June 8, 2026 by Elias Prodger (‘26)
Little Horse — bitknot
Feeble Little Horse is exactly what the dream pop and hazy indie rock scene needs in 2026. Formed in Pittsburgh during the pandemic, the band uses space in a far more sculptural way as opposed to My Bloody Valentine’s thick blocks of sound or Slowdive’s wallowing melancholia. Feeble Little Horse borrows certain sonic characteristics of the movement while snatching elements from hyperpop and trip hop to create a far more eager and energetic sect of shoegaze. Each song, never exceeding three minutes, introduces its thesis and doesn’t overstay its welcome, which allows the band to fully showcase the creativity and spirit within them. The group came together for this record with 11 really strong ideas and created a fantastically enjoyable project.
Slayyyter — Worst Girl in America
Slayyyter feels like a satirical version of Charli XCX in an A24 movie, in the best way possible. The musical project of Catherine Grace Garner lives in a dance pop limbo that straddles the hyperpop and club movement that culminated in the mainstream payoff that was Charli XCX’s Brat. Slayyyter’s first post-Brat record, 2026’s Worst Girl in America, takes those ideas to their extreme without becoming hackneyed or overly verbose. The record is grimy and distorted, while also keeping a firm grasp on pop accessibility and catchiness. This movement is moving full steam ahead in pop culture, and Slayyyter is one of the best to do it.
Angine de Poitrine — Vol. II
Quebec based experimental rock duo Angine de Poitrine is as engaging as they are beautifully strange. Donning the iconic absurd paper mache masks that made their 2026 KEXP session so engaging to online indie ci Feeble rcles is a beautiful representation of their off kilter fusions of microtonal chaos and odd time signatures. What makes Poitrine’s music so endearing in 2026 is their distinct humanity, the ability to lean into something so out of the ordinary to the average music listener without an air of pretension or ego. The record, spanning 36 minutes and completely instrumental, has enough drive and groove to keep listeners engaged, while sounding like the futuristic, strange compositions that the production company in a 1980s sci-fi movie would be tasked to create.
Boards of Canada- Inferno
Boards of Canada’s first record in nearly thirteen years is a desolate, haunting journey that feels like a great summation of all the group’s work up to this point. Thirty years after their debut in the thriving late 90s UK IDM scene, Boards of Canada has maintained their psychedelic and layered approach to electronic music that broke through on records such as 1998’s Music Has the Right to Children. The album offers nothing texturally new from the duo, the same mid-tempo drums with eerie vocal samples and atmospheric synth are maintained and refined, but the familiarity never feels stale. The duo clearly still has more in the tank.
The Lemon Twigs — Look For Your Mind!
The Lemon Twigs are the inherent contradiction of what should make great songwriters. The band is entirely unashamed of sonic burglary, donning 60s mop top haircuts and playing Rickenbacker guitars that could easily be mistaken for any number of Beach Boys or Byrds B-sides. The beauty of this band is that their songwriting is so solid that it can be confused with some of the all-time greats in the sunshine and power pop scenes. The Lemon Twigs’ music is like a giant spoonful of marshmallow fluff, so offensively sweet and enjoyable, rich and dense, but unbelievably derivative of its influences. In music we always look for bands that push boundaries and experiment, but we also need bands like The Lemon Twigs, creating music that is so uncomplicated and a joy to listen to.