September Soundscapes: Farewells, Returns, and Indie Futures

This is NNC Neural Newscast, online at nnewscast.com. Hey everyone, welcome back to Stereocurrent on Neural Newscast. I'm Julian Vance, your laid-back guide through the wild world of music and culture. And I'm Sloan Rivera, here to weave those cultural threads into something poetic and profound. Julianne, it's September 2025 already. Can you believe how fast this year's flying? We've got a stacked lineup of releases this month, mostly in that indie rock, pop, and electronic space that's got us both buzzing. Totally, Sloan. It's like the industry's dropping gifts left and right. But before we dive into the new albums, I gotta shout out some fresh news that's got me hyped. Fontaine's DC just wrapped up their romance era with this surreal live video for Desire. Directed by Obey Perry, it's all discordant clips from their tour, especially that massive Alexandra Palace show in London. Oh yes. I watched that footage last night, and it's haunting, isn't it? That ominous character in the lime-green balaclava stalking the band. Straight out of the Starburster video. Gryan Chattin and the crew are channeling something powerful, almost dystopian. It's like their future Glastonbury headliners in the making, blending punk energy with the surreal edge. Exactly. It's got that raw, live intensity. They played huge spots like Finsbury Park in that Belfast gig with Mecap. Man, what a way to close out the summer. It feels like a statement, you know. Indy Rock's evolving, and these guys are leading the charge. Makes me excited for what's coming this fall. Absolutely. It's a bridge to all these September drops. Speaking of which, let's kick off with the big ones hitting on the fifth. David Burns, who is the sky? Avant-Carde pop from the Talking Heads legend himself. Julian, as our Indy Sage, what's your take on this? It's like he's reinventing himself yet again. Sloan, Byrne's always been the king of quirky evolution, right? This album feels like a growth spurt, pushing boundaries with electronic flourishes and those signature existential lyrics. I mean, who else could ask who is the sky and make it sound both profound and playful? It's not just nostalgia. It's Byrne saying, hey, I'm still here, innovating. Poetic flair, indeed. There's this intellectual depth to it. weaving in environmental themes, or maybe something cosmic. I'm hearing whispers of ambient electronic layers mixed with his talking heads vibe. But it's a farewell of sorts too, isn't it? Not for burn, but think about Saint Etienne's International, dropping the same day, their final album as this iconic indie pop trio. That's a closing chapter that hits hard. Oh man. Saint Etienne. They've been They've been soundtracking our lives since the 70s with that dreamy, electronic-tinged pop. International, as a swan song, it's bittersweet. I bet it's packed with those lush melodies and cultural nods. Farewell, but on their terms. You know, growth and closure, like you said. Burns growing, Saint Etienne's bowing out gracefully. Gracefully, yes. Elegant to the end. And don't forget Ivy's traces of you on the fifth too. First new album in 15 years. Archival demos turned into something fresh. It's pure nostalgia fuel. Fans have been waiting forever. High expectations, right? Like unearthing buried treasures from the indie pop vault. Totally. Sloan, it's got that legacy vibe. Ivy's always had this ethereal, shoegaze-y electronic pop thing going on. Releasing demos after all this time, it's like a time capsule. I'm curious if it'll feel raw and intimate or polished up for 20-25 years. Either way, it's a big deal for the diehards. Diehards, absolutely. And speaking of returns, fast forward to September 19th with Motion City Soundtracks The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World, their first studio LP in 10 years. Email and pop punk roots, but I'm betting they've matured it into something reflective. Nostalgia meets evolution, don't you think? For sure, that title alone screams introspection, the same old wasted wonderful world. Motion City was huge in the mid-2000s emo scene, all since-driven hooks and heartfelt lyrics. Coming back after a decade, fans are going to lose it. It's like Ivy's return but with more punk energy. High stakes, high rewards. High rewards, yes. And let's not overlook the emerging voices. September 