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FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart #5: 30 January 2020

Diet Cig
Diet Cig's comeback single Night Terrors features at No. 47 on this week's expanded chart. Photo: Emily Dubin

This week’s FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart features essential new music from Tennis, Gengahr, Sorry and many more, plus a brand new number-one single from La Roux.

The fifth installment of our chart and playlist rounds up the hottest 60 singles of the moment, with a record 30 new entries to our countdown from around the world.

La Roux takes this week’s top spot as she continues her pursuit of pop perfection in 2020, ending Tame Impala’s three-week run at the summit of the chart with her sophisticated new single Automatic Driver, the third taken from her upcoming album Supervision.

Between the new entries and the 30 tracks that maintain their place on the chart for another week, there’s something for every fan of alternative, indie and pop music, including dream pop, post-punk revival, jagged indie rock, and driving synth work.

Beyond La Roux, the highest new entry this week comes from Tennis, one of a number of new entries – along with Gengahr, Blossoms and Shopping – gearing up to imminently release their promising new albums.

Blossoms’ new track particularly could be an indie pop grower, with its unusual chorus stabs, and enters the chart at No. 6, just ahead of hotly-tipped Brits Sorry at No. 8.

Cage the Elephant‘s striking collaboration with Iggy Pop and Mitski‘s cinematic contribution to The Turning‘s soundtrack also chart highly, as does the comeback from Little Dragon.

There’s also the usual hoard of new artists to get excited about, of course, and we’ve packed as many as possible into this week’s countdown.

Our tips include Oregon duo Chasing Daze, whose simply adorable debut single Change You is too syrupy-sweet to not love, fellow Americans Cuffed Up, and Fever Ray soundalike KÅRP.

Dutch artist Eefje de Visser becomes the first ever artist to feature on our chart with a song performed entirely in a language other than English, while Germany’s Pabst debut with their Indoor Pets-esque new track Ibuprofen.

And there’s Top 40 entries for Scotland’s The Snuts and Sheffield’s SHEAFS, edging out the likes of The Gallerys and BlackWaters as our pick of this week’s rousing “ladcore” indie releases.

There’s also music from Scandipop-styled newcomer SKIA, Royal Blood-inspired riff monsters False Heads, indie pop darlings Diet Cig and numerous more, all ready to listen to and discover now on the Alternative Singles Chart playlist.

We’ve expanded the chart to 60 songs from this week onwards, reflecting how hard it’s been for us to limit ourselves to 50 spots each week.

There’s also a new “More New Music” section at the foot of the chart, highlighting the songs that didn’t quite make our countdown this week, including super-new tracks that might feature in next week’s Top 60.

Check out the chart to see all of the latest additions, or head straight to our Spotify playlist to listen to all of the new music we’re confident you need to hear!

Oh, and if you’re still not sure exactly how the chart works? Check out our introduction to the hows and whys in this article. ♥♥♥

FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart: 30 January 2020
TWLWARTIST / TITLE
01NELa Roux
United Kingdom
Automatic Driver
Supercolour Records
0201Tame Impala
Australia
Lost in Yesterday
Modular Recordings
03NETennis
United States
How to Forgive
Mutually Detrimental
0402Soccer Mommy
United States
Circle the Drain
Loma Vista Recordings
0508Grouplove
United States
Deleter
Atlantic Records / WEA
06NEBlossoms
United Kingdom
If You Think This Is Real Life
Virgin EMI
0703Grimes
Canada
My Name is Dark
4AD
08NESorry
United Kingdom
More
Domino
0906The Naked and Famous
New Zealand
Bury Us
AWAL Recordings
1010Yumi Zouma
New Zealand
Cool for a Second
Polyvinyl
11NECage the Elephant
United States
Broken Boy (feat. Iggy Pop)
110 Entertainment / RCA Records
1204U.S. Girls
United States
Overtime
4AD
13NEMitski
United States
Cop Car
Dead Oceans / KRO Records
1407Poliça
United States
Sea Without Blue
Memphis Industries
1509Tennis
United States
Need Your Love
Mutually Detrimental
16NEChasing Daze
United States
Change You
Dreams Never Die / Young Forever
1715Gengahr
United Kingdom
Never a Low
Liberator Music
18NELittle Dragon
Sweden
Hold On
Ninja Tune
1905The Big Moon
United Kingdom
Barcelona
Fiction Records
2013Demob Happy
United Kingdom
Mother Machine
SO Recordings / Silva Screen Records
2120Wolf Parade
Canada
Julia Take Your Man Home
Sub Pop Records
2214Sea Girls
United Kingdom
Ready for More
Polydor Records
2312Lauran Hibberd
United Kingdom
Bang Bang Bang
2411La Roux
United Kingdom
Gullible Fool
Supercolour Records
25NECreeper
United Kingdom
Annabelle
Roadrunner Records
26NECuffed Up
United States
French Exit
2719Do Nothing
United Kingdom
LeBron James
Exact Truth
28NEHoneymoan
South Africa
Weirdo
Communion
2922San Mei
Australia
Hard to Face
etcetc
3018Ten Fé
United Kingdom
Heaven Sent Me
Some Kinda Love
3121Wild Nothing
United States
Foyer
Captured Tracks
32NEThe Snuts
United Kingdom
Fatboy Slim
Parlophone Records
3324Pit Pony
United Kingdom
Dutch Courage
34NEEefje de Visser
Netherlands
Oh
Sony Music
3540Fickle Friends
United Kingdom
Pretty Great
Cooking Vinyl
3617CIEL
United Kingdom
The Shore
3730Sløtface
Norway
Tap the Pack
Propeller Recordings
38NESHEAFS
United Kingdom
Total Vanity
3932MGMT
United States
In the Afternoon
40NEGengahr
United Kingdom
Icarus
Liberator Music
41NEShopping
United Kingdom
For Your Pleasure
FatCat Records
4239Paris Youth Foundation
United Kingdom
Home Is Where the Heart Is
Modern Sky Entertainment
43NEPabst
Germany
Ibuprofen
Ketchup Tracks
4425Courting
United Kingdom
Football
4516Delacey
United States
No One's Gonna Ever Love You
HITCO / Delicate Flower
4636Courteeners
United Kingdom
Better Man
Ignition Records
47NEDiet Cig
United States
Night Terrors
Frenchkiss Records
4826Peaness
United Kingdom
Kaizen
4927HANYA
United Kingdom
I'll Do It Tomorrow
Outré Disque
5023Poliça
United States
Steady
Memphis Industries
5131Grimes
Canada
So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth
4AD
52NEPish
Norway
Freedom
Bergen Mafia
53NEPeggy Sue
United Kingdom
In Dreams
5429Hayley Mary
Australia
Like a Woman Should
I OH YOU
5528Talk Show
United Kingdom
Banshee
Council Records
56NEInhaler
Ireland
We Have to Move On
Polydor Records
57NELily Konigsberg
United States
I Said
Wharf Cat Records
58NEKÅRP
Sweden
Left Handed
59NEFalse Heads
United Kingdom
Rabbit Hole
Lovers Music
60NESKIA
United Kingdom
Anyone
Heist or Hit Records
FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart: More New Music
Alex the Astronaut
Australia
I Think You're Great
Nettwerk
APRE
United Kingdom
Your Heart's Like a Jungle
Polydor Records
Austra
Canada
Risk It
Domino
BlackWaters
United Kingdom
Two Time Lover
Jarr'd Up Records
Bonander
Sweden
Martha
Icons Creating Evil Art
Brooke Bentham
United Kingdom
Control
AllPoints
Destroy Boys
United States
Fences
The Gallerys
United Kingdom
You're a Dreamer
The Hanged Man
Sweden
Hasche
Dubious Records
HMLTD
United Kingdom
Blank Slate
Lucky Number
Julia Bardo
United Kingdom
I Wanna Feel Love
Wichita Recordings / [PIAS]
Las Kellies
Argentina
Closer
Fire Records
The Lathums
United Kingdom
Fight On
LAB Records
Lié
Canada
Drowning in Piss
Mint Records
Marsicans
United Kingdom
Can I Stay Here Forever (Pt. II)
Killing Moon Records
St. South
Australia
Does Your Brain Ever Get This Loud?
Nettwerk
TOPS
Canada
I Feel Alive

Found something hot and freshly released? We’d love to know about it as we compile the FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart. After all, your ears are as good as ours, right? Send us a tip with the details, or drop our editor a line at [email protected].

FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart #4: 23 January 2020

CIEL
Brighton's CIEL feature vocals from Dutch-born musician Michelle Hindriks. Photo: Jantina Talsma

Fresh tracks from Poliça, The Naked and Famous and Lauran Hibberd are three of the new additions to this week’s FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart.

The fourth installment of our chart and playlist rounds up the hottest singles of the moment, and as always there’s a blend of familiar names and new tips for the future.

The chart’s still topped by the immense Tame Impala single Lost in Yesterday, at the summit for a third successive week, but there’s some 19 new songs, all released in the last seven days, to also put your ears to.

Between the new entries and the 31 tracks that maintain their place on the countdown, we’re sure there’s something for every fan of alternative, indie and pop music, including dream pop, post-punk revival, folksy singer-songwriters, and driving synth work.

New Zealanders The Naked and Famous are the highest new entry with their infectious new single Bury Us, as the 13-year indietronica veterans continue their career renaissance with another memorable pop single.

There’s also Poliça‘s second new track in a fortnight, the latest from their forthcoming album When We Stay Alive (31 Jan). It’s more of their signature trippy synthpop, and our favourite pre-release track from the new album so far.

Among the new bands you may not be familiar with are our cover stars CIEL, Dutch vocalist Michelle Hindriks’ Brighton-based dream pop trio. Their lush single The Shore is one of our tips of the week.

There’s also a pair of somewhat more raucous bands, north-easterners Pit Pony and sharp Liverpool newcomers Courting, a solo single from The Jezabels lead vocalist Hayley Mary, and another snazzy track from prolific pop-makers Fickle Friends.

Alcopop! Records signings Cheerbleederz and and hotly-tipped Bostonian Squirrel Flower are among the others to debut of the Alternative Singles Chart.

