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2. Tennis
Members: Alaina Moore & Patrick Riley
Year formed: 2010
When we spoke to Tennis and asked for some relationship advice, Patrick Riley answered, "Marry your best friend. Date your best friend. I think that’s just Alaina and my relationship in a nutshell." Maybe it's their natural affinity for that beautifully soothing sound, or maybe it's the bond that they have that is so readily translated into their music that makes Tennis' span of songs so listenable. Whatever the reason may be, this duo works well together on more than one level.
3. Electric President
Members: Ben Copper & Alex Kane
Year formed: 2003
For those unfamiliar, Electric President are a duo from Florida formed in 2003. They released an impressive three albums in a six month span to start their short career, which were all recorded in a tool shed behind Coopers house. More often that not, when a couple of friends decide to record some music in a shed in one of their backyards, nothing really materialzes from that, and especially not in the form of a legitimate music career. Electric President was one of the rare cases where talent and creativity triumphed in the tool shed experiment.
4. Chairlift
Members: Caroline Polacheck & Patrick Wimberly
Year formed: 2005
When your founding mission is to craft "live music for haunted houses," chances are you're going to become a successful indie pop band. Such is the story of Brooklyn-based duo Caroline Polacheck and Patrick Wimberly—collectively Chairlift. Though the group has gone through a number of lineup changes, Chairlift continues to entertain with their polished songwriting and production and an experimental streak that leads to invigorating ideas like the interactive video for last year's single "Met Before."
5. Wild Belle
Members: Elliot Bergman & Natalie Bergman
Year formed: 2011
Although Wild Belle have yet to release their debut album (Isles will be released in March), the three songs we have heard so far are enough to warrant the band's inclusion on this list. Appearing out of nowhere with "Keep You," the seemingly strange mixture of ska and reggae with dreamy synth-pop worked perfectly, and was shown to be no mere one off with the release of "It's Too Late" and "Backslider." This brother and sister duo, who also happen to both look like models, may not yet have a large body of work, but they are most certainly a band on the rise.
6. Matt & Kim
Members: Matt Johnson & Kim Schifino
Year formed: 2005
Matt & Kim's highly infectious sound is what sets them apart from other indie groups. While some other duos may have developed slow-paced, emotive styles, Matt, who plays the keyboards and takes care of the vocals, and Kim, who plays the drums, chose to follow their playful hearts. In doing so, they've mastered a delightfully energetic, happy-go-lucky sound, so if you're ever in need of a pick-me-up, just throw on some Matt & Kim.
7. Cults
Members: Ryan Mattos (Brian Oblivion) & Madeline Follin
Year formed: 2010
Cults use the simplicity of being in a duo to their favour, leaving their hazy, summery songs uncluttered, and allowing Madeline's saccharine sweet vocals and those undeniable pop hooks to take centre stage and quickly worm their way into your subconcious. Cults' self-titled debut album may not have been especially experimental, but Follin and Mattos understand the power of a well written hook, and manage to cram a whole lot of them into the album's 35-minute running time.
8. Japandroids
Members: Brian King & David Prowse
Year formed: 2006
No pair blasted out of Canada harder in 2012 than Vancouver-based indie punk duo Japandroids. Their sophomore release, Celebration Rock, was widely heralded as a critical success and helped cement their stature as an evolving young band on the rise. To the causal listener their catalog may sound disorganized and coarse, but beneath the surface lies a series of emotionally and sonically complex songs that demonstrate a much more calculated approach to their recording process than simple guitar thrashing and drum bashing. Their elevated, in-your-face sound is perfectly tailored for live performance, something the twosome will be putting on display this coming April at the Coachella music and arts festival.
9. Sleigh Bells
Members: Derek Miller & Alexis Krauss
Year formed: 2010
Nobody does it quite as big as Sleigh Bells. Massive guitar riffs, thunderous drums, and badass leather jackets to complete the look, Sleigh Bells are indie rocks' resident bad boy and girl. Exploding on to the scene with their first full-length album in 2010, Treats, they've literally and figuratively been making a lot of noise the indie world and don't seem to be slowing down. With massive stage presence to match the power of their sound, expect big things from Sleigh Bells in the coming years.
