Fall Indie Vibes: Get Cozy with Our Seasonal Playlist

Feelings during the fall season can vary from one person to another. Nostalgia might hit as soon as you see the leaves changing color, smell that autumn air, or take on family traditions like apple picking and pumpkin carving.

You may be fueled by the idea of change itself. For some people, a new season means a new beginning and it’s a great opportunity to switch up your routine and wardrobe! What’s undeniable is we all notice a vibe change and we have the playlist just for that.

Fall Indie Vibes 2023

If you’re not at work, here’s the chance to sink into the sofa or bed with some warm tea, coffee, or chocolate (too soon?) and succumb to the fall indie vibes, mellow beats, and melodies that capture the beauty of this season.

“From the Start” by Laufey

Laufey is an Icelandic singer-songwriter and musician that you might have recognized already for her soulful and jazz-inspired music. But it’s not just elements of jazz that you’ll find, there’s also a mix of pop and R&B. This makes her most certainly a unique and peculiar artist to follow.

She gained major recognition for her EP titled Typical of Me (2021), which includes tracks like “Street by Street” which reached number one on the Icelandic Radio Charts. The track included in our fall indie vibes playlist is included in her 2023 album, Bewitched, which has been described as bolder and more intentional than her previous album, Everything I Know About Love (2022).

From the very start – mind the redundancy – she expresses this purity and vulnerability:

Don’t you notice how

I get quiet when there’s no one else around?

Me and you and awkward silence

Don’t you dare look at me that way

I don’t need reminders of how you don’t feel the same

The last verse of this track, “Have to get this off my chest, I’m telling you today,” is exactly what this indie artist is all about. Getting everything off her chest and in the mellowest and chillest way.

“What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish

Well, she doesn’t really need an intro, right? This song is included in the Barbie (2023) movie soundtrack. Unlike the rest of the soundtrack songs, this seems to be the one that best captures the message and essence of the film:

I used to float, now I just fall down

I used to know but I’m not sure now

What I was made for

What was I made for?

If you’ve had the chance to watch the official video, which she directed, you’ll notice how it’s filled with metaphors and analogies of transformation and change.

Many have interpreted this as a reference to her own career and transformation. It could be a farewell to the baggy pants aesthetics and a wink at yellow dresses and ponytails. Either way, we’ll keep listening.

“The Night We Met” by Lord Huron

Try not to become paralyzed with this track. It’s not just part of fall indie vibes, this song is a whole different vibe on its own. American indie folk band Lord Huron became popular after being featured on the soundtrack of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why (2017). If you haven’t watched this show, just a warning, it doesn’t deal with light matters as it’s about a teenage girl who takes her own life.

However, this fall playlist song is about longing for a past romance and resonates with many listeners for its deep and haunting melody:

I had all and then most of you

Some and now none of you

Take me back to the night we met

I don’t know what I’m supposed to do

Haunted by the ghost of you

Oh, take me back to the night we met

We’ve all hoped to go back to the beginning at some point. Whether we hope for the beginning of a relationship that died or a moment we know we’re never getting back, it’s definitely an autumn mood that we can’t easily escape from.

“Season Of The Witch” by Lana del Rey

Another amazing artist who needs no foreplay, so we’ll jump into this witchy Halloween-inspired vibe. This track is included in the motion picture Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019).

There’s certainly something about Lana del Rey, and Billie Eilish (!), that brings out the dark witch (or white?) in us. Lana Del Rey’s music always brings a hint of mysticism, dark romanticism, and clear references to witchcraft or witch-like elements:

You’ve got to pick up every stitch (gonna be)

You’ve got to pick up every stitch (gonna be, gonna be)

You’ve got to pick up every stitch

Oh no, must be the season of the witch

Must be the season of the witch

Must be the season of the witch

When it comes to fall indie vibes in the world of Lana, you have to add some mystery and enchantment. Enjoy.

“Autumn Town Leaves” by Iron & Wine

Nothing captures fall indie vibes better than some autumn town leaves. On this track, we move onto the realm of folk and indie rock music. Soft, melodic, and smooth vocals help convey tender lyrics such as:

In this autumn town where the leaves can fall

On either side of the garden wall

We laugh all night to keep the embers blowing

Some are leaping free from their moving cars

Did you know that Iron & Wine is actually the stage name of American singer-songwriter Sam Beam? He actually came up with the name at a store where he saw the dietary supplement “Beef Iron & Wine”. Artists…right?

His signature acoustic guitar, subtle instrumentation, and warm, intimate vibes are the best way to wrap up this post.