Check out the chart to see all of the latest additions, or head straight to our Spotify playlist to listen to all of the new music we’re confident you need to hear!

Oh, and if you’re still not sure exactly how the chart works? Check out our introduction to the hows and whys in this article. ♥♥♥

FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart: 23 January 2020
TWLWARTIST / TITLE
0101Tame Impala
Australia
Lost in Yesterday
Modular Recordings
0204Soccer Mommy
United States
Circle the Drain
Loma Vista Recordings
0302Grimes
Canada
My Name is Dark
4AD
0403U.S. Girls
United States
Overtime
4AD
0506The Big Moon
United Kingdom
Barcelona
Fiction Records
06NEThe Naked and Famous
New Zealand
Bury Us
AWAL Recordings
07NEPoliça
United States
Sea Without Blue
Memphis Industries
0807Grouplove
United States
Deleter
Atlantic Records / WEA
0910Tennis
United States
Need Your Love
Mutually Detrimental
10NEYumi Zouma
New Zealand
Cool for a Second
Polyvinyl
1105La Roux
United Kingdom
Gullible Fool
Supercolour Records
12NELauran Hibberd
United Kingdom
Bang Bang Bang
1313Demob Happy
United Kingdom
Mother Machine
SO Recordings / Silva Screen Records
1414Sea Girls
United Kingdom
Ready for More
Polydor Records
1519Gengahr
United Kingdom
Never a Low
Liberator Music
1608Delacey
United States
No One's Gonna Ever Love You
HITCO / Delicate Flower
17NECIEL
United Kingdom
The Shore
1811Ten Fé
United Kingdom
Heaven Sent Me
Some Kinda Love
1912Do Nothing
United Kingdom
LeBron James
Exact Truth
2009Wolf Parade
Canada
Julia Take Your Man Home
Sub Pop Records
2120Wild Nothing
United States
Foyer
Captured Tracks
2224San Mei
Australia
Hard to Face
etcetc
2322Poliça
United States
Steady
Memphis Industries
24NEPit Pony
United Kingdom
Dutch Courage
25NECourting
United Kingdom
Football
2625Peaness
United Kingdom
Kaizen
27NEHANYA
United Kingdom
I'll Do It Tomorrow
Outré Disque
2829Talk Show
United Kingdom
Banshee
Council Records
29NEHayley Mary
Australia
Like a Woman Should
I OH YOU
30NESløtface
Norway
Tap the Pack
Propeller Recordings
3115Grimes
Canada
So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth
4AD
3217MGMT
United States
In the Afternoon
33NEWaxahatchee
United States
Fire
Merge Records
3416Gengahr
United Kingdom
Heavenly Maybe
Liberator Music
35NEPrep & Anna of the North
United Kingdom / Norway
Over
Bright Antenna Records
3621Courteeners
United Kingdom
Better Man
Ignition Records
37NESquirrel Flower
United States
Streetlight Blues
Full Time Hobby
3830Artificial Pleasure
United Kingdom
Into the Unknown (Pt. Two)
39NEParis Youth Foundation
United Kingdom
Home Is Where the Heart Is
Modern Sky Entertainment
40NEFickle Friends
United Kingdom
Pretty Great
Cooking Vinyl
4118Yumi Zouma
New Zealand
Right Track / Wrong Man
Polyvinyl
42NECheerbleederz
United Kingdom
Disco
Alcopop! Records
4335Dream Nails
United Kingdom
Text Me Back (Chirpse Degree Burns)
Alcopop! Records
4438Moaning
United States
Ego
Sub Pop Records
4528Bombay Bicycle Club
United Kingdom
I Can Hardly Speak
Mmm...Records
46NEKingswood
Australia
Bittersweet
Dew Process
47NEThe Slow Readers Club
United Kingdom
All I Hear
Modern Sky Entertainment
4823Ladyhawke
New Zealand
Colours in the Dark
Modular Recordings
49NEKluster B
Sweden
Counterpart
Rama Lama Records
5037Cable Ties
Australia
Sandcastles
Merge Records

Found something hot and freshly released? We’d love to know about it as we compile the FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart. After all, your ears are as good as ours, right? Send us a tip with the details, or drop our editor a line at [email protected].

FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart #3: 16 January 2020

Soccer Mommy at The Great Escape 2018. Photo: Katy
Soccer Mommy pictured on Brighton seafront ahead of her set at The Great Escape 2018. Photo: Katy

The FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart features a huge 22 new entries this week as it expands to 50 tracks for the first time.

Just three editions in, we’ve decided that limiting it – and therefore the accompanying new music playlist – to 40 singles is too hard, so we’ve added an extra 10 spots so we can hype even more fresh tracks in the future.

This week’s chart is still topped by Tame Impala’s spectacular new single Lost in Yesterday, but there’s some great new music around as 2020 truly gets started in style.

U.S. Girls, Soccer Mommy and Tennis are among the huge American names dropping new tracks we love, while from the UK there’s a final pre-release single from The Big Moon‘s much-awaited second album.

Demob Happy step up with their finest standalone track to date, Mother Machine, and a long-time favourite of ours, San Mei, releases her first new single of the decade.

Check out the chart to see all of the latest additions, or head straight to our Spotify playlist to listen to all of the new music we’re confident you need to hear!

