This is The Weekly Spread, a roundup of some of our favorite new music in and around the indie scene. Always on Fridays, always free, it’s the bread and butter of Bread and Butter (lol).
Issue 10!!! We have officially entered double-digit territory. Just want to say a big THANKS to everyone who has read, shared, and subscribed to our newsletter so far. We started B&B as a way to reconnect with the indie music scene after a couple of years of feeling pretty disconnected (a unique problem that I’m sure nobody else can relate to…). Ten issues later, not only do we feel more in tune with this community that we love so much, but we’ve opened up a space for other people to find that same source of connection and inspiration. Pretty cool!!
Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or this is your first issue, we’re so appreciative that you’re taking time out of your day to read this. It means the world!
Now, onto the music (:
~Britnee and Eddie
bb sway - Like Honey
Warm and atmospheric, the aptly named “Like Honey” oozes with a sultry-sweet rhythm. The latest single from bedroom pop artist bb sway has a glowing, golden aura. Listening to it feels like taking a trip into a world where senses are amplified, colors are vibrant, and everything flows in slow motion. Propulsive, mid-tempo percussion guides you through an arrangement of spacey synths, funky bass, and lush soundscapes. bb sway’s vocal, soft and washed out, acts as its own instrument, and sounds like a physical embodiment of the choral lyrics: “I feel it seeping in / like honey.” By the end of the track’s brief 2 minutes and eleven seconds, you’ll be completely hypnotized by the groovy beat.
Léna Bartels - Betty
Soft, intricate acoustic guitar draws you into “Betty,” and suddenly the rest of the world goes quiet. Then, like a ghost singing a melody into the wind, Léna Bartels’ serene vocals stop you in your tracks, raise the hairs on the back of your neck. “Betty makes it home to me / she sneaks in in the dead of night,” she sings, accompanied by the slithering of what sounds like a rainstick, painting a sensory picture of nighttime quiet and creeping unease. This moment is a perfect example of what this song does so well. Bartels has a seemingly inherent ability to evoke a wistful sort of tranquility alongside feelings of longing and loss, achieved through an arrangement of all the prettiest instruments - strings, upright bass, perhaps even a harpsichord - and poetic lyrics that perfectly capture the song’s mood: “With her in a dream / he caught me singing sweet things in my sleep.” Delicate and unafraid to linger in nostalgia, “Betty” is a beautiful and haunting ballad perfect for dark winter evenings. It’s the middle track off Léna Bartels’ debut album, Preservation. Listen here.
Arima Ederra - Message
Like the cool air that fills your lungs on a winter day, Arima Ederra’s “Message” is brisk and eye-opening. A daughter of Ethiopian refugees, the L.A. singer has a sound that is wholly her own, taking influence from all that surrounds her. “Message” strikes with stabbed piano chords and an unbearably funky bass line, carried by joyfully raw vocals, snaps, and claps. Its relatively sparse production and levity are counterbalanced by the song’s heavier lyrics about the struggle of waiting for a message from god, but not being ready to listen when it finally comes. The track ebbs and flows between melancholic moments and harmonies that make you want to skip down the sidewalk, and finishes off with a beautiful, dream-like horn arrangement. This balancing act of highlighting heavier subject matter through such a joyous and sunny neo-soul package is present throughout her album, An Orange Colored Day. And since Ederra’s goal is to “reach as many people with the words she’s been given to share,” according to an interview with LA Times, we are sure glad she chose to share this song with the world.
Mamalarky - July
“July” is a burst of warmth in the dead of winter. The 70s-inspired track from indie rockers Mamalarky has a bright, experimental arrangement and trippy soundscapes galore. Colorful synths and sunshine rock guitar tones shimmer like light reflected on water, while groovy bass and splashy percussion give the track its laid-back, summery feel. The doubled, lovely vocals don’t shy away from squeals and shouts, adding a lighthearted, playful element to more serious lyrics, which ruminate on missed connections and metaphysical meaning. Mamalarky are no strangers to writing introspective lyrics over psych-pop hooks; their sophomore album, Pocket Fantasy, is full of songs that sound like jam sessions doubling as a therapeutic release. This is certainly the case with “July.” Energetic, optimistic, and thought-provoking, its fun is infectious.
If you’d like to submit your song for consideration in The Weekly Spread, visit our about page.
All songs from every issue of The Weekly Spread in one playlist: