Indie Sights
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Indie Sights
Cool indie websites that clue you in on subterranean online culture. By Ramesh William
Stripped of over-moneyed pretensions, indie has always had a gritty-cool, underdog vibe attached to it. Indie films, music, fashion and art have been around for yonks but under a different guise; only in recent years has it evolved into a serious genre and adopted its present label. The success of movies like Juno and Little Miss Sunshine has pushed the indie envelope in the past couple of years; while The Cure was an indie outfit all those years ago. Simply put: Indie refers to anything that doesn’t have a big name studio, record label or fashion house backing it. It is usually obscure, mostly underground, always underfunded but almost always interesting. We select some choice picks online for you to get a pretty rough lowdown on indie culture.
Film
Independent Film Channel (www.ifc.com/film/)
The online arm of US-based cable TV channel IFC. You’ll be able to watch episodes online and also get a heads-up on the latest indie film happenings. The website’s integration with music and politics lends it a credible voice on socio-cultural contemporary issues.
Highlight: Watch a video interview of Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne speaking about directing his first film.
Indiepix (www.indiepixfilms.com)
Packed with blogs, downloads and filmmaker interviews, this is the true epitome of indie-cool online. With an extensive catalogue, it covers new releases of some of the best unheard-of talent in the world.
Highlight: You can download movies from its sizeable archive; in DVD format. Two of the best indie sleeper hits, Tangier Treehouse and Pies, are available for download. It ain’t free, of course; struggling artists need food too.
Film Independent (www.filmindependent.org/)
The home of the Spirit Awards, the Oscars of the indie film world, is choc-full of blog links, podcasts, industry news and talent development advice. If you’re thinking of breaking into the American indie film scene, then this is your pit stop.
Highlight: An interesting choice of film shorts and advice on the filmmaking craft.
Art
Deviant Art (www.deviantart.com)
This online treasure chest of digital, traditional and manga art is a wonderful repository of all things unusual, dark and eclectic. You can buy the art and support the cause, or pick a print and impose it upon a T-shirt. Either way, you can get lost for hours on this site.
Highlight: The cool street art page.
Juxtapoz (www.juxtapoz.com)
An online art and cultural magazine featuring a whole slew of unclassifiable and uncategorizable artworks, drawings, comics and sculptures. Being presented as a blog may give it a wordy feel, but the psychedelic colors alongside will not make for dry reading.
Highlight: Feature stories on emerging new artists.
Bornmagazine (www.bornmagazine.org)
Perhaps the most unique entry of those presented here. This website marries cool art with literature. Presented in flash animation, you can read short stories accompanied by some uber-funky art and illustrations.
Highlight: Snowbound by Elizabeth Tornes and Josh Spivey.
Fashion
Fashion indie (www.fashionindie.com)
With a tagline of “Fearless Fu*king Fashion,” this is may not be to the taste of some fashionistas out there. Yet, you’ll find avant-garde, glam-funk options here. There are enough mainstream fashion musings here, just in case you get tired of opinions of underground fashion.
Highlight: The On the Street page; a window on stylish, grungy sartorial trends on sidewalks the world over.
Indie fixx (indiefixx.com/category/indie-fashion/)
OK this blog site is very girlie. Nothing wrong with that; it’s safe and different without being too underground or goth-inspired and (if you are so inclined) there are enough interesting picks that’ll have you punching in your credit card details in no time.
Highlight: Blog links to similarly girlie-type indiewear.
Indieshopper (www.indieshopper.com)
A website that features skaterboy, hip hoppy stuff alongside some very classic haute coutre. Go figure indeed, but very interesting.
Highlight: A Japanese style kimono dress. Warning: Prices are not very indie.
Music
Soma fm (somafm.net)
The music you’ll hear on this online music streaming site is not entirely made of independent labels; acts like Dzihan & Kamien, Thievery Corporation and Bebel Gilberto feature heavily. But you’ll also find some absolutely obscure but delightful pieces from a range of unsigned garage acts. The fact that this in-depth, multi-genre site is entirely user supported makes it one of the most honest, independent music sites out there.
Highlight: The Groovesalad streamcast. In its own words: A nicely chilled plate of ambient beats and grooves.
Winston’s Zen (www.winstonszen.com)
Zen yourself out on this indie music site and discover some really awesome musical gems like Lowline and Melbourne-based Skipping Girl Vinegar. MP3 (legal, of course) downloads of single tracks are available. Zen’s CD reviews are also a worthwhile read.
Highlight: Embedded YouTube videos of various indie acts; boredom killer at worst, enlightening and endearing experience at best.
Indiesurfer (indiesurfer.blogspot.com)
The blog that does the most to big-up indie music is back and kicking after having removed most of its copyrighted downloadable links. What’s really interesting about this blog is that it documents the trials and tribulations of the (usually struggling) artists, and includes interviews with them. Downloadable MP3s of many an unsigned act are also found on the site. So click away.
Highlight: February Album of the Month, the self-titled album from The Dogs. Free to download.
Unsigned (www.unsigned.com)
Chance upon some really smooth unsigned acts classified according to genre on this site.
Highlight: Much like myspace, you can create an artist page and upload your material for the world to hear on this site. And it’s free.
And finally ... a local site
Big O (www.bigozine2.com)
Documenting Singapore’s underground culture, the institution that once was now thrives solely on the web-o-sphere. Thankfully, it is no less engaging as it once was. Musings of contemporary Singapore sit alongside music reviews, and the occasional X’ho piece is worthy of a drop-in now and then.