Oh, and if you’re still not sure exactly what the chart aspect is? Check out our introduction to the hows and whys in this article. ♥♥♥

FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart: 16 January 2020
TWLWARTIST / TITLE
0101Tame Impala
Australia
Lost in Yesterday
Modular Recordings
0207Grimes
Canada
My Name is Dark
4AD
03NEU.S. Girls
United States
Overtime
4AD
04NESoccer Mommy
United States
Circle the Drain
Loma Vista Recordings
0502La Roux
United Kingdom
Gullible Fool
Supercolour Records
06NEThe Big Moon
United Kingdom
Barcelona
Fiction Records
07NEGrouplove
United States
Deleter
Atlantic Records / WEA
0803Delacey
United States
No One's Gonna Ever Love You
HITCO / Delicate Flower
0916Wolf Parade
Canada
Julia Take Your Man Home
Sub Pop Records
10NETennis
United States
Need Your Love
Mutually Detrimental
1105Ten Fé
United Kingdom
Heaven Sent Me
Some Kinda Love
1210Do Nothing
United Kingdom
LeBron James
Exact Truth
13NEDemob Happy
United Kingdom
Mother Machine
SO Recordings / Silva Screen Records
14NESea Girls
United Kingdom
Ready for More
Polydor Records
1506Grimes
Canada
So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth
4AD
1604Gengahr
United Kingdom
Heavenly Maybe
Liberator Music
1708MGMT
United States
In the Afternoon
1818Yumi Zouma
New Zealand
Right Track / Wrong Man
Polyvinyl
19NEGengahr
United Kingdom
Never a Low
Liberator Music
2024Wild Nothing
United States
Foyer
Captured Tracks
2109Courteeners
United Kingdom
Better Man
Ignition Records
22NEPoliça
United States
Steady
Memphis Industries
2312Ladyhawke
New Zealand
Colours in the Dark
Modular Recordings
24NESan Mei
Australia
Hard to Face
etcetc
25NEPeaness
United Kingdom
Kaizen
2619White Lies
United Kingdom
Falling Out Without Me
[PIAS]
2714Joywave
United States
Half Your Age
Cultco Music / Hollywood Records
2828Bombay Bicycle Club
United Kingdom
I Can Hardly Speak
Mmm...Records
29NETalk Show
United Kingdom
Banshee
Council Records
30NEArtificial Pleasure
United Kingdom
Into the Unknown (Pt. Two)
3111Tame Impala
Australia
Posthumous Forgiveness
Modular Recordings
3215Thyla
United Kingdom
December
3320Hockey Dad
Australia
I Missed Out
Farmer & the Owl / BMG
34NELuna Shadows
United States
Millennia
+1 Records / EMPIRE
3527Dream Nails
United Kingdom
Text Me Back (Chirpse Degree Burns)
Alcopop! Records
36NENelson Can
Denmark
I Wanna Be With You
Alcopop! Records
37NECable Ties
Australia
Sandcastles
Merge Records
38NEMoaning
United States
Ego
Sub Pop Records
3913The Big Moon
United Kingdom
Take a Piece
Fiction Records
4034The Mowgli's
United States
Wasting Time
CandyShop Recordings
4125Spacey Jane
Australia
Head Cold
42NEBeach Bunny
United States
Cloud 9
Mom+Pop
4321Allie X
Canada
Regulars
Twin Music
4417Say Lou Lou
Sweden
The Look of Love
Cosmos Music
45NEJekyll
United Kingdom
I Do What I Can
Fierce Panda Records
46NERatboys
United States
I Go Out at Night
Topshelf Records
4726Shopping
United Kingdom
Initiative
FatCat Records
4823Stereo Honey
United Kingdom
My Darkness
LAB Records
49NEOrchards
United Kingdom
Sincerely Overwhelmed
Big Scary Monsters
50NETORRES
United States
Dressing America
Merge Records

Found something hot and freshly released? We’d love to know about it as we compile the FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart. After all, your ears are as good as ours, right? Send us a tip with the details, or drop our editor a line at [email protected].

FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart #2: 9 January 2020

Tame Impala's Kevin Parker
Tame Impala's Kevin Parker. Photo: Neil Krug

Tame Impala’s huge new single Lost in Yesterday is straight in at number-one on this week’s FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart.

The latest track from Tame Impala’s upcoming new album The Slow Rush may well already be one of the singles of the year, and becomes the second chart-topper on our brand-new chart.

Elsewhere our chart – and the accompanying playlist – features new music from Wolf Parade, Joywave, Dream Nails and more, for 12 new entries overall.

What is the FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart?

Launched last week, the FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart is our countdown of today’s best new music, featuring the hottest bands and projects from around the world.

We publish the chart every Thursday, gathering the most essential alternative, indie, pop and rock music in a distinctive Top 40 format.

You can learn more about the FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart, including how we were inspired by the golden age of the UK Indie Chart and the nitty-gritty of how it’s compiled and which artists are eligible, in this article.

This week’s new entries and movers

Despite the January blues, we’ve got no less than 12 new entries in total, from some names you’re sure to already know, and some you might not.

