What does Indigos sound like?

Quintessential alternative rock circa 1998.

The review of Indios – In Utopia

Announcing that ‘In Utopia’ is their final release, Bristol-based duo Indigos sign off with a quintessential British alt pop-rock EP that showcases a mark of class. Indigos has a sassy street talky style to their alt-rock and the dual male/female vocal delivery gives a moodier, muddier and messier edge to their music. ‘In Utopia’ is a cracking EP.

The EP opens with ‘Drug Dealer, Faith Healer’ – a sassy and pointed track that reminds me of the heydays of alt-rock. The guitars have a grizzly fuzz from the MTV era and the drums have their metallic hollowness amped up too. Whilst Indigos is usually a duo, in the studio they have additional support and you can hear the full band effort at play. ‘Mass Media Therapy’ adds in cinematic synths as the tinny drums and muddy guitars turn into a Sneaker Pimps crossed with Garbage sound. Any song that manages to slip in ad block references gets my vote and it’s clear Indigos have a love/hate relationship with the media.

After two absolute riots, ‘Hivemind’ slows things down a bit initially by taking the Cardigans’ approach to riffs. Place a simple but catchy guitar riff front and centre and structure every other sound around it. It works superbly and whilst the song teases at a frantic upturn in pace and ferocity that doesn’t arrive at the end, it’s a downbeat. ‘Prima Donna’ has drive, verve and a grungy edge to its catchy chorus.

Across the release, I’m reminded of a slightly heavier Broken Baby, another superb indie rock duo. Indigos is happier to go heavier and harder and I approve. They also specialise in using a slow horror crawl in their chords and ‘Generational’ uses this perfectly in the verses. It gives off a quirky unease that is quickly shaken off by the spasmodic guitar solos and anthemic bridge that sounds like a Britpop classic in the making. The closing track ‘Erase’ signs the band off with a sludgy chug of alternative rock at its best. It is possibly the most direct, radio-friendly track on the album and also feels a bit like a comment on their music journey coming to an end.

Thankfully, Indigos music won’t be erased and it shouldn’t be part of the conversation. I’m frankly gutted I’ve just discovered them on their final release but ‘In Utopia’ is a fantastic finale. Crammed full of sludgy Britpop meets sassy-tinged alt-rock with an edge, it’s one of my favourite rock releases of 2023. Plucked from 1998 in the best possible way, this will be an EP I’ll be returning back to for many years to come.

Recommended track: Erase

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