hope surrounded by a bleak commentary of modernity.

Overall, there is no doubt in my mind 'Loss of Life' will develop as one of MGMT's more critically acclaimed albums, much like 'Kid A' is to Radiohead; we see a disjointed approach to the structure of the album which I firmly trust has been a deliberate personification of the mess of the western world. But one thing is for certain. There must be an end. The title track appears at the very tail end of the album, symbolic in the sense that loss of life is inevitable. If listeners were uncertain about the premise of this record, we can all reach the point of epiphany with this track. We start with scratchy synths, joined by a wider organ scape and a hymn-like melody to push this celestial urge as if we can finish the album and move onto something greater. A fitting ending to a masterpiece, leaving behind a morish food for thought.

3) All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade- The Libertines

Needless to say The Libertines are back after 9 years like they never left, making All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade with a robust formula we have grown to expect and appreciate all the same. With 'on the nose' lyrics and instantly accessible choruses, where all roads lead to Doherty's all English voice, himself and Barat once again display their healthy habit of enabling the floor filling and room shaking nature of the Libertines. Although it may be an uphill struggle to replicate the height of their fame where "up the bracket" and the self titled second album established them as a UK powerhouse, the boys from London have undoubtedly thrown back the years to feed the core fans' long wait for new music.

The rhythmic clapping commences as the hollow body guitar tones arrive when the needle first lays into the groove, reminding us of the tones which coined the band's identity. We start off with lead single "Run Run Run", a statement of new opportunity without their name in shining lights in a midst of hardcore narcotics, and perhaps includes a nod to Pete and Carl's rocky relationship from the turn of the millennium.

The lads then use Gary Powell's capabilities of maintaining a drum beat strong enough to make the walls vibrate as Doherty uses protagonists in "Mustangs" and "I have a friend" in continuity of these sweeping melodies which captivate your average indie enjoyer.

Pete Doherty wears his socialist badge with honour, and although publishing music catered for the masses is the model of all of the Libertines' historic chart placers, there are always gaps for him to use the band as a mouthpiece for humanitarian motives. 'Merry Old England' touches on the refugee crisis to encourage listeners to think about what it takes for an Asylum Seeker to cross the channel before judging about "B&B Vouchers".

Typically, the BPM decreases slightly as 'Night Of The Hunter', situated in the middle of the album. A personal favourite of mine, the tune uses Doherty's trademark technique of administering dulled acoustic strings and clunky strumming before aligning strings with the lead guitar, much like 'Music When the Lights Go Out'.

Although All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade may be a slight anachronism to the current state of British Indie, what it does effectively is bolster The Libertines' catalogue with songs that will undoubtedly enhance their live experience. Their setlists now have some refreshing bangers to inject some life into ticket buyers Saturday nights in the midst of an economic crisis.

Three very different albums, from classic noughties indie vibes to live working class commentaries, we see that the term 'indie' takes a diverse turn and is becoming an entity of multiple sounds. We are looking at a back half-heavy year in relation to upcoming releases, both Fontaines D.C's exciting fourth studio album, and Blossom's take on pop-funk, aims to take the rest of 2024 by storm. I will be reviewing both of these albums upon their release, not to mention all other music in between.

Please feel free to get in contact or leave a comment if you have any musical suggestions or opinions on the albums already mentioned, as I am forever seeking to expand my horizons.

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