It's British Hi-Fi Week, so what better time to highlight some top-notch British musicians and tracks? Indie music, specifically British Indie, is a genre (or perhaps a category) of music that's hard to nail down as it is constantly evolving. It's a sound that relates to and often rebels against the burgeoning mainstream styles of the time.
What's considered indie music now will likely have a totally different definition in the years to come, in the same way, that some of the tracks on this list may not be considered indie or alternative by today's standards; and that's why I (alongside many of the What Hi-Fi? team) like it so much. These shifting genre goalposts encourage artists to be bold and creative with their creations, which usually makes for interesting music to listen to, and more importantly, try your hi-fi kit out with.
Luckily, it turns out that the team here share this sentiment, as we've collected a list of British indie bangers from a variety of decades, all of which make for excellent options to take your hi-fi kit for a spin. You'll find indie pop, rock and electronic tracks on this list, so there should be something to suit your taste.
The Gospel Of John Hurt by alt-J (This Is All Yours, 2014)
Harry McKerrell, staff writer
With Left Hand Free heavily vetoed by certain sections of the What Hi-Fi? family (and we are a family, after all), I’ve been left with no choice but to recommend the superlative Gospel Of John Hurt. Alt-J could occasionally be accused of straying too far into the realm of the overly abstract or self-indulgent, but who could fail to fall in love with a track all about that iconic, chest-busting death scene from Ridley Scott’s peerless sci-fi horror Alien?
It’s a majestic song, too, it really is, flitting back and forth between hesitant, light-footed verses and haunting, almost elegiac choral swells. There’s lots of detail for your system to pick out thanks to those little instrumental flourishes at which the Leeds trio are so adept, but it’s as a test of dynamics where The Gospel Of John Hurt comes into its own, especially every time the ever-loudening chorus kicks in and we’re treated to a composition that feels unsettling and stirring in equal measure.
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Madness by Muse (The 2nd Law, 2012)
Andy Madden, deputy editor
Indie rock is still indie, right? Other Muse tracks might be more obvious entries, but Madness has been one of my go-to test tracks for quite a while now (and the Live at Rome Olympic Stadium version is just as good). Sure, it’s not the most extreme test of timing out there, but it excels in other areas. The pulsating low frequencies demand weight and depth from your system but also control and detail.
Speaking of detail, the track has multiple layers of information for your system to unravel. The early part of the track is more careful and considered and if your system is generating background noise, you’ll be able to hear it detract from what should be a clear and clutter-free sound field. The song also introduces an interesting shift in character as it produces a stadium-filling crescendo at the back end of the track. It’s a real test of any system's ability to communicate dynamic shifts.
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All The King's Men by Wild Beasts (Two Dancers, 2009)
Tom Parsons, TV and AV editor
Wild Beasts were a breath of fresh air when they sauntered onto the indie scene in 2008, but it was with 2009’s Mercury Prize-nominated Two Dancers album that they really hit their stride – or should that be ‘swagger’? By blending the brilliantly over-sexed filth of debut album Limbo, Panto with a smoother and more refined sound, Wild Beasts struck upon a unique, baroque style that would last for three further albums before the band called it quits in 2018.
One of the big changes for this second album was the increased vocal contributions of suitably deep-voiced bassist Tom Fleming, with his luxuriously syrupy voice acting as the perfect contrast to Hayden Thorpe’s fabulous falsetto. Fleming actually takes point on All The King’s Men, just one of several standout tracks, with Thorpe interjecting with thrilling howls, shrieks and sighs. This is a multi-layered affair that your system will need impeccable rhythmic and tonal organisation to make the most of. If you can’t feel the arrogance pouring from your speakers, it might be time for an upgrade.
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Islands by The xx (xx, 2009)
Lewis Empson, staff writer
The xx are easily one of the first artists that come to mind when I think of British indie music. Their grounded and soulful production never fails to invoke a unique emotional resonance when I listen to their first album. Speaking of that self-titled first album, I've settled on Islands as my preferred test track from this album, although Intro, Crystallised and Shelter are all worthy follow-ups.
The thumping, flowing bass that kicks in as the song begins should instantly tell you if your system is capable of kicking out meaty, powerful low end, while also ensuring it's well controlled. In contrast, the delicate vocals of Romy should be handled with care in order to retain the intricacies of their vocal performance. The plucky guitar riff that permeates the chorus should guide you into a rhythmic sway if reproduced properly too, ensuring your system is adept with rhythmic timing. Each contrasting element in this song comes together to create a thoroughly engaging song, that should put your hi-fi system to the test.
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How Soon Is Now by The Smiths (Hatful Of Hollow, 1984)
Ainsley Walker, staff writer
Born out of a hazy jam session, ‘How Soon is Now?’ is a carefully crafted studio track and stands apart from a large majority of the Smith’s catalogue. Whereas other songs by the four-piece feel more like live performances, there’s far more overdubbing and added ambience heard here. Opening with Marr’s now iconic stuttering tremolo guitar chords, the track kicks into life as a whining guitar lick signals the bass and drums to enter the fold in as well.
It’s a slow burner – the whining guitar reminiscent of a vehicle passing you in the night and the long decay of the snare adds to the lonely sense of space. Love him or hate him, Morrissey’s pleas for compassion in the chorus see him at his most heartfelt, genuine, and vulnerable. To think that one of the Smiths’ most iconic and accomplished tracks was nearly relegated to the B-side scrap heap is criminal, but thankfully it received the adoration it deserves in the end.
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Wetsuit by The Vaccines (What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?, 2011)
Harry McKerrell, staff writer
If you had to level a criticism at indie music as a genre, it would possibly be that it can tend to favour a slightly leaner, less expansive form of production than some of its heavier, meatier rock cousins. Scratchy guitars and 4/4 time signatures are all well and good, but it’s nice to have a little bit of depth underneath the laddish, pub-garden exteriors.
