Winter isn’t quite done, and some fantastic indie pop is what we need to get us through. There is grit and immediacy running through this week’s two picks, a wonderful guitar-based confessional, and dream pop haze. Let’s get stuck in ❤️🔥
Joe Doonan – before you leave
Joe Doonan delivers a heartfelt indie pop ballad that captures love, loss and the fragile space in between
before you leave, unfolds with gentle guitar lines and a wonderful, measured build that is a sort of mirror to its emotional arc. Vocally, it’s a great performance and the melody carries a sense of inevitability, underscored by really, really crisp production.
Joe Doonan, an exciting singer-songwriter with international writing credits, centres his forthcoming EP on the complexities of endings and unresolved feelings. This single distils that theme into a reflective, accessible indie cut rooted. It’s great, check it out.
Wotts – little bug
Wotts blend dreamy textures and shimmering hooks into a hazy indie pop banger with understated charm
little bug, floats on reverb-soaked guitars and soft-focus synth tones, nodding to dream pop influences while keeping the rhythm tight and melodic. The chorus lands, the production is great, and I’m straight over to Spotify to follow these guys.
Wotts, the Ottawa-based duo of Jayem and Ricky 100, continue building momentum ahead of their upcoming EP. Having already played major Canadian stages, they refine a sound that sits comfortably between indie pop clarity and atmospheric depth. I’d love to see this live, check them out below.