Happy Friday, indie music lovers! We're making a grand entrance into 2024, like the cool kids we are. Brace yourselves for our first lineup of the year – and guess what? The girls are in charge this week! Yep, we're all about that equality, folks. Now, go ahead, sprinkle these tunes into your Spotify playlists, and shower these artists with love on every platform. Trust us, they'll appreciate it more than your cat appreciates a fresh box. Find all the links conveniently placed in the article – because we're fancy like that!

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Rebecca Hurn - Turbulence

Three years. Yes, three years we've been waiting for this. And we know you, dear readers, have been eagerly anticipating a new song from Rebecca Hurn, whom we fell in love with back in 2021 when she presented us with her song "Panic", the catchy chorus of which is now echoing in our heads just by reading the title. Yes we know it thanks to your numerous DMs asking "when does she return?"

Three years of the fiery redhead from South Wales, making a mark in NYC, working in the shadows on her debut album "Brace For Impact" and here's finally a first sneak peek: "Turbulence".

It encapsulates everything that makes us instantly love Rebecca Hurn: a highly immersive writing style, full of brilliant metaphors that immediately paint a great picture in our minds. Juggling the art of metaphor, Rebecca compares the challenges one might face in a relationship with a turbulent plane journey, as she explains:

"Experiencing turbulence during a relationship, mental health, or even an uneasy flight - these lyrics all intertwine together to describe perfectly how it feels to feel out of control."

Once again, as in "Panic", the magic happens right from the start, thanks to that unique vocal signature that truly stands out from the daily noise, and that raw sensitivity that makes it feel like we're listening to a close friend singing, even if we've never met this person in real life. Can't wait to hear the album!

Reach out to Rebecca Hurn

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Willowspeak - Out They Flow

Willowspeak is making waves from the sunny shores of Los Angeles, California, and is the freshest face in the IMC lineup. In his latest single "Out They Flow", he takes you on a lyrical adventure through the changing seasons, and guess what? It's out today. Yes, it's February, already! Time flies like it's got a private jet, and it can be a bit scary. But no worries, because this song might just be the ideal sidekick to navigate through all those swift changes.

The production is packed with details that you'll only catch with a decent pair of headphones. We say it too often on IMC: good music isn't meant to be enjoyed on some sad smartphone speaker. Artists deserve better because they've spent time crafting all those little nuances that matter in the final mix.

"Out They Flow" wraps around you like a fluffy cloud, slowing down the chaotic race of this world that spins too fast. It's like a comforting hug we all need right now. Warm vocals and a sweet, pleasing melody - that's all it took to captivate and enchant us. Listen on repeat all weekend and beyond, if you fancy.

Reach out to Willowspeak

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Faith Zapata - wallet picture song

At IMC, we're always blown away by the new generation of independent musicians. Some of them are so brilliant and inventive! Take Faith Zapata, for instance.

The song you're about to dive into has two sides: the first part is the perfect love declaration – "And I’m the first thing that he sees when he wakes up / And I don’t care how much of my time he takes up". Yes, we said perfect, because reaching such an immersive level of writing at just 22 is quite mind-blowing!

The second part of the song shatters all the innocence found in the first: written this time after the breakup, the second half is much more cutting but equally brilliantly written – "He watched me play the game for us while he warmed the benches / And there’s nothing I am better at than getting my revenge".

Many clever parallels cleverly sprinkled throughout the song give it an almost symmetrical aspect, the imperfect mirror of a relationship that was far from ideal. Thus, "I'm captivated" becomes "I'm devastated", and "I’d never felt real love before ‘til I met you" transforms into "I’d never grieved the way I did when I left you".

As you've gathered, Faith Zapata masters the art of songwriting like no one else, with her unique style, and enchants us with an almost bare vocal performance that manages to convey maximum emotions in a minimalist production. A true artistic masterpiece elegantly dressed in delicate strings and an acoustic guitar that almost fears disturbing this perfect symbiosis of conflicting emotions. Pure genius!

Reach out to Faith Zapata

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Also out today

Finally, let's do a shout-out to artists from the IMC Family! Thomas LaVine is back today with a new single "Make My Soul A River". Luke Beling as well, with "Let Tomorrow Come"! And last but not least, The Satellite Station teamed up with the amazing Clouds And Thorns for a stunning collab, "Gold".

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That's all for today! Stay tuned for new song discoveries in the next episode!