“Rock Show” (https://tinyurl.com/55zs44sc)/NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/2w6vb6nk) is by Canadian multi-instrumentalist, visual artist and feminist activist Merrill Nisker AKA Peaches. This is from her 2003 album “The Teaches of Peaches” (https://tinyurl.com/3bt3rx2u). In recent years she’s focused on the intersection of aging and feminism and she released 2 documentaries last year: “The Teaches of Peaches” and “Peaches Goes Bananas”
#ILikeToWatch #Peaches
For the record, I went back and forth on which song by Peaches to put on here. Originally I was going to open with a live version of her iconic song “Fuck the Pain Away” (https://tinyurl.com/h8hv7wfh) but just couldn’t bring myself to throw y’all that far into the deep end. So, please, check that one out at your leisure.
#ILikeToWatch #Peaches
Peaches "Fuck the Pain Away" live

YouTube
“Date with the Night” (https://tinyurl.com/mr3t9ve5)/NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/4eerfdtz) by Yeah Yeah Yeahs with ultra cool frontwoman Karen O from their 2003 debut album “Fever to Tell” (https://tinyurl.com/329jr7w5) After taking a short decade off to pursue other projects, they reunited, released their 5th studio album “Cool It Down” in 2022 (https://tinyurl.com/f5nkys58) and are currently touring in honor of their 25th anniversary
#ILikeToWatch #YeahYeahYeahs #KarenO
English-American duo The Kills features multimedia artist Alison “VV” Mosshart on lead vocals and guitar. “No Wow” (https://tinyurl.com/yuzp3e9s)/ NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/2sbxhr65) is from the 2005 album of the same name (https://tinyurl.com/3zdcvcex). With both band members in multiple projects and bands (Mosshart in The Dead Weather & Hince as a producer) they take frequent breaks. Their most recent album is 2023’s “God Games” (https://tinyurl.com/dr7pwtyd)
#ILikeToWatch #TheKills #AlisonMosshart
Toronto, Canada’s Metric is headed up by singer & multi-instrumentalist Emily Haines. “Dead Disco” (https://tinyurl.com/2pvh7c2e) / NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/mr45pj34) is from their 2003 debut album “Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?” (https://tinyurl.com/4fz4zy2n). Their most recent work is 2023’s “Formentera II” (https://tinyurl.com/3crjvkzx).
#ILikeToWatch #Metric #EmilyHaines
Indie Sleaze wasn’t just an anglophone thing. São Paulo, Brazil’s CSS AKA Cansei de Ser Sexy ( loosely translates to “Tired of Being Sexy”) with “Let’s Make Love to Death from Above” (https://tinyurl.com/mpnx68zu) from their self titled debut album (https://tinyurl.com/4dm9e5ef). Nowadays the band is entirely female following the 2011 departure of their sole cismale bandmate. They haven’t released new music since 2015ish but have been performing sporadically since 2023
#ILikeToWatch #CSS #CanseiDeSerSexy
Now let’s get a bit mellow. Here’s “Alive” (https://tinyurl.com/2s3s7d2b)/NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/3zf2w5xe) from English duo Goldfrapp from their 2010 album “Head First” (https://tinyurl.com/yups7pdj) The duo gets their name from their vocalist and producer Alison Goldfrapp. They’re currently on hiatus but Alison has been doing her thing as a solo artist since 2023, her most recent album is “Flux” (https://tinyurl.com/ykrxf76t) which was released earlier this month
#ILikeToWatch #Goldfrapp #AlisonGoldfrapp
Glaswegian band Chvrches featuring the work of multi-instrumentalist Lauren Mayberry arrived later in the Indie Sleaze era but songs like “The Mother We Share” (https://tinyurl.com/2estrpw2)/NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/yu8p66pb) from their 2013 debut “The Bones of What You Believe” (https://tinyurl.com/58vypjp4) made them an instant hit.
#ILikeToWatch #Chvrches #LaurenMayberry
Lauren Mayberry also has had an exceptionally successful solo career on the side. Chvrches most recent album is 2021’s “Screen Violence” (https://tinyurl.com/bdfhearr) while Lauren’s most recent work is 2024’s “Vicious Creature” (https://tinyurl.com/2s3mfpwp)
#ILikeToWatch #Chvrches #LaurenMayberry
Brazilian-American Alt-Pop princess and actress Sky Ferreira deserves so much more than what the world has given her. “Everything is Embarrassing” (https://tinyurl.com/yck6u3s7) from her 2012 EP “Ghost” (https://tinyurl.com/y24tdb4). Her career has been stifled by shitty industry men but she’s finally free of her record label and her second album might see the light day this year🎉 She also recently released “Leash” for the “Babygirl” soundtrack (https://tinyurl.com/csmysdnm)
#ILikeToWatch #SkyFerreira
Swedish sibling duo The Knife features the work of nonbinary feminist Karin Dreijer, who some might know from their work as experimental electronica artist Fever Ray. The band is often masked/costumed during performances and does not appear in music videos or promotional material out of desire to challenge industry politics related to image. “You Take My Breath Away” (https://tinyurl.com/4ht73hhx) is from their 2003 album “Deep Cuts” (https://tinyurl.com/46sn3hfv)
#ILikeToWatch #TheKnife #KarinDreijer
The Knife - You Take My Breath Away

YouTube
Karin Dreijer’s most recent solo/Fever Ray album is 2023’s “Radical Romantics” (https://tinyurl.com/4w2a9pj8) and the companion album “The Year of The Radical Romantics” (https://tinyurl.com/u3s24jpx)
#ILikeToWatch #TheKnife #KarinDreijer #FeverRay

Indie Sleaze is technically a revisionist genre coined by media and trend critic and former Nylon magazine intern* Mandy Lee that lumps together the artistic, aesthetic and media landscape of the early 00s-early 2010s featuring a “grit and glitter”, “The Night is Young and so are we”-downtown party vibe.