We’ve already told you that Tame Impala is the highest new entry, with a track we’re sure to be listening to for quite some time.

Tame Impala shoves Delacey‘s No One’s Gonna Ever Love You off the top spot: She slips to No. 3, as La Roux retains second spot with Gullible Fool.

The second highest new entry comes from Grimes, in at No. 7 with My Name is Dark, from her new album Miss Anthropocene, due in February but leaked online in November.

North America is freshly represented in the top 20 by Joywave‘s fun new track and Wolf Parade‘s latest single, and at No. 24 by Wild Nothing‘s New Year’s Day release Foyer.

Alcopop! Records signing Dream Nails announced their debut album this week – it’s set for release in April – and debut on the chart at No. 27 with Text Me Back (Chirpse Degree Burns).

Veterans Bombay Bicycle Club are in at No. 28, and newcomers Mush make an impact at No. 31.

A poppy effort from Los Angeles County fivesome The Mowgli’s squeezes in at No. 34, before three lesser-known artists round out the latest Top 40.

Young Wakefield band The Jarrs are at No. 37, raucous Vancouver trio Lié chart at No. 39, and singer-songwriter Sofia Wolfson concludes the listing at No. 40.

The week’s notable climbers are Courteeners, who surge 14 places to No. 9, and Ten Fé, who reach the top five.

You can listen to the full Top 40 each week via our Spotify playlist. Heart the playlist to always have access to the latest, freshest picks, now and forevermore! You can also click on the track titles in the chart below to open individual songs on that platform.

You can check out the full FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart below, and make sure to check back every Thursday for the latest edition! ♥♥♥

FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart: 09 January 2020
TWLWARTIST / TITLE
01NETame Impala
Australia
Lost in Yesterday
Modular Recordings
0202La Roux
United Kingdom
Gullible Fool
Supercolour Records
0301Delacey
United States
No One's Gonna Ever Love You
HITCO / Delicate Flower
0403Gengahr
United Kingdom
Heavenly Maybe
Liberator Music
0510Ten Fé
United Kingdom
Heaven Sent Me
Some Kinda Love
0604Grimes
Canada
So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth
4AD
07NEGrimes
Canada
My Name is Dark
4AD
0808MGMT
United States
In the Afternoon
0923Courteeners
United Kingdom
Better Man
Ignition Records
1012Do Nothing
United Kingdom
LeBron James
Exact Truth
1109Tame Impala
Australia
Posthumous Forgiveness
Modular Recordings
1205Ladyhawke
New Zealand
Colours in the Dark
Modular Recordings
1306The Big Moon
United Kingdom
Take a Piece
Fiction Records
14NEJoywave
United States
Half Your Age
Cultco Music / Hollywood Records
1507Thyla
United Kingdom
December
16NEWolf Parade
Canada
Julia Take Your Man Home
Sub Pop Records
1713Say Lou Lou
Sweden
The Look of Love
Cosmos Music
1816Yumi Zouma
New Zealand
Right Track / Wrong Man
Polyvinyl
1919White Lies
United Kingdom
Falling Out Without Me
[PIAS]
2018Hockey Dad
Australia
I Missed Out
Farmer & the Owl / BMG
2111Allie X
Canada
Regulars
Twin Music
2215Jess Day
Australia
Affection
2321Stereo Honey
United Kingdom
My Darkness
LAB Records
24NEWild Nothing
United States
Foyer
Captured Tracks
2514Spacey Jane
Australia
Head Cold
2622Shopping
United Kingdom
Initiative
FatCat Records
27NEDream Nails
United Kingdom
Text Me Back (Chirpse Degree Burns)
Alcopop! Records
28NEBombay Bicycle Club
United Kingdom
I Can Hardly Speak
Mmm...Records
2930Neon Trees
United States
Used to Like
Thrill Forever
3017Grimes
Canada
4ÆM
4AD
31NEMush
United Kingdom
Revising My Fee
Memphis Industries
3220Beach Bunny
United States
Ms. California
Mom+Pop
3324Honeymoan
South Africa
Still Here
Communion
34NEThe Mowgli's
United States
Wasting Time
CandyShop Recordings
3525Poliça
United States
Forget Me Now
Memphis Industries
3627Kalpa
United Kingdom
Tether
37NEThe Jarrs
United Kingdom
Do Your Magic on Me
3832Coach Party
United Kingdom
Oh Lola
Chess Club
39NELié
Canada
Digging in the Desert
Mint Records
40NESofia Wolfson
United States
Party Favors

Found something hot and freshly released? We’d love to know about it as we compile the FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart. After all, your ears are as good as ours, right? Send us a tip with the details, or drop our editor a line at [email protected].

FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart #1: 2 January 2020

The Big Moon
The Big Moon feature in the first Alternative Singles Chart with Take a Piece. Photo: Pooneh Ghana

The FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart is our brand-new countdown of today’s best new music, featuring the hottest bands and projects from around the world.

We’ll be publishing the chart every Thursday, gathering the most essential alternative, indie, pop and rock music in a distinctive Top 40 format.

The Alternative Singles Chart will not only highlight the most exciting new releases by the artists you need to hear, but also capture the zeitgeist of what’s important in music today, all with the added excitement of a weekly number-one single.