12th brings Liquid Mike's Hell is an Airport. Power Pop meets Indie Rock. Fresh energy, Julian. This one's got that raw, urgent feel, like a new voice cutting through the noise. Oh, yeah, Liquid Mike's been bubbling up in the indie scene. Hell is an airport. What a title, right? Sounds like Airport Purgatory turned into catchy riffs. Powerpop with indie grit. It's emerging talent at its best. Reminds me of Fontaine's DC's rise. That same DIY spirit pushing boundaries. Exactly. Connecting those dots. Fontaine's wrapping their tour with that video, and now these releases, it's all about Indy Rock's pulse. Burns' avant-garde twist, St. Etnian's Farewell. It's a month of transitions. Transitions. Spot on. Hey Sloan, remember when we talked about Burns' last project? This feels like a spiritual successor. More experimental. Less rock. More electronic weirdness. Tracks are you eyeing first? Hmm, probably the title track, Who is the Sky? It's got this poetic ambiguity, burn questioning existence through soundscapes. And for Saint Etienne, I'm all about how they tie up their narrative. International, global vibes, maybe. Electronic pop with worldly influences, a fitting end. Fitting end, yeah. I love how they're going out on a high note, not fading away. Now I these traces of you, those archival demos. It's intriguing because it's not entirely new material. It's like rediscovering old sketches. Could be hit or miss, but the nostalgia pole is strong. Fans might hear echoes of their apartment life era. Echoes, precisely. And that's what makes it matter. Legacy acts like Ivy in Motion City soundtrack, bridging gaps. Motion City's album, after 10 years, just in Pierre's lyrics were always so vulnerably witty. I'm hoping for that same emo heart with Pop Punk Polish, updated for today. Updated for today? Yes. Maybe some electronic elements creeping in, tying back to the month's vibe. And Liquid Mike, emerging with Hell as an Airport. I heard it's got these anthemic choruses, indie-rock edge, perfect for playlists, you know? Fresh Blood and Power Pop. Fresh Blood, indeed. Julian, tying this to broader trends, indie rocks seeing this wave of returns and farewells, while electronic pop evolves. Fontaine's DC's live power burns experimentation. It's like the genre's reflecting on itself. Reflecting, totally. Remember their Belfast show with kneecap? That crossover energy, Irish punk meets rap? Its cultural fusion, much like St. Etienne's international flair, makes September feel alive. Alive and kicking. For Ivy, 15 years absent, what do you think prompted the return? Fan demand or just the right timing with those demos? Probably a mix. Timing's everything in music. Demos can sit forever, but dusting them off now feels serendipitous. Like Motion City, they disbanded, reformed. Life cycles, right? Life cycles, poetic as ever. And Liquid Mike as the wild card. Not legacy, not farewell, just pure emergence. Life as an airport could be this month's sleeper hit, with its indie rock punch. Sleeper hit, yeah, I'm calling it. Sloan, if you had to pick one to spin first, which... Tough call, maybe burn for the intellectual rush. You? Saint Edithienne for the farewell feels. But honestly, all of them. Folks, that's our deep dive into September's drops. Indie rock, pop, electronic gold. Gold indeed. Julian, any last thoughts on Fontaine's? That video is a mic drop. Mike drop, for sure. Surreal, powerful. Future headliners, mark my words. Thanks for tuning in, everyone. Until next time. Stay tuned to Stereocurrent. Peace out. Hey, Sloan, one more thing. Did you catch that Bala Klava character in the Fontaine's video? Creepy cool. Creepy cool, yes. Like a tour mascot from a fever dream. All right, we're out. You have been listening to NNC. Visit NNewscast.com for more episodes and deep dives. Neural Newscast combines real voice recordings with synthesized voices to enable prompt production without sacrificing quality. All content is generated using advanced AI algorithms developed by a human and undergoes fact-checking and human review prior to release. While we strive for factual, non-biased reporting and actively work to prevent AI hallucinations, AI-generated content can occasionally contain errors. Listeners are encouraged to verify critical information from trusted sources. For more details on our AI transparency policies, visit nnewscast.com