Summer is a time for all things freeing and healing, whether that may be hanging out with friends, picking up a new hobby, falling in love, beginning a new chapter, healing your inner-child or just simply finding ways to celebrate being alive. And what better way to soundtrack this feeling with fresh music that brings out the best in us?
Nothing screams summer more than the indie genre. With a mix of well-known names as well as up-and-coming indie bands, this list includes a variety of summer tracks released in the past nine months that just make sense to play in the summer season.
1. “Swim Between Trees” – flipturn
It takes strong songwriting skills and band chemistry to create a sonic masterpiece that captures a summer love so effortlessly. For flipturn — a rising indie band taking the touring game by storm — it almost seems to come naturally, which probably explains why indie-lovers are gravitating towards this powerhouse of a band.
“Swim Between Trees” combines a refreshing, summery sound with metaphorically-driven imagery that completes a poetic love letter full of appreciation for crossed paths. Life’s hardships and imperfections can be easier to endure with someone by your side, who will swim between the trees of summer alongside you. From the sharp, bright, electric-guitar riff accompanied by a purposefully chaotic drum fill, to the mystical synth sounds brought to life in the song’s outro, the instrumentation is an ode to summer love in itself.
However, when a band can capture that summer morning, sun-shining feeling in both songwriting and instrumentation, that is when you know you can place your trust in them to provide the soundtrack to your summer.
2. “Incomprehensible” – Big Thief
There’s nothing better than a reminder to live in the moment, treat everyday as if it is a gift and be appreciative of getting old and having the privilege to experience another summer. Big Thief — a household name in the indie rock world — mark their 2025 comeback with a single that couldn’t be any more perfect for the summer.
“Incomprehensible” is a bouncy rhythmic anthem with descriptive lyricism written with an introspective taste. Although summer can be a time of reflection, it can also be a time of change. As you experience life’s changes and challenges, it is important to give yourself grace, as humans are complex, incomprehensible creatures. Fearing growing old won’t do you any good, so live out summer like it’s a gift.
3. “Louie” – Arcy Drive
With a fun, playful beat and catchy lyrics that dive into the life of a character named Louie who lives in Buffalo, Arcy Drive — an indie band that describes themselves as “attic rock” — deliver a versatile summer track that can be played in multiple scenarios, whether it’s barefoot dancing in freshly mown grass or amping up a late night campfire hang.
“Louie” celebrates the unseriousness of life by sharing definitive aspects of Louie’s life, such as taking thirty five minutes to put on a coat or drinking amaretto and irish cream, that makes him who he is. This song is a perfect pick-me-up that encourages you to dance any negative energy away and perhaps use the summer to check in on that one Louie we all have in our lives.
4. “Afterlife” -Alex G
Alex G’s brilliance and open-mindedness shines as he tackles the complexity of change and new beginnings with a hopeful, up-beat track driven by reflection. As a veteran to the indie rock scene, Alex G’s exploratory nature has produced unforgettable tracks that are riddled with advice and life lessons. If your summer brings you a new beginning, “Afterlife” will allow you to see the transition with an optimistic mindset. Rather than viewing the change as a big, dark void, this track views a new era as a big and bright light, one filled with reassurance and hope.
5. “car” – Royel Otis
What’s summer without a mood-boosting indie pop song to blast while driving on warm days? Royel Otis — an indie pop band who gained attraction for their covers of “Linger” and “Murder on the Dancefloor” — took it into their own hands to make a catchy, high-tempo track for those who enjoy the pop side of the indie genre.
Although this song is dressed in a fun, light-hearted pop facade, its lyrics uncover a story of walking away, a decision that can be hard to make. Saying goodbye is sometimes the best thing to do in a given situation, but to make that decision and stand firm on your choice takes guts. “Car” celebrates the freedom that comes after making the hard decision to say goodbye with a beat that anyone can sing along to if they, too, have the courage.
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