You can learn more about the FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart, including how we were inspired by the golden age of the UK Indie Chart and the nitty-gritty of how it’s compiled and which artists are eligible, in this article.

The first ever FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart

The Alternative Singles Chart launches fresh for 2020, and the very first listing features some of the best music to be released in the final two months of the last decade.

The debut number-one single comes from Los Angeles’ hype pop artist Delacey, whose dark-yet-lush No One’s Gonna Ever Love You wowed us in December.

The latest track to be revealed from La Roux‘s forthcoming third album Supervision takes the No. 2 spot, followed by surely the best single to date from Gengahr.

Other famous names in the first chart include Tame Impala and MGMT, but, in keeping with FEISTY’s mantra as a whole, we’re most excited to tell you about some of the new and emerging artists in the list.

Thyla‘s seasonal single December makes the top-ten at No. 7, and unsigned Australian artist Jess Day‘s impossibly-catchy effort Affection makes waves at No. 15.

Dream pop duo Lorelei, Norwegian indie favourites Strange Hellos and UK newcomers Coach Party are among the others to star in our milestone first chart.

And Do Nothing and Silverbacks reflect the bubbling trend for music inspired by 2000s post-punk revival, the former’s single LeBron James coming in at No. 12.

You can listen to the full Top 40 each week via our Spotify playlist. Heart the playlist to always have access to the latest, freshest picks, now and forevermore! You can also click on the track titles in the chart below to open individual songs on that platform.

You can check out the full first FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart below, and as a final note, happy new year from the FEISTY team! ♥♥♥

FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart: 02 January 2020
TWLWARTIST / TITLE
01NEDelacey
United States
No One's Gonna Ever Love You
HITCO / Delicate Flower
02NELa Roux
United Kingdom
Gullible Fool
Supercolour Records
03NEGengahr
United Kingdom
Heavenly Maybe
Liberator Music
04NEGrimes
Canada
So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth
4AD
05NELadyhawke
New Zealand
Colours in the Dark
Modular Recordings
06NEThe Big Moon
United Kingdom
Take a Piece
Fiction Records
07NEThyla
United Kingdom
December
08NEMGMT
United States
In the Afternoon
09NETame Impala
Australia
Posthumous Forgiveness
Modular Recordings
10NETen Fé
United Kingdom
Heaven Sent Me
Some Kinda Love
11NEAllie X
Canada
Regulars
Twin Music
12NEDo Nothing
United Kingdom
LeBron James
Exact Truth
13NESay Lou Lou
Sweden
The Look of Love
Cosmos Music
14NESpacey Jane
Australia
Head Cold
15NEJess Day
Australia
Affection
16NEYumi Zouma
New Zealand
Right Track / Wrong Man
Polyvinyl
17NEGrimes
Canada
4ÆM
4AD
18NEHockey Dad
Australia
I Missed Out
Farmer & the Owl / BMG
19NEWhite Lies
United Kingdom
Falling Out Without Me
[PIAS]
20NEBeach Bunny
United States
Ms. California
Mom+Pop
21NEStereo Honey
United Kingdom
My Darkness
LAB Records
22NEShopping
United Kingdom
Initiative
FatCat Records
23NECourteeners
United Kingdom
Better Man
Ignition Records
24NEHoneymoan
South Africa
Still Here
Communion
25NEPoliça
United States
Forget Me Now
Memphis Industries
26NELorelei
Australia
Skylight
27NEKalpa
United Kingdom
Tether
28NEThe Naked and Famous
New Zealand
Sunseeker
AWAL Recordings
29NEStrange Hellos
Norway
Prince of Nothingness
Brilliance Records
30NENeon Trees
United States
Used to Like
Thrill Forever
31NENow, Now
United States
Lonely Christmas
Moodring Records
32NECoach Party
United Kingdom
Oh Lola
Chess Club
33NESeasurfer
Germany
Lovers Breakdown
Reptile Music
34NESophie and the Giants
United Kingdom
Runaway
Island Records / Universal
35NELa Roux
United Kingdom
International Woman of Leisure
Supercolour Records
36NESilverbacks
Ireland
Sirens
Nice Swan Records
37NESløtface
Norway
New Year, New Me
Propeller Recordings
38NEThe Mysterines
United Kingdom
Who's Ur Girl?
Pretty Face Recordings
39NESorry
United Kingdom
Rock 'n' Roll Star
Domino
40NECatcall
Australia
One Desire
Instant Touch Recordings

Found something hot and freshly released? We’d love to know about it as we compile the FEISTY Alternative Singles Chart. After all, your ears are as good as ours, right? Send us a tip with the details, or drop our editor a line at [email protected].

Premiere: TOGGI – Dancing Alone

TOGGI
TOGGI is former Shakanaka vocalist Torgeir Hørheim. Photo: Mandler Productions

TOGGI channels the indelible spirit of 1980s post-punk on his debut solo single.

Dancing Alone is a quirky celebration of solitude, featuring guitar tones reminiscent of The Cure’s Disintegration album and French coldwave trio Asylum Party.

The Norwegian’s heavily-accented vocals chirpily tell of, in his own words, “what you can do when you are alone”, and the freedom it gives to have nobody around.