10. Phantogram
Members: Josh Carter & Sarah Barthel
Year formed: 2007
When Big Boi dials up your band for his latest album, you're probably doing something right. With a catalog that blends synth-pop, rock, and elements of hip-hop with ease and memorable tunes that don't pander (killer single "When I'm Small" will stick in your head without a pounding four on the floor beat or an arena-sized chorus), it's no wonder that the pair of Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel makes a fitting accompaniment for one of rap's most eclectic wordsmiths, as well as a consistently compelling act in their own right.
11. MGMT
Members: Benjamin Goldwasser & Andrew VanWyngarden
Year formed: 2004
Though it might seem a bit silly to label a duo whose debut album sold over one million copies worldwide "indie," Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden have cultivated an aesthetic and sound that sits comfortably outside of the mainstream while often capturing a mass imagination. Whether contributing to a Kid CuDi song or providing a soundtrack for commercials, MGMT's particular brand of synthy rock stew provides an often invigorating mixture of dance-inspired rhythms and big choruses. 2010's Congratulations was, by most accounts, a bit of a messy affair, but their latest album is rumored to be slated for this June, so here's to hoping they can rekindle the old magic.
12. Purity Ring
Members: Megan James & Corin Roddick
Year formed: 2010
When Purity Ring came to the scene a couple years ago with their first track, "Ungirthed," it was evident there was something special about this Canadian duo. It was a song that caught the attention of indie fans everywhere, and it was the first of a few more impressive tracks that they released before finally dropping their debut album Shrines. What separates Purity Ring from the other seemingly endless amount of boy/girl indie duos out there today are the infectious synth-pop melodies and standout vocals from Megan. Despite the fact that we've only had one 38-minute album, we're nonetheless eager to see what's next from these two.
13. The Kills
Members: Alison Mosshart & Jamie Hince
Year formed: 2000
American singer Alison Mosshart and British guitarist Jamie Hince are two of the most effortlessly cool musicians on this list, and their crunchy, sneering, lo-fi rock matches their dark and aloof personas. Over the course of four albums the duo has moved from underground favorites to securing more mainstream success ("Cheap and Cheerful" in the TV show House for example), and their popularity certainly hasn't been harmed by Hince's marriage to Kate Moss, or Mosshart's work with Jack White in The Dead Weather.
14. Beach House
Members: Victoria Legrand & Alex Scally
Year formed: 2004
When an indie band can count Jay-Z and Beyoncé amongst their fans they know they're doing something right, and such is the case with Beach House, who's 2010 album Teen Dream propelled them from critical to more widespread acclaim. There is a hazy, woozy dreaminess that runs through all four of Beach Houses' excellent albums, but as the duo have grown in confidence and honed their craft, their sound has expanded from bedroom size to stadium size, culminating in the expansive multi-layered beauty that is Bloom.
15. Crystal Castles
Members: Alice Glass & Ethan Kath
Year formed: 2004
Alice Glass and Ethan Kath have built their reputation on consistently inventive electro-pop (some might call it "dream-pop," but that dream would almost always be a nightmare), mixing beats that sound rap-anthem-ready with DIY aesthetics, heaping helpings of experimentation, and a whole lot of murk that pushes the boundaries of what can comfortably be called "pop." Most recent album (III) is a case study in the duo's signature blend, replete with hazy menacing, anthemic heights, and glimpses of real beauty. It's a mixture that keeps us on the lookout for what Glass and Kath will do next.
16. The Black Keys
Members: Dan Auerbach & Patrick Carney
Year formed: 2001
From releasing seven albums, a couple of EPs, and being in the news for filing a handful of lawsuits over the span of a decade, The Black Keys evidently understand how to achieve staying power. With Auerbach on the guitar and vocals, and Carney on the drums, they've managed to perfect their formula for addictive bluesy garage rock. Having said that, their recent collaboration with RZA for "The Baddest Man Alive" also shows that The Black Keys' music has transcended what they created in the first place. If they continue to make music the way they have been, this duo shouldn't be going away anytime soon.
