In recent years, it has become trendy for cultural commentators to lament the perceived lack of innovation in modern music. Heavily influenced by the writings of the late Mark Fisher, who is regarded as one of the most significant cultural theorists of the 21st century, the idea that neoliberalism has stifled popular music's innovative spirit has become a prevalent modern intellectual concept. A quick look at major recent releases, such as Playboi Carti’s post-language noise rap or FKA Twigs’ avant-pop creativity, easily counters the belief that contemporary music has lost its contemporary and future sound.
Nonetheless, Fisher’s argument about the ‘slow cancellation of the future’ holds more validity when considering the current landscape of rock music. While numerous boundary-pushing artists continue to thrive in the underground scene, rock music has largely lost its capacity to represent today’s sounds within mainstream consciousness. This is particularly evident in the indie rock genre, where in the 21st century, ‘indie’ has become synonymous with ‘retro’. The prevailing style of British indie over the past 25 years has revolved around two distinct revivals of the 1970s post-punk sound. The most recent revival, referred to as ‘post-Brexit new wave’, ‘crank wave’ (a rather unfortunate term), or ‘Windmill indie’ (after a popular London venue), has adopted a more experimental edge compared to the noughties movement popularized by bands such as Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys. This revival has also produced its own share of retro followers, like Shame and Yard Act, who acknowledge that they attract older listeners due to their resemblance to past bands.
Nevertheless, alongside these revivalists embraced by 6 Music dads, a group of innovative and popular acts, including art rock ensemble Squid, jazz rock provocateurs Black Midi, and chamber pop talents Black Country, New Road, has emerged and redefined the boundaries of what ‘indie rock’ can encompass. The latter group, in particular, has proven to be highly influential in the post-pandemic landscape. The Cambridge-based sextet’s artistic approach, characterized by ornate orchestral arrangements, a progressive take on grand and unconventional compositions, and lyrics that oscillate between heartfelt sincerity and playful wit, has resonated with both music fans online (their new album was highly anticipated prior to its release) and an emerging wave of diverse and ambitious young musicians.
In the past year, a small but noteworthy selection of acts building on the sonic framework established by Black Country, New Road, has released debut EPs: Man/Woman/Chainsaw, The Orchestra (For Now), and Flip Top Head. All of these EPs garnered immediate acclaim. The hard-touring Man/Woman/Chainsaw has been featured in major publications, including The Guardian, NME, and Rolling Stone, while The Orchestra (For Now) triumphed in the Green Man festival’s Green Man Rising contest, competing against 7,000 other applicants. These acts share several key traits: each consists of six or more members, maintains a near 50/50 gender balance, and incorporates instruments like violin and keyboards alongside traditional rock instrumentation. Sonically, they reflect Black Country, New Road’s departure from conventional pop song structures, showcasing ambitious songwriting characterized by dynamic swells, intricate grooves, and heavy rock sections that highlight technical virtuosity while simultaneously achieving pop-appealing melodies.
Perhaps most importantly, these three bands are distinguished by their skillful integration of a variety of orchestral instruments. Man/Woman/Chainsaw features a violinist, several members of Flip Top Head play trombone and flute, and The Orchestra (For Now) employs both violin and cello, with all three bands including designated keyboardists. This expansive, baroque-inspired approach to instrumentation can also be observed in similar indie acts nationwide. Art-folk group Tapir! incorporates cello, acoustic guitars, and electronic embellishments, while London’s Ugly utilizes a likewise delicate but intricate mix of pianos, synths, acoustic guitars, and layered male/female vocals, as do Blue Bendy, who craft an especially bold and technically impressive variation of this sound. All the aforementioned acts typically consist of six members (sometimes more during live performances) and showcase a diverse gender representation.
This latter point, along with its emerging changes, is crucial. Contemporary indie/alternative rock music has made significant strides in terms of gender representation. A quick look at NME’s 2005 list of the 50 best albums reveals that the number of female musicians featured could be counted on two hands, highlighting the progression made over the past two decades. The ‘boys in a band’ stereotype that has long dominated indie and the broader rock genre is gradually diminishing. For instance, a 2018 study by Fender indicated that women now account for 50% of guitar purchases. Although gender representation remains far from equitable (especially within the festival scene), British indie/alt bands featuring female members are
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In the past ten to twenty years, it has become common for cultural commentators to lament the absence of innovation in modern music. Significantly shaped by