The onslaught of quality indie and alternative pop releases (which encompasses a lot) this year was head-spinning in a good way, and it brightened our days and blessed our ears.
So after a deep dive among the masses, here is what I came away with for my Top Ten Indie & Alternative Pop Albums of 2023 from burgeoning artists who left an indelible mark on the scene this year.
- The Aces – I’ve Loved You for So Long
Since The Aces released their sophomore album, Under My Influence, in 2020, the band has undergone a profound journey of self-discovery. This transformative period has given birth to I’ve Loved You For So Long, the band’s third and newest LP. Written and produced entirely by the group, with Keith Varon as the sole collaborator, the album stands as their most intimate and self-assured release to date. The album unfolds as a sparkling collection of tracks that touch on various facets of the human experience. From contemplative pieces addressing mental health and self-sabotage to soaring anthems that explore themes of love, longing, and heartbreak, the album establishes itself as a compelling journey that effortlessly weaves its way into your mind and heart.
- Girl Ray – Prestige
Girl Ray, a trio comprised of Poppy Hankin, Iris McConnell and Sophie Moss, uses their new album Prestige to reclaim disco music, restoring it to its roots as a celebration of sexuality and outsider culture. Drawing inspiration from the television drama Pose, which vividly portrays New York City’s queer ballroom scene in the 80s, Prestige transports listeners to a fantasy clubland—a realm of dancing the night away and falling in love. The overarching narrative of Prestige revolves around the multifaceted theme of love: the joy and fear of falling into it, the pangs of loneliness and yearning for it, and the nuanced tensions between the reality of love and the idealized fantasies that surround it.
- Arlo Parks – My Soft Machine
In Arlo Parks’ world, words hold the same significance as photographs. Rich and expressive vignettes punctuate the lyrical poetry of her introspective indie pop tunes. Drawing inspiration from a diverse array of artists, ranging from Radiohead to Portishead, and from Sufjan Stevens to Solange, Parks crafts a lush and contemplative musical landscape. My Soft Machine is headier and more dynamic than her Mercury Prize-winning debut, documenting the 22-year-old Londoner’s new life in Los Angeles: a freshly minted pop star falling in and out of Escalades with her fellow pop-star girlfriend, Ashnikko.
- Lael Neale – Star Eater’s Delight
Lael Neale still has a flip phone, and there were no screens involved in the making of her new record, Star Eaters Delight. In April 2020, amidst personal and global changes, Neale made a significant move from Los Angeles back to her family’s rural Virginia farm. Gaining a fresh perspective on the world from a distance and attuning herself to her own natural rhythms, she embarked on a steady two-year journey of writing and recording. Fueled by a compelling need to bring order to chaos, Star Eaters Delight emerged from this period of isolation as a testament to Neale’s commitment to returning not only to civilization but to a celebration of life.Â
- Molly Burch – Daydreamer
The idea for Daydreamer occurred to Molly Burch during the midst of the pandemic when touring was unsafe and she felt stifled. The realization of the unsustainability of being an artist in those circumstances dawned upon her, compounded by the loneliness stemming from the inability to tour for her previous album, Romantic Images. Daydreamer delves into the most personal corners of Burch’s experiences, becoming her most intimate album to date. While she acknowledges that she has described each of her albums as her most personal, this one, in particular, emerges as a profound conversation between her younger self and the person she has become as an adult.
- Ben Howard – Is It?
After singer-songwriter Ben Howard suffered from two TIAs (Transient Ischemic Attacks), commonly known as mini-strokes, he reflected on this unforeseen and perplexing period, by channeling these moments of seismic shift into his latest album, Is It?, which exudes lush and musically fractured landscapes. Throughout the record, Howard grapples with the absurdity of the experience, contemplating the fragility of existence triggered by a minuscule clot and the subsequent loss of all faculties, a contemplation that deeply influenced the writing and composition of the album.
- King Tuff – Smalltown Stardust
Kyle Thomas, the creative force behind King Tuff, is known for crafting albums that serve as a testament to his knowledge of glamorous, glitzy rock & roll. After getting tired of his party animal persona, he embarked on a transformative journey with his 2023 album, Smalltown Stardust, that involved a deliberate scaling back of the noise, characterized by its almost guitar-less arrangements, venturing into the realm of nostalgic indie pop, marking a significant departure from the earlier glitz and glam of King Tuff’s music.
- H. Hawkline – Milk for Flowers
Huw Evans, who goes by the pseudonym H. Hawkline, is a multi-talented artist who blends melodic and subtly surreal pop music that seamlessly navigates the realms between post-punk and psych-pop. 2023’s Milk for Flowers marked a transformative shift from his earlier music where guitars made way for pianos, and the songsmith placed his lyrics at the forefront. In Milk for Flowers, this evolution stripped away the artistic curtain, allowing a more direct and intimate connection with the listener, making the music more vulnerable.
- Grian Chatten – Chaos For The Fly
Chaos For The Fly marked the debut solo album for Grian Chatten, the vocalist of Dublin’s critically acclaimed band Fontaines D.C. Co-produced by the band’s longstanding collaborator Dan Carey, the album showcased Chatten’s artistry in a vivid and expressive light. Across its nine tracks, Chaos For The Fly weaves a tapestry of colors and textures, breathing life into Chatten’s lucid narratives. It transports listeners to a realm that beckons exploration and promises, an experience destined to be revisited time and time again.
- The Clientele – I Am Not There Anymore
I Am Not There Anymore follows The Clientele’s release of 2017’s Music for the Age of Miracles, which marked the UK-based band’s return after a seven-year hiatus. Vocalist, lyricist, and guitarist Alasdair MacLean notes the band’s enduring curiosity about non-guitar music genres, stating, “We’d always been interested in music other than guitar music, like for donkey’s years.” In this project, MacLean, alongside bassist James Hornsey and drummer Mark Keen, ventured into uncharted territories by infusing elements of post-bop jazz, contemporary classical, and electronic music into their sound. MacLean reflects, “None of those things had been able to find their way into our sound other than in the most passing way, in the faintest imprint.”
Featured photo: The Clientele
