I think lobste.rs might fill that niche. It's certainly less trendy and quieter. And you need an invite to post iirc.
Hello, If you are interested in lobste.rs invitations send me an email with your "keybase profile" and at least 1 public network identification that will let me know that you're not a self-destructive troll and I'll be happy to help you. UPDATE: Since I received a lot more emails than I thought and it's time consuming, my offer stands for another 24 hours. regards
More about me. http://blog.harshillodhi.co.in/about-me/