Here is the latest December installment of my ongoing monthly series of musical pretentiousness! I promise that your new musical obsession is somewhere in this list! So listen to what I tell you to listen to this December!
10. Donna Missal
She sounds like a female version of The Black Keys, but with two times the soul.
Donna Missal is a soulful pop singer whose music relies heavily on strong drums, guitar chords, and barroom piano accompaniment to accent her captivating voice. She has a voice that conveys emotion better than even most the most established pop vocalists that I know. There's no doubt in my mind that this girl is going places, particularly with her recent release of an exceptional cover of "Hotline Bling." Additionally, check out her first and only single "Keep Lying" and then get excited her upcoming EP. 9. Neil Thomas
He sounds like a cross between Max Frost and Willy Moon.
London-based pop-soul singer Neil Thomas has just released his premiere single "Home," which has topped viral charts all over the world and amassed close to a million listens across all platforms in under 3 weeks. It largely has to do with his lo-fi indie rock sound, which sounds simultaneously brand new and vintage 1950s. Unfortunately, he's removed this song from Spotify, but hopefully that will change soon enough. For now you'll just have to settle for Soundcloud.
8. BISHOP
She sounds like a female Alex Clare.
BISHOP is cool. Combining sultry singing with acoustic guitar in the beginning, you're easily deceived into thinking that this is a mellow folk song. But, suddenly, at about the 15-second mark the bass and beat kick in and cause you to rethink your entire initial judgement of BISHOP. This unique combination of folk and trip-hop seems too bizarre to sound good, but it's honestly a huge breath of fresh air in the form of an utterly original sound. She only has this single release, just like the other two artists, but, once again, this article is about getting ahead in the underground music game. That being said, you should get amped for her future releases.7. Møme
He sounds like Jubel or Petit Biscuit with Lana del Rey-style vocals.
The obsession of indie music artists towards the "ø" symbol continues with Parisian indie dance artist Jérémy Souillart, a.k.a. Møme. His latest original single "Aloha," featured on his "Aloha" EP, has accumulated millions of listens in the last month, skyrocketing this indie producer and his featured singer Merryn Jeann into deep house fame. The singing is sexy and the instrumental is upbeat and dancy. The good news is that Møme actually has a ton of other original released music for you to jam out to as well. 6. LP
She sounds like Feist and Joan Jett. I totally agree with Spotify's about section right now.
Combining a distinctly '70s rock style with a modern ukulele-and-synth-based production twist, LP has honed in on a mellow punk style. Her music is upbeat, like a more instrumentally full version of Noah and The Whale. You may recognize her underground breakout song "Into The Wild," which was featured on several commercials. "Lost on You" is just the next step toward her latest album and you can bet your bottom dollar that it's going to be a great one. 5. KYKO
He sounds like a rock-based Bastille.
KYKO is another London pop artist who is very similar in genre to EDEN--who I covered last month--albeit that he has a bit more of a basis in indie rock. Combining electric guitars and ambient electronic backing sounds, KYKO has paved the way for his matured style and silky voice. I was super excited to see that he's coming out with more music soon, starting with this release. 4. Anne-Marie
She sounds like the second coming of Lily Allen.
Yet another London-born pop singer, Anne-Marie released her debut "Karate" EP earlier this year and it was very well-received. She's come back last month with the release of two new singles, including the featured song here called "Boy." Her style is eclectic and bubbly, with playful lyrics about relationships and puppy love. Hopefully, an album is right around the corner. 3. Great Good Fine OK
They sound like Passion Pit at a lower octave.
Great Good Fine OK's first ever release "You're The One For Me" came out over 2 years ago and accumulated over 1 million listens on Soundcloud alone, which was amazingly successful for a synthpop band at the time. They went on a brief haitus and finally released an EP last year that was incredibly well-received. Now they're making a comeback to the tune of a new single released in September and half a dozen features in original songs by artists such as Chordashian and The Chainsmokers. You can definitely expect something fresh from this electronic Brooklyn-based band this month. 2. HONNE
They sound like if Frank Ocean fronted a synthpop band.
HONNE is already a relatively big act compared to some of these other names, but I'm posting them as number 2 in anticipation of their debut album. This indie electronic band uses dance beats, indie rock influence, and pop soul to tell a story of urban romance to the club dancefloor. After all, their name literally means "feelings" or "desire" in Japanese, which is the perfect description of their combination of complex synths and sultry vocals. If you haven't listened to HONNE then now is the time. They signed to the same label responsible for AlungaGeorge, so they are literally weeks away from breaking out big time.
1. Oh Wonder
They sound like a cross between The XX and Chairlift, with way more of a lighter sound.
Our number one this month is, again, straight out of London. Oh Wonder has absolutely blown up over the last few months, particularly after the release of their debut self-titled album, yet I feel like they still aren't as well-known as they deserve to be. Almost every single song that they've released has millions of listens, which is indicative of a truly wonderful musical act. They certainly have depth. Oh Wonder is a duet based in light electronic folk music who sing about lost love and other things that you can totally relate to. The album is something that you can listen to over and over again. I can't give them enough praise for their talent and style. So when you finally get tired of Adele, I implore you to transition your obsession over to Oh Wonder.
Here's the playlist via Spotify, freshly updated for your listening pleasure!
