Internation indie artists you should be listening to (Day 1)
There are so many international indie artists that are absolutely killer, and yet most do not get the attention they do.
International indie artists like Austrian rapper Mavi Phoenix, Austrian-Icelandic duo Oehl, Graz, Austria-based band Cryptic Commands, and rap, hip hop, jazz artists Yasmo and die Klangkantine — the first four artists on Leo Sigh’s new International Indie Artists that are Killer playlist.
A playlist that will be updated every day with even more indie artists you really should be listening to.
And, if you are wondering why I chose four Austrian artists for this, first, this is the indie music I have been listening to today and, second, all four of them produce superb songs that should be getting more attention. So, honestly, why not?
Mavi Phoenix
First up is rapper/pop/R&B artist Mavi Phoenix. She is a singer songwriter that is hard to pin down musically, as her work is influenced by so many people. Artists like Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Drake, Queens of the Stone Age that have provided her with ideas she has developed into her current high energy, highly-opinionated mix of rap/pop and R&B.
One of my favorite Mavi Phoenix releases is ‘Romantic Mode‘, which you’ll find both in the video below and in our full International Indie Artists that are Killer playlist at the bottom of the page.
The video version is Mavi Phoenix’s live version of ‘Romantic Mode‘, which she performed at the Amadeus Austrian Music Awards last month. An event where she was also awarded the Radio FM4 Award.
Check out Mavi on her website, and buy her music on Bandcamp.
Oehl
Austrian-Icelandic duo Oehl’s third single ‘‘Über Nacht‘ (or ‘Overnight‘ in English), is one I must have listened to 100 times since I heard it on Austrian alternative radio station FM4 a couple of weeks ago.
Because it begins with this almost aboriginal contemporary didgeridoo feel intro that is just beautiful, followed by a gorgeous slow dance beat, a lovely melody and an addictive chorus.
Listen to the audio video below, or in the full International Indie Artists playlist below, and find out more about this very cool duo on their webpage. You can pick up their singles on Amazon.
Cryptic Commands
Indie rock band and Graz-based Cryptic Commands are brand new to me, but I completely fell in love with their ‘Drowning in Champagne‘ the minute I heard it.
Because it begins with a rocking intro that quickly morphs into a lighter more Cure-style track, but laid over with absolutely contemporary vocals.
Rock, but also a little folk, and with beautiful harmonies, Cryptic Commands’ ‘Drowning in Champagne‘ is the first single from their upcoming new album Modern Talking. (Looking forward to that one!)
Check it out in the official music video below, and find out more about Cryptic Commands and then buy their music on Bandcamp.
Yasmo & die Klangkantine
A fabulous mix of spoken word performance, hip hop and rap, with a bit of jazz thrown in, Vienna-based Yasmo & die Klangkantine’s ‘Popsong‘ sounds like it is wildly and completely freestyle, even if it is entirely scripted.
‘Popsong‘ is high energy, with an addictive beat, a bad attitude (which I love) and an addictive chorus. And hell, spoken word performances are difficult enough to do well, but doesn’t it seem like it must be hella difficult in German? Oida!
Find out more about the fabulous Yasmo & die Klangkantine on their website, and buy their music on Bandcamp.
Related Reading: Check out the artists on the ‘International Indie Artists that are Killer’ Day 2 here