(*she was an intern towards the end of my time on staff)
#ILikeToWatch #IndieSleaze

Ibiza, Spain by way of Sanford, England wife & husband The Ting Tings with “Shut Up and Let Me Go” (https://tinyurl.com/muxw4jdd) from their 2008 debut “We Started Nothing” (https://tinyurl.com/46y8bssy). Led by Kaitie White, the duo they’ve had an interesting sound progression. Their most recent album is the decidedly more mellow “Home” (https://tinyurl.com/4u3exeux) from earlier this summer.
#ILikeToWatch #TheTingTings #KatieWhite
Queer feminist trio Le Tigre with “TKO” (https://tinyurl.com/5n6vcd2s)/NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/5b6w87kh) from their 3rd studio album, 2004’s “This Island” (https://tinyurl.com/bdme56j9). The band features the work of nonbinary feminist lesbian academics Sadie Benning (They/Them) and JD Samson (She/ They) and is headed up by riotgrrl legend and activist Kathleen Hannah (She/Her). The band is currently busy with other projects
#ILikeToWatch #KathleenHannah #SadieBenning #JDSamson #LeTigre
You might remember riotgrrl legend Kathleen Hannah from my devious #ILikeToWatch playlist about female grunge musicians (https://tinyurl.com/yamze5dw).
#ILikeToWatch #KathleenHannah #BikiniKill #LeTigre
“Banshee” (https://tinyurl.com/976uucys) NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/55yxcm7d) by Philly’s own criminally underrated Santigold AKA Santi White. It’s from her 3rd album 2016’s “99¢”(https://tinyurl.com/5n8scj53). Her most recent album is 2022’s “Spirituals” (https://tinyurl.com/59rmkvp2) which was a favorite of mine that year. She’s currently touring🎉
#ILikeToWatch #Santigold
Searcy, Arkansas’ Gossip featuring the work of Queer feminist activists Beth Ditto and Hannah Billie with “Heavy Cross” (https://tinyurl.com/5esbpdwj)/NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/57zdyhpb) from 2009’s “Music for Men” (https://tinyurl.com/mvpm57ah). They’re currently on the festival and benefit concert circuit and their most recent album is 2024’s “Real Power” (https://tinyurl.com/mu8s3ryt)
#ILikeToWatch #Gossip #BethDitto #HannahBillie #punk
British band The Subways with “Oh Yeah” (https://tinyurl.com/3svsuuez)/NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/2kyexu4) from their 2005 debut album “Young for Eternity” (https://tinyurl.com/5jacrbcb). The band currently features co-frontwoman Charlotte Cooper and Drummer Camille Phillips. They’re currently on the festival circuit in support of 2023’s “Uncertain Joys” (https://tinyurl.com/yz38wb6m)
#ILikeToWatch #TheSubways #CharlotteCooper #CamillePhillips
Liverpool-based band Ladytron features co-lead vocalists Glaswegian Helen Marnie and Bulgarian-born Sephardic English multi-instrumentalist and Geneticist Mira Aroyo. “Evil” (https://tinyurl.com/bdezmaxx)/NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/ndc26hxt) is from 2002’s “Light & Magic” (https://tinyurl.com/2w8ahzkk). Their most recent album is 2023’s “Time’s Arrow” (https://tinyurl.com/5n88evnf) The band’s currently working on other projects
#ILikeToWatch #Ladytron #HelenMarnie #MiraAroyo
Brooklyn-based Sleigh Bells features the work of activist and former elementary school teacher Alexis Krauss. While the band falls more into the Noise Pop genre I recall them fitting into this “genre” as well. “Infinity Guitars” (https://tinyurl.com/2uh9fu3v)/NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/3yfkbuf3) is from their 2010 debut album “Treats” (https://tinyurl.com/mr9pdxty). The band surprised fans in April w/the new album“Bunky Becky Birthday Boy” (https://tinyurl.com/yjjtm8vy)
#ILikeToWatch #SleighBells #AlexisKrauss
In the midst of all of this nu-new wave-ness was “Noise Pop” and 8Bit music AKA music made using sounds reminiscent of 80s and early 90s electronics and video games. Hence these final 3 songs
#ILikeToWatch
No one was more affiliated with 8Bit music than Alice Glass of the band Crystal Castles. Here’s her Summer 2025 single “Catch and Release” (https://tinyurl.com/mptknhmf)/NO STROBE (https://tinyurl.com/7jsmht42) is a return to her 8Bit indie sleaze roots.
#ILikeToWatch #CrystalCastles #AliceGlass
Full disclosure: I publicly apologized for my role in dogpiling onto Alice Glass for art and aesthetic theft in 2008. In 2017 she went public (https://tinyurl.com/a2tj4vht) w/the abuse, grooming and manipulation she experienced at the hands of General POS and the other half of Crystal Castles Ethan Kath (who also was notorious for groping and assaulting female & femme artists and journalists). I sent her flowers and a written apology which she accepted. I genuinely wish her well.
#ILikeToWatch
@analgesicsleep We’ve featured “Heartbeats” from that album on Stewarama more than once, much to their chagrin, I hear. #ILikeToWatch
@analgesicsleep I remember getting that single as part of a pack of free songs for signing up for iTunes. Loved them since. #ILikeToWatch