Also self-assuredly telling us the track is a “simple masterpiece”, TOGGI adds: “When no-one can see you, you can do whatever you want.”

TOGGI is short for Torgeir Høgheim. Torgeir was previously one-half of Shakanaka, a lo-fi duo he formed with childhood friend Eirik “Egg” Wergeland, himself now riding solo as EGGE.

Shakanaka released two EPs and a number of singles between 2014 to 2017, not quite managing to release a touted album, but nonetheless achieving a degree of national prominence by playing spots at noted industry events including Bergensfest.

Prior to his time with Shakanaka, TOGGI was the vocalist-guitarist of garage rock quartet Berlingo, releasing a full-length, Denne Dansen, in 2013.

His solo turn marks the beginning of a new chapter, marked so far by some live spots, including a recent support slot for PNKSLM’s Les Big Byrd in Bergen.

Dancing Alone is released on digital platforms tomorrow as part of Brilliance Records’ Diamond Club.

Premiere: Ivo Lima – Picture

Ivo Lima
Ivo Lima releases his debut single as part of Brilliance Records' Diamond Club

Ivo Lima announces his arrival in style on Picture, a brash debut single dominated by a grandiose trumpet hook.

Released tomorrow by Bergen record label Brilliance Records, Norwegian upstart Ivo’s opener tells of a protagonist struggling to accept a break-up through tall choruses and a hefty brass riff.

Reminding of the electropop sound of the late 2000s, and with some undoubted 1980s pop influences thrown in as well, it’s a catchy start for a local live favourite.

Ivo Lima’s debut solo single comes following previous performances with a full band as SIGURD, sold out shows in Bergen, and a dazzling slot at last year’s Vill Vill Vest.

Despite singing in English on Picture, he regularly communicates on his Facebook page in Norwegian, describing his music as “good pop, sweat, tears and ballads”.

Picture is the latest addition to the Norwegian lineage of Brilliance’s singles series Diamond Club, joining over 125 previous releases by artists including Misty Coast, Mia Berg, Tuvaband and Sløtface.

Premiere: Signe – Your Game

Signe Bådagård
Newcomer Signe was raised in a musical family, one of three sisters who are all vocalists. Photo: Matilda Bådagård

If you’re a fan of sleek alternative pop, then the new single from provocative Swedish newcomer Signe is one you really ought to hear.

Your Game is deliciously hypnotic, pulsing along with a galloping drum sequence and atmospheric beats, building carefully to a stirring, emotionally-charged chorus.

Signe’s sublime vocal, breathy and lush, plays out over the slick arrangement on an art pop single that flaunts all of her potential to be Scandinavia’s next underground star.

The passionate single is about “the feeling of losing control”, and is released tomorrow via Brilliance Records’ Diamond Club.

Of the single, Signe says: “Your Game is about a rush. Whether it’s a rush from a drug, or love, or even sex, I think most people can relate to the feeling of losing control in the company of someone you don’t really know.

“Like you’re going through this thing together, but you have no idea if that other person feels the things you are feeling. And when you come back from the experience, it’s like you have a weirdly strong bond, a connection with that person, even if that connection is totally fake.”

A trained jazz vocalist that also plays classical violin, 26-year-old Signe Bådagård was raised in a deeply musical family. Her father played bass guitar professionally, and after a childhood performing in front of audiences, both Signe and her older sisters became vocalists.

Signe’s tranquil first single, Over, was released last year, preceded by a lead feature on Downtown, a track by unsigned musician Johnny Låga.

She’s also previously collaborated with her sister Matilda and Malmö singer-songwriter Jonathan Johansson, and announced an unreleased EP, titled Sigh Suites, in 2017.

Your Game is also the first release of Diamond Club Sweden, the latest international edition of a regular singles showcase that promotes material from exciting new artists.

Brilliance Records launched the Norwegian edition in 2012, releasing 123 singles to date, by artists including Sløtface, Misty Coast, Margrete and Thea Stapnes. A London-based UK version followed last year, introducing Lauran Hibberd and Girl Crush to the world.

The Swedish edition will be launched at a showcase at Stockholm’s Lilla Hotelbaren on 30 January. Signe will headline, with additional supports yet to be announced.

Artist Playlist No. 5: Thyla’s Millie Duthie

Thyla
Millie Duthie's Thyla bandmates are Mitch Duce, Dan Hole and Danny Southwell. Photo: Cole Flynn Quirke

The fifth edition of the Artist Playlist features selections from Millie Duthie, the lead vocalist and guitarist with supreme British newcomers Thyla.

The Brighton foursome are one of our favourite new bands, blending vintage post-punk tones with anthemic dream pop touches, glazed guitars and some sublime, memorable rock melodies across their various singles to date.

Their debut EP – ignoring a 2014 release by an earlier incarnation of the band – is on the way in February, and we’re sure 2019 will be a big breakthrough year for a group we called “shimmering gems” back in March.

Thyla’s beguiling vocals come courtesy of Millie, who initially met the rest of the band at the University of Sussex, and has since made Brighton and its bustling music scene her home.

