"The New Age" Finds Rebel Kicks Blending Pop Punk and Indie Pop
The New York Band’s Latest Single Folds Four Sounds Into a Contemporary Indie Release
Rebel Kicks spent the better part of a decade sharpening a rock-leaning indie-pop sound. The New Age is where it pays off. The New York four-piece lets pop punk, indie rock and melodic pop rock share the same three minutes. Out since 19 June, the single carries the electronic twist the Babino brothers have long favoured. As a result, it is an easy way in for anyone who likes their hooks bright and their arrangements busy.
You can listen to our full playlist which contains the artist’s music, and know more about the artist’s work by scrolling down the page.
Pop Punk Energy Meets Indie Pop Melody Across The New Age
The idea behind The New Age is simple to hear and harder to pull off. It takes the forward drive of pop punk and the melodic instinct of indie pop. It adds the structural give of indie rock, then finishes with a light electronic sheen. Rebel Kicks have circled that blend for years. Here, however, the four styles stop taking turns and share the same chorus.
What keeps it from feeling like a checklist is the band’s ear for melody. The hooks land where a pop-punk song would put its biggest moment. Still, the melodic pop-rock phrasing rounds off the edges. The indie-rock guitars give the track a floor to stand on. It stays busy, yet it still leaves room to breathe.
That balance is the point. Rebel Kicks are not asking listeners to pick a lane. The New Age rewards the fan whose playlist already jumps between scenes in one sitting. Ultimately, the band calls the track a distillation of its contemporary indie sound, and the writing backs that up.
Rebel Kicks Have Been Building Toward This New Single Since 2018
Rebel Kicks formed in 2018 around brothers Anthony and Steven Babino. Longtime bandmates Daniel Bradley and Dorian Lake round out the lineup. Since then the group has released a full-length album, A Portrait of Man: Part 1, and two EPs. One of those EPs, somewhere.in.between, was well received. Several of their singles have been picked up by MTV and Showtime.
So that track record gives The New Age some weight. This is a working band tightening what it already does well. It is not a debut reaching for attention. The genre blend reads as a deliberate choice, and years of writing together show in how cleanly the four styles lock together.
“We poured our contemporary indie sound into ‘The New Age,’ aiming to create something that truly blends our influences and pushes our boundaries,” said Anthony Babino, co-founder of Rebel Kicks. “It’s incredibly exciting to see it resonate with both our fans and the press so quickly after its release, affirming our direction as we continue work on our next album.” Meanwhile, the band is now in the studio finishing that next album. This single reads as a clear statement of intent ahead of it.
Why Fans of The 1975 and Paramore Should Press Play
If you want a quick sense of where Rebel Kicks sit, three reference points help. For example, the genre-hopping instinct will feel familiar to anyone who follows The 1975. That band made a career of letting pop, rock and synths share one song. The pop-punk-to-pop-rock lineage runs close to Paramore. Their shift toward brighter, melodic writing maps neatly onto what Rebel Kicks do here. The synth-touched indie-rock hooks share DNA with The Wombats, who make guitar songs built for playlists.
Still, none of those comparisons box the band in. They are signposts for the listener The New Age is built for. That is someone who came up on melodic guitar music but never treated genre borders as walls.
Where to Stream Rebel Kicks and Follow the Band Online
Rebel Kicks have already drawn press attention outside their own channels. Outlets such as Rising Artists and The Alternative Mixtapes have covered the band. The New Age keeps that going as the group preps its next record.
IndieRock.News curator team: “The electronic twist is what ties The New Age together for us. It gives a pop-punk chorus and an indie-rock backbone a shared finish, and that glue earns the single a place in our rotation.”
You can stream The New Age now on Spotify, Apple Music and SoundCloud. Keep up with the band on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and X. For the full catalogue and mailing list, visit the band’s official site.
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