That’s why I’ve always had a big soft spot for The Vaccines and this track in particular. A melancholic tribute to youth that has one eye on a halcyon past and another on the ever-encroaching future, there’s real depth and soul to Wesuit. Proper hi-fi will covey that melancholic, Arcadian feeling with true transparency, while lyrics such as “if at some point we all succumb, for goodness sake let us be young" should hit like a truck.
Oof, right in the gut.
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Seventeen Going Under by Sam Fender (Seventeen Going Under, 2021)
Lewis Empson, staff writer
This rip-roaring, emotionally charged indie banger was impossible to ignore back in 2021, and it remains to this day as possibly my favourite song of the decade thus far. Everything about this track is flawless; from the heavy lyricism that relates to the struggles and injustices that the artist suffered at the age of 17, to the enchanting repetitive guitar riff that underpins the track to the call accompanied by the hearty, soulful piano. It's the perfect embodiment of modern British indie music.
This, as you might suspect, makes it an excellent candidate to test your audio equipment with. The strong combination of vocals, guitar riff and piano requires a system that can balance each demanding aspect of the song. A good sense of rhythmic timing is also fundamental if you want to capture the energy of this track; if you're not tapping your foot along to the beat of this track, then you're system's not up to scratch.
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The Bends by Radiohead (The Bends, 1995)
Harry McKerrell, staff writer
Before Radiohead became the darlings of audio technicians, engineers and audiophiles everywhere, they were unquestionably an alternative indie band. The outfit’s much-maligned debut Pablo Honey is about as proto-indie as it gets, and while 1995’s sophomore smash The Bends paved the way for the artsy, progressive behemoth we know today, it’s still heavily rooted in scratchy guitars, raw vocals and volume dials turned up to the proverbial.
Monumentally influential on post-Britpop, indie and alternative British acts such as Muse, Coldplay and Elbow, it’s stuffed with soaring guitar hooks and meaty refrains, and no-where is that more in evidence than the album’s floor-shaking title track. Thom Yorke has little affection for the song now, but if you need to see how your system or headphones deal with dynamics, emotional resonance and textural adeptness, this is the song for you. Jump to the three-minute mark and see how your system handles that gradual build-up before Greenwood’s axe kicks in and Yorke goes into full, wailing falsetto mode.
Goosebumps? Good. Feeling a little underwhelmed? You’ve got a problem.
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There's No Other Way by Blur (Leisure, 1991)
Joe Cox, content director
In 1991 Kurt Cobain told the NME that There’s No Other Way was his favourite British song of the year. And who are we to argue? The second single from Blur’s debut album Leisure, the track helped propel Blur into the charts and the indie limelight. Mixing 60s psychedelia with 90s baggy, it was one step towards the Britpop sound that would take over the UK by the middle of the decade.
The Madchester-esque drums are a good test of the rhythm of your system, while the hazy vocals demand attention to detail in the midrange. Graham Coxon’s distorted guitar riffs provide some welcome relief from the relaxed tempo and will also help reveal any harshness in the treble. This song should sound simultaneously leisurely and perky, which is a decent challenge for any hi-fi setup.
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Hey Now by London Grammar (If You Wait, 2013)
Kashfia Kabir, hi-fi and audio editor
It’s an obvious one, but there’s a reason this dreamy track has been a staple of hi-fi shows and demos for the last couple of years. A beautifully high-production recording that’s sparkling clear and pristine, wide-open and spacious, with singer Hannah Reid’s low contralto voice plaintive and powerful.
Whether listening on headphones or a hi-fi separates system, this track should engulf you in its ambient-loving, trip-hop-influenced soundstage, while also delivering crisp, snappy highs and deep, taut low frequencies. Mostly, you should be absolutely enchanted by Reid’s soaring vocals and immersed in the hazy but captivating track. If you’ve ever seen it performed live (as I have), you’ll know just how powerful the song can be.
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Empire by Kasabian (Empire, 2006)
Harry McKerrell, staff writer
Apologies to now-leader singer Sergio Pizzorno for his band’s inclusion in this list (the shaggy-haired frontman has eschewed the label in the past), but by most appreciable measures, Kasabian were placed well within the indie-sphere when their sophomore release Empire landed in the summer of 2006. The album itself may be a tad hit-and-miss, but the rollicking title track stands tall as a bona fide British banger.
Crunchy. That’s the textural adjective one would use to describe Empire. Thanks to those bristling, scratchy string tones and the up-and-down, staccato nature of the track’s rebellious percussive underpinning, you’ll want a system that can pick out those rhythmic passages and then hold on for dear life. It’s all about texture and timing here, and you’ll know you’re working with a good setup if Empire’s march-like tempo has all the precision and snap of an exacting drill sergeant patrolling the barracks square.
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Four Out Of Five by Arctic Monkeys (Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, 2018)
Lewis Empson, staff writer
Arctic Monkeys had to make the list; after all, they're practically the mascot of British Indie music for my generation. However, I've picked a track from their controversial Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino album, which marks a dramatic shift in the band's signature sound. A lot of people didn't take kindly to this new sultry, jazz-infused swanky style that AM adopted (and continued to develop in their follow-up album The Car) - but I certainly did.
Four Out Of Five demands a system that embraces its warm, harmonic sound while respecting its sporadic grizzly electric guitar riffs that contrast the silky smooth nature of the rest of the track. While the whole album features science-fiction influences, this song, in particular, should transport you to a retro-futuristic intergalactic jazz bar, providing your system can capture its swooning, spacey atmosphere.
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MORE:
Check out 65 great British albums to test your hi-fi system
As well as our list of the best speakers
