A Quick Word from the Author:
I made a joke to a friend the other day that the Indie Sabbath is a bit like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart—as in we both go on random hiatuses for extended periods of time, only to return for a bit and joke about our absence. It’s a recurring pattern that I hate as much as the rest of you, but school, jobs, and my major work with Earmilk often gets in the way. Luckily however, summer is coming up (it feels like it’s already here) and with summer comes little responsibilities which means more Sabbaths. Hoorah and such.
In other news, I’ve got one intern under me (helping with mostly non-related, more major articles, such as an upcoming feature with Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros), and I’m looking for two more. If you’re a journalism major who has a particular love for music, email me. I’ll interview you for a spot.
This is a return after a long hiatus, and as such, this list is a conglomerate of the past month or so. I’ve also wrestled with including non-free tracks for a long time, and decided I can’t really just ignore those anymore. So now you get your regular dose of free kibbles with a side of… well. Non-free kibbles. If you have issues with this, or think there may be a better way to go about this, leave your thoughts in the comments.
– Ronnie Evans
The Bees Knees
Your life will be much easier now.
These are the creamiest tracks of the week, one each from the three sections. These are here for those who only wish to sip. Yes, I’m looking at you, with your impenetrable ADHD and fascination with with Country Time Lemonade products. You and your inability to listen to more than just a few tracks because you have 1 new Facebook Notification and a Twitter Message.
This is for you, you beautiful, busy bastard.
The Pasture: Serren – “Control Me (ft. American Folly)”
The Tryptophan: Cosmos Midnight – “Phantasm feat. Nicole Millar”
The Chicken Dance: Flume – “Left Alon feat. Chet Faker (Ta-Ku Remix)”
The Indie Gift Basket
Overview
- The Pasture covers the basics, from Folk to Rock to Pop, and will now serve as the hub for the tracks perfect for any occasion.
- The Chicken Dance is a hodge podge of tracks that you could be excused for doing the, err… Chicken Dance to. Although these aren’t simply Dance tracks, they’re all good to whip your hair around to.
- Lastly, The Tryptophan is built for those relaxed moments, where you’re winding down with the aid of something herbal — or even for a time where you might just want some background atmospherics to doze off to.
The Pasture
The Pasture is your home for the best of Indie for every occasion. Whether you’re stuck in an elevator and need to sooth your companions, or in an argument with the ex and need to calm them down– these tracks are your answer. Highlights on the fresh dairy from Serren, Ginger & The Ghost, Wake Owl, and Rooftop Runners.
The Tryptophan
Relax. Take a deep breath, press play and shut your eyes– these tracks will take you somewhere. Herbal stimulation recommended. Highlights on the dank dairy from Phoria, Cosmos Midnight, and Wintercoats.
The Chicken Dance
If you’re like me, your dancing skills are at best similar to an epileptic seizure– and that’s on a good night. As a result of our less than impressive abilities, we often simply revert to the stupid moves that anyone can do, comforted with the knowledge that while we may look a bit odd, we won’t look like a total jackass. My personal favorite is the Chicken Dance, something that I found myself doing to each of these tracks. Highlights on the fresh dairy from Flume, The Knocks, and Goldroom.
WANT MORE INDIE SABBATH?
There’s plenty more where this came from. Click the link above to check out the rest, and stay tuned in for more of the best in Indie as well as everything else, right here on EARMILK.
Upon this day, I declare that Indie music is leaps and bounds more pure than anything else, and the term “Indie” means not that a band isn’t mainstream, but that a band has been able to hold on to its roots, even through fame and fortune. While the wonderful thumps and womps of other genres get me grooving, it will always be the sui generis of Indie that guides me to the homeland. And for that — I both thank it and applaud it — for it has brought me great pleasure in the past and will so in the future.