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Indie Tracks special!

Manchester's Amida have been compared to both the Pixies and the Magnetic Fields - due in part to their ability to wrench catchy pop from dark subject matter. This is exemplified on their debut mini-album 'Arts and Crafts' which, rattling through six tracks in under 13 minutes, has been described as "a masterclass in pop economy".

Pushing shiny pop hooks to a lo-fi aesthetic, the Just Joans create tales of heartache and teenage longing in small town Caledonia. Is This Music described their debut album (Last Tango In Motherwell) as "frankly staggering", and probably the best album of that year. This was followed by two mini-albums on the rather lovely Wee POP label: Virgin Lips and Hey Boy, You're So Sensitive.

The Occasional Flickers' main songwriter Giorgos Bouras recorded debut album 'Scattered Songs' in his native Greece. But it wasn't until he relocated to Greece and put together a new live band that the music truly felt at home. Imbued with the lyrical wit of Belle and Sebastian, but delivered in the off hand style of the Pastels - they're the best Scottish pop band to ever come out of Greece. Or maybe the best Greek pop band in Scotland. Either way, they're not to be missed.

Rags & Feathers recently supported a Hawk and a Hacksaw in Glasgow, and rather brilliant they were too. Note perfect folk-pop, kinda like the Handsome Family by way of Fairport Convention.

Ziggy Campbell fronts Edinburgh folktronic popsters FOUND.
His solo performances tread a similar path, but the stripped back set-up helps place more emphasis on intimacy and experimentation, helped by his collection of home-made instruments and vintage loop pedals.

Having already recorded and released two albums this year (Apple Tits for Destuction - which has "a 60s vibe", and Dance, which is "mainly all circuit bent instruments and drums"), and with plans for two more (one abstract war concept album, and one straight forward indie), Les Enfant Bastard could just be the most prolific, if not the most diverse, artist in Scotland just now.

Come down.