Best indie folk/pop/rock tracks of 2014- fifth part

For this fifth and last "Indie Tracks Best of 2014", choosing 10 songs in the Indie Folk/Pop/Rock music genres out of hundreds heard this year was an unquiet business, so there is a little bit more! In addition to the tracks already recommended in the monthly essential Indie tracks (that you can check back in the older posts), the "Best of 2014" of No Music is above 110 tracks! Below or directly from pleer.

1- Nicole Miglis' voice fromHundred Waters is one of the most elaborate female voice I've heard, from high pitched vocals to delicate wisp (around 1:36 "Yesterday was your birthday, happy birthday") especially on this gorgeous track "Murmurs" part of their sophomore album "The Moon Rang Like a Bell" out last May. Along with her fellow musicians from Gainesville/Florida, now based in LA, they are creating a mosaic of bright digital sounds (even a police siren) and textures with an aery resonance.

husky voice makes the difference. "was the first single, "Small Things"

2- English singer-songwriter from Devon,Ben Howard, also released a second album "I Forget Where We Were" last October. Being a surfer, he was once named the UK's response to Jack Johnson or a new James Blunt and he is not the only British guy with guitar(to name a few, End Of The Affair" video Ed Sheeran, Marcus Foster or more recently George Ezra), but his very recognizable is made of cuts from Sean Penn's movie "Into The Wild".

.Different from his vocals in disbanded indie rock outfit 3- The voice of Brisbane/Australia singer songwriter Benjamin Forbes is taking another magnitude on his solo project, Little Casino , with a more pastoral folk twist. "Stand In Line" is a take from his upcoming EP, "Future Self" .

4- After a couple of EPs, 4 piece band from Melbourne/Australia,Lowlakes released their debut dark dream-pop album "Iceberg Nerves" last February. Frontman Tom Snowdon's voice ranges between Antony Hegarty and Hayden Thorpe (Wild Beasts). Funnily, "Cold Company" beats reminds me the ones from a French band in the 70's, Martin Circus " Je m'éclate au Sénégal".

Apart from playing in and having another project (on hiatus for the moment), 5- From Birmingham/Alabama, comes Azure Ray O + S Orenda Fink. she a third solo album last August, "Blue Dream". The "Ace of Cups" Tarot card's meaning is of joy and inner peace from friends and family, which perfectly reflects the tone of this track, warm and enveloping.

6- 23-years-old and ex NYU students, Jesse Aicher and Matt Walsh, arePrelow.They have a few songs on their soundcloud and are preparing material for an upcoming EP. "Mistakes like This" is a song from/for an uninhibited generation (regarding sex and pronunciation!).
7- "So What?" is the expression used when we don't give a shit about something and it's the title of this track from Californian Avi Zahner-Isenberg akaAvi Buffalo second album "At Best Cuckhold" out last September. The chorus cheerfully repeats 16 times "So What?". What a treat!

8- Escaping from the duo he is/was in with Giacomo, London graffiti artist released a solo single, Hunger, with remixes to fill an EP last October. Synth Pop at its best !

9- Cosmo's Midnight is twin brothers and remixers Cosmo & Patrick Liney from Sydney/Australia. After a few EPs of their own material, bouncy single "Snare, featuring Wild Eyed Boy (not Bowie himself) was out last November on soundcloud.

. "Got Well Soon" from their sophomore album "War Room Stories" was already in the

10- I'm a big fan of English band February 2014 Best Indie Tracks Breton since their debut in 2010 and "Envy", with the perfect introduction of speedy steel beats at 1:34, is their catchiest track ever!

. Alex Fischel, part of with Britt Daniel and Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs and new band 11- "Inside Out" is about time: some bands don't disappear and for 20 years, this has fortunately been for Austin/Texas band Divine Fits Operators)is also in Spoon's eighth album "They Want My Soul" out last August.

frontman, 12- After a first solo album "Phrazes for the Young" in 2009,Julian Casablancas, has teamed up with The Voidz to release his second one, "Tyranny" last September. "Take Me In Your Army" is unexpectedly very poppy. The Strokes

13- As previously said here, the surprising discovery, at Pitchfork Festival in Paris last November, came from the 4 piece Montreal based and punk-esque band .Even though the comparison with David Byrne sound and look -alike member, guitarist and vocalist Tim Beeler was too obvious, especially on this track "Habit" from their first "proper" full-length album "More Than Any Other Day", issued in April, t hey overstepped this cliché.They released a third EP "Once More With Feeling..." last October.