Summer Indie Vibes 2023: Refreshing Music to Beat the Heat

“Pyjamas” by Benny Sings (feat. Remi Wolf)

Benny Sings is known for his blend of pop, soul, and R&B music. Like most, he explores themes of love, relationships, and personal experiences; like himself, he treats these topics in his own quirky unique way. However, “Pyjamas” is a bossa nova-inspired song featuring Remi Wolf, who also directed the video. You feel the summer vibes from the very beginning of the song:

We can take a walk on Cobana Beach

Read a book or two ’bout the birds in Cali

We could see a movie ’bout São Paulo

Have you seen the new documentary?

Part of his eighth album, Young Hearts, this song portrays a completely different type of male. In his own words, “I’m always looking for the anti-hero”, and this is a perfect example as the song talks about a male with too low libido. Well, that’s new.

“sunburn” by almost monday

almost Monday brings on the summer heat (literally) with “sunburn”, an indie pop approach to the type of passion that turns into pain. So, basically, like all types. The lyrics explore the mixed emotions of desire and longing, finally reaching the conclusion that ‘hey, this actually sucks and it’s harming me’. As soon as it starts, you can taste the bitter:

The days we spent were temporary

But you’ll always be that sunburn on me

An ice cold shower can’t help, baby

‘Cause you’ll always be that sunburn on me (yeah, yeah, yeah)

If you find that this summer might be that time of the year again for you, then you’ll probably relate to this bittersweet intensity called love and its consequences.

“11 PM” by Sandra Iris

“Interstate name calling” by Miranda Fling

Back in 2020 in a SALT Magazine interview Miranda Fling claimed she was planning “on releasing [her] first EP no later than January 2021!” Well, not only has she been non-stop since then, but she’s also performed live and continues to self-produce her work which is increasingly being recognized as a unique and fresh sound. Despite the lyrics, this new single explores the theme of love in a way that will make you want to grab your bike and ride off into the sunset:

I cried upstairs at the party and everyone saw it

I was so mad so I spit out a thank you for calling

Like scraping my knees at the lighthouse I’m sorry for falling

But it was inevitable and I couldn’t have caught it

I couldn’t have caught it

Well, it could be that a bit of “Vitamin Sea” makes everything better but as hard as love can be sometimes, it won’t bum us out!

“Cleopatra” by LEFT., YANAGUI, Extrazen, AVALANCHE

If you put LEFT., YANAGUI, Extrazen, and AVALANCHE in the same room. What do you get? Well, about 1,353,877 plays on Spotify (and counting):

You makin’ my mind play games

I might stay late

Tonight I’ll make you

My Cleopatra

My Cleopatra

Both LEFT. and Extrazen put the genius twist with lyrics that’ll make you sympathize with any loved-up fool. Yet again, if you’re aware of what Cleopatra represents (powerful, intelligent, “friendly”, etc.) you realize that she only would drive you as crazy as you allowed her to.

We hope you have these summer indie vibes on for the remainder of 2023! Well, that is until Fall. But that’s another story.