Two Door Cinema Club

I found this band on Soundcloud when I was really bored in math class and wanted something different to listen to. What I stumbled upon was a mix of indie pop and rock sounding music. I picked up on an accent as the lead singer was singing and after doing a bit of research I learned that the band originated in Northen Ireland, specifically Bango and Donaghadee. The band is a trio of guys, Alex Trimble (lead vocals/guitarist), Sam Halliday (guitarist/vocals), and Kevin Baird (bassists/vocals). The funniest fact about this band is their name. Sam Halliday suggested to the name them after a popular cinema in their home town. However, Halliday ended up mispronouncing the name of the cinema saying "Two Door" when it was actually pronounced "Tudor Cinema Club." The band found that unique and the name "Two Door Cinema Club" came to stick.

I personally discovered my love for the band with a remix of one of their song called "Next Year." I love the nostalgic way it sounds and Trimble's voice gives it a soft tone. I think the band is underrated because I personally have never heard them on the radio, and typically their song "What You Know" only sounds familiar to some people. I think they have a unique sound and deserve a lot more following than they have.

So if you are looking for that indie-Tumblr-aesthetic band, Two Door Cinema Club is the band for you.

Two Spot Gobi

I was in the car with one of my very good friends when Two Spot Gobi popped up on his playlist and immediately fell in love with the way their music sounded. The band is definitely on the underrated side because their music can't even be found on Youtube. Their most popular albums can be found on Spotify, the most popular being "The Sun Will Rise." The band formed in 2005 originating in the United Kingdom and their music can be described as classical jazzy blues (yes I did just come up with that). The band consists of James Robinson (Vocals/lead guitar), Rob Lewis (cello), Dino Randhawa (guitar), Ben Matthews (drums), Ben Rosario (piano), and Matt Ellis (trumpet).

My favorite song by the band is "Borrowed Time." It was actually the song that played in my friend's car and grabbed my attention. I enjoyed how simple the song sounds and how unique Robinson's voice is. I think I'm a sucker for singers with accents, but trust me, you will be too after you listen to this song. The intricate pattern of fingerpicking and strumming of the guitar at the beginning really grabs your attention and the cello adds a sort of melodic yet classical sound to the song. If you pay close attention during little pre-choruses you can hear the sharp almost acerbic tone of the trumpet coming through. On the opposite spectrum from "Borrowed Time" is "Try Again". The song sounds a bit more poppy but my favorite part is being able to hear the harmonies of the band members singing.

Bottom line is, bands with the word "two" in the title and awesome accents will really give you a whole different perspective in music. I believe Two Spot Gobi can really elevate your music taste plus give you a nice break from all the loud pop sounds in music today.

Eden

Possibly my favorite solo artist ever, Eden mixes a rock sound with his magical EDM DJ skills. Now his name isn't actually Eden and he didn't start as Eden either.

Johnathan Ng started his carrier as "The Eden Project" changing his name just to "Eden" around 2014. His lives in Dublin, Ireland and yes, you can hear his Irish accent when he sings (can you see a trend here?). He records, writes, and produces every song in his bedroom and not in a big studio with expensive equipment. Another fun fact about him is that he is classically trained on the violin and dove into EDM later in life.

The first song I heard by him was "Rock + Roll" and I was instantly hooked on his voice. It pulled me in like a magnet and I loved the balance between the hard rock guitar and the ease of the melody. Also, hearing the sort of 'phone call' that he is having in the beginning and end of the song really gives it more of a meaning. Other songs that really took me to a whole another world were "Sex" and "Drugs." Now don't let the names of the songs fool you, they both have such powerful lyrics with deep meanings. The way "Sex" sounds is completely different than most of his songs. The focus is more on the heavy drums in the background and softer guitar sound than what he usually goes for. "Drugs" is not at all about what you think it is and by watching the music video, you will understand what I'm talking about.

If you are feeling you need some new soft EDM music in your library, I definitely recommend checking out Eden.

Half Alive

The most aesthetic sounding band out there and I am so upset that they only have 80K on Instagram. Half Alive takes the cake for the coolest music videos and the most unique combination of sounds. I describe them as indie rock with a hint of pop. The band consists of the powerful trio Josh Taylor (lead vocals), Brett Kramer (drums), and J. Tyler Johnson (bassist). Their most viewed music video, "Still Feel," currently sits at having 23 million views which broke the internet in one night. The music video is the most aesthetically pleasing thing you will ever watch, with amazing choreography, color changes, and 50s inspired costumes. The video was also directed by the lead singer Josh Taylor.

This band is just too good! There hasn't been a single song that I do not enjoy by them and I think that their sound is something totally different. Their vision really shows through their music videos and their sound changes in every song. I also recommend checking out the song/music video for "Arrow" and "The Fall." These two songs really capture the band's indie sound that they are going for.

Plus, they are from California so I beat the trend of the accents we had going on.

Stephen

If I had one word to describe Stephen, it would be genius. Possibly the most underrated artist on this list, Stephen deserves so much more recognition by how amazing his music is. Stephen was formerly known as Stephen Swartz and decided to shorten it to "Stephen" when he came back after his four-year hiatus. Living in Silver Lake, California, Stephen writes and makes the most unique sounding songs that are filled with heavy meaning. His music mostly falls under the EDM category but there are also some aspects that make it sound a bit like relaxed. His voice is similar to Eden but with more depth to it. The way he writes his lyrics are really what set him apart from any artists out there. He took the EDM industry by storm when he put out his single "Crossfire.."

"Crossfire" was the first song that I heard by Stephen and after listening to it for only 10 seconds, I was hooked. The lyrics are what really grabbed me and the song can be interpreted in so many ways by the listener, which is something I think music today lacks. Other songs that I love by him are "Mr. Man" and "Play Me Like A Violin."

I truly think Stephen is a musical genius. Everything that he produces sounds different than the other and I think you will be pleasantly surprised by his music