 
It proved a very important decision for the evolution of her own, personal music taste, as she told us: “Moving to Brighton changed everything for me. I owe my musical development to this place, and the friends I’ve made since being here.”

With the help of her friend and bandmates, she’s went from listening to primarily singer-songwriters in the vein of Tori Amos and Joni Mitchell to the ethereal brilliance of Cocteau Twins, North American alternatives Alvvays and Warpaint and modern British big-hitters Wolf Alice and Foals.

She added: “I try to listen to everything. I think it’s important to have a broad knowledge of what’s out there. That said, my go-to playlists and albums are always full of guitars. It’s difficult for me to narrow it down any further than that!”

Millie’s playlist features some of her all-time favourites, a few current picks from the Brighton scene, and her unashamed “hairbrush and mirror” song – plus her thoughts on and the story behind each of them.

Read on for her picks, or head straight for the music and check out all of the tracks she selected on the Spotify playlist here.


Cocteau Twins
Heaven or Las Vegas

 
Millie says: “This has to be my favourite song of all-time, so it gets the top spot on my playlist. I was late to the party with Cocteau Twins, only really discovering them in recent years. My whole world changed when I heard Elizabeth Fraser’s voice, she’s a constant inspiration to me.”

Taken from: Heaven or Las Vegas, September 1990
Follow Cocteau Twins: Spotify

My Bloody Valentine
You Made Me Realise

 
Millie says: “My Bloody Valentine are one of Thyla’s biggest influences, both in terms of guitar work and male-female vocal interplay.

“Mitch [Duce, Thyla guitarist] showed me the shoegaze documentary Beautiful Noise, and there’s a bit where they talk about MBV live, especially this song’s instrumental section. It’s totally hypnotic and in some cases uncomfortably overwhelming. I really hope I get the chance to see them live!”

Taken from: You Made Me Realise EP, August 1988
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Projector
Full Circle

 
Millie says: “My favourite Brighton band at the moment. We put on a show for The Alternative Escape this year, and these guys made the basement sweat. I’m really excited about their debut EP, which has just been released. Yes Brighton!”

Taken from: How Does it Feel? EP, November 2018
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Warpaint
Love is to Die

 
Millie says: “I first saw Warpaint at The Dome in Brighton. I hadn’t heard much of them beforehand, but my friend made me go with her to see them, because she knew I would love it. I did!

“That gig changed everything for me. I became completely obsessed with Warpaint’s Warpaint. I love all of their albums, but this one did something inside. I owe the way I play and think about guitar to these guys. Love is to Die is my favourite song from the album.”

Taken from: Warpaint, January 2014
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JF Sebastian
Komodo


 
Millie says: “Max [Fletcher, a.k.a. JF Sebastian] and I used to play and write together all the time at college. He played guitar in the early version of Thyla. This is his brand new tune, and it’s wicked. I urge you all to check it out. Alt-pop perfection.”

Taken from: Komodo (single), November 2018
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The Horrors
New Ice Age

 
Millie says: “Mitch also introduced me to The Horrors. Primary Colours was the soundtrack to my life in 2017, I rinsed the album.

“New Ice Age has an untamed desperation to it. ‘The agony and the harm is critical’ is such a great lyric. They’re another band I’m yet to see live, but they’ve just announced a special 10-year anniversary performance of the album in its entirety at the Royal Albert Hall next year, and I’m so there.”

Taken from: Primary Colours, May 2009
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Breathe Panel
On My Way

 
Millie says: “Another awesome Brighton band. We really wanted to catch these guys’ set at Dials Festival, but unfortunately our slots clashed. I remember hearing On My Way when it first came out. It’s one of those songs I wish I’d written myself, what a chorus.”

Taken from: Breathe Panel, July 2018
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Radiohead
Karma Police

 
Millie says: “Thom Yorke is a huge lyrical inspiration. Everything he says on OK Computer strikes a chord with me, and it’s still so relevant now. I wish I saw them headline Glastonbury, the footage of them closing their set with Karma Police brought real tears to my eyes. It’s in my ‘top five greatest songs ever written’ list.”

Taken from: OK Computer, June 1997
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Bloc Party
Helicopter

 
Millie says:Silent Alarm has massively influenced Thyla’s sound. We’re all big fans of the band, and have been since before Thyla was born. I think the shared love for this album can easily be heard in our songs.

“I’d struggle to find a release out there that captures the energy and essence of raw live performance as well as Helicopter does.”

Taken from: Silent Alarm, February 2005
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Macy Gray
I Try

 
Millie says: “This is my hairbrush and mirror song. We used to blast it loud at home and my sisters, mum, and I would give it our best karaoke shot. The key change is just everything!”

Taken from: On How Life Is, July 1999
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Thyla
I Was Biting

 
Millie says: “I could write about the other songs on this playlist for days, but when it comes to my own it’s really difficult. I love all of our releases, but I Was Biting doesn’t just express the way I felt once, it expresses the way I always feel, and so it seems most relevant to this playlist.”

Taken from: I Was Biting (single), March 2018
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Thyla’s debut EP, titled What’s On Your Mind, will be released on 1 February 2019. Their next live date is on Wednesday 28 November at The Shacklewell Arms in London.