Come with us for this one.
It’s March, and you’ve just moved to Chicago. You head out to one of your new favorite spots—let’s say The Burlington. You grab a drink, find some leftover movie theater candy in your pocket, and settle in, hoping to hear something fresh, something that reminds you why independent music matters.
As you unwind your scarf, you hear the first chords of some kind of otherworldly, thick, rich sound. Yep. Yep. Yep.
Chicago indie music has it. And The Transference, a Chicago-based indie rock/power-pop band, is a gift of an intro to that world. Their song, Aliens, from their debut LP “100 Mirrors”, is exactly what you were hoping for.
The drums haven’t even dropped yet, and you’re already searching Spotify. You know you’ll have it on repeat. The opening is transcendent—slightly eerie—pulling you just off-kilter enough to listen harder.
Original Lyrics
You glance around, making sure everyone else hears what you’re hearing. Then the beat kicks in and lead singer Laura Hollingsworth’s vocals slice through with clarity and warmth. She’s not just singing—she’s telling a story. One about connection, about holding on to yourself when everything around you is pulling in different directions.
You can hear that this was written in 2020. There’s a weight to it. A haunted kind of reflection, but not in a way that drags you down. It builds you back up with focus and intention.
Laura’s writing captures the tension of wanting community in isolation—and finding your voice anyway.
“Though the darkness surrounds us, we are made of light.
We will never again hold on to the weight of a lie.”
It’s reflective and relatable—and also? It just sounds really good.
Music Underpinnings
You’ve been to enough shows to know when a song has a job in the set list. Aliens is a lift—one that hits with energy while staying deeply personal.The close harmonies from vocalist/lead guitarist Justin Wheeler and vocalist Andrea Santiagowrap around Laura’s melodies like they were built to live there. It’s tight, but never overthought. Everyone stays in their lane and supports the song instead of competing with it.
They sound like what an atomic gummy cluster would sound like. One piece, but every layer has a role. Laura’s the Supernova Cherry—bold and centered. Andrea’s the Astro Lime—floating just above, bright and effortless. Justin is the Berry Nebula—pulling it all together with subtle weight.
You’ve listened by now, right? You get it.
And no one locks it all down like the rhythm section. Laura’s former bandmates Alex Karan (drums) and MJ Johnson (bass) bring the firepower and familiarity. Their parts give the whole track its pulse. Add in those piano and guitar layers, and the thing lifts off.
A Standout Single in 2025
Aliens is a standout for The Transference—a big, thoughtful song with teeth. It’s reflective, it’s alive, and it’s built to be played live. The technical skill shows, but it doesn’t scream for attention.
Everyone knows their space, and no one’s shoving a new pedal into a solo just because it’s there. The sound is clean. Full. Honest. It’s not overpolished, but it still hits like a pro record.
Laura’s voice gets the room it deserves while the band fills out the space with intention. You can sing along on the first listen, but it’ll still grow on you the tenth time through.
The sound isn’t tinny – it isn’t muffled – it’s clear, full, and bright. It fits who they’re becoming without overpolishing who they are today. It lets Laura’s songwriting and voice shine while sounding familiar and inviting you to sing along.
Origin Story
You can feel how much work went into getting this lineup together.
After Laura’s previous band broke up, she spent time writing and building new skills. She wanted to build something grounded in harmony, vocally and interpersonally.
Most of the songs on 100 Mirrors came out between 2020 and 2022, during that space between disconnection and clarity. The writing isn’t angry—it’s wide open. Energetic songs with complex feelings that don’t settle for clichés.
In mid-2022, she brought in Alex and MJ, then found Andrea through a mutual friend. Finally, she reconnected with Justin Wheeler (of Modern Daybreak), after accidentally ghosting his initial reply to a call for a guitarist. (Oops.)
That’s when Alex showed a video of Aliens to Tom Spira at Hardstop Records.
You know what he said?
Yep. Yep. Yep.
Lift Off, Not Lost in Space
C’mon. You didn’t just move to Chicago a few months ago—or even if you did—you are now a regular of the scene. Go support The Transference and stream Aliens on Spotify, watch The Transference perform Aliens live, follow The Transference on Instagram to find where they play next, and check back at Hardstop Records for more artist deep dives.