Bandcamp Friday Oct Suggestions

Star Party - Demo 2020

Indie pop, in recent years feels like it mostly leans into the twee jangle side of things but I prefer the really blown out feedback drenched version. So, much to my pleasure I was sent this killer demo by Star Party, 4 noisy as hell shrieking pop songs that hit you with Shop Assistants, JAMC, Henrys Dress or a more current  band UV-TV vibes. All go, no slow, pounding indie pop, more of this please!

https://starpartyrocks.bandcamp.com/releases

Omni Gardens - Moss King

Moon Glyph records is a fantastic label based out of PDX, they specialize in new age, ambient, and psychedelic music. I first came out them from one of their earliest release by Magic Castles, which was extemely experimental 60s indebted pysch,  but only recently dove into their release history.  Ommi Gardens is the project of the label runner of Moon Glyph. Moss king is beautiful collection meditative kosmische. Any fan of Roedelius, Moebius, Cluster, Eno and the more chill side of Harmonia should take note. Definitely skyrocketed to one of my favorite releases of the year. 

https://moonglyph.bandcamp.com/album/moss-king

 

Lifeguard- Dive

Blasting out the gate with 3 releases in under a year, these young Chicago kids(seriously there between 14 and 16) are spitting out more creatively adventurousness indie rock than 90% of current bands and their whole discographys. There are moments of pure joy that only unpretentious could make, and that bounces off zoned out noise, feedback and what I assume is alot of free form experimentation. There are hints of SST, Touch n Go and early Sub Pop  records  running through the DNA of Lifeguard's grungey, post punky, pyschdelic rock n roll. I feel like this band is gonna have an exciting progression, the more they hone and tighten their craft to create something truly great in the future, here their are hints of brilliance...so keep em on yr radar.

https://lifeguardband100.bandcamp.com/album/dive

Red Tunic - Tumbler c/w Angel Lamp

Ezra of the late/great Cross Country comes through with a digital 7inch, "Angel Lamp " nervy post Women indie rock but the real gem is the A-Side "Tumbler". This songs is one of the most tense, anxious and winding pieces of post punk I've heard in awhile, and I actually BELIEVE the feeling its conveying...which is dread. The opening drums pound with purpose, guitars weave inbwteen atonal thrashing and circular melodies that all keep pulsing forward in a jammy zone out till the end. If you did Women, earlier Sonic Youth, and Wire youll dig this.

 https://redtunic.bandcamp.com/releasesl

KeiyaA - Forever, Ya Girl 

The loose (?) scene about MIKE, and Standing On The Corner has produced some of the most exciting hiphop/R&B going right now, and the debut album by KeiyaA is another new one to add the list. Produced mostly by KeiyaA, this record teems with life, soul and longing. The production is perfectly dreamy, meditative and at times abstract. It has the same lineage as Erykah Badu, Solange, Ann Peebles, or more recently Liv.e and King. I can't imagine anyone who digs alternative r&b, litely psychedelic lofi-ish production,wouldn't dig this a ton!

https://keiyaa.bandcamp.com/

Idi Et Amin - A Phone In Kyoto

Another digital single, this time from Arizona band Idi Et Amin, who bring no bullshit bendy noise of in your face shoegaze ala "Isn't Anything". These 2 songs burst out the gate, no overly used effects, oozing melodies and just absolute bangers. There isn't much to say other than that, on a world filled with weak ass shoegaze they are one of the bands that "get it".

https://librarygroup.bandcamp.com/album/a-phone-in-kyoto

Anna Roxanne - Because Of A Flower

I saw Anna open for one of my favorite electronic artists Craig Leon at one of the "Ambient Church" shows that happen here in LA, which is one of the coolest series of shows I've been too. This is their debut LP, out on legendary Kranky Records (Deehunter, Grouper, Jessamine), only one song is avail to listen but its a beaut. The first single is a lovely mix of Krankys brand of meditative "post rock", Annas absolutely stunning vocals and Japanese influenced ambient/new age. I was very curious what direction their LP would go, and this song is very different from their EP that came out on Leaving Records. Anyway you can preorder digital/vinyl, and they have a new single coming out soon!

https://anaroxanne.bandcamp.com/album/because-of-a-flower-2

Bandcamp Friday recs 3.0

Another month goes by, and the only ethical "streaming" service is here to help out our fellow artist, so here's another list of things I enjoy and recommend!

No Joy - Motherhood 

This LP rules, and seeing all the love its been getting has been dope, cuz Jasimine has been working, evolving and sharpening her craft over 3 LPS and bunch of EPS and it all pays off with this absolutely unselfconscious, weird and beautiful record. For those who haven't hears yet, shame on you but imagine if Deee-Lite and Deftones collaborated on a full LP of noisy, dancey freak shit.

https://nojoy.bandcamp.com/album/motherhood

Jock Gang - Self-Titled and Cool EPS

Jock Gang holds a special place in my heart becuz my 2 memories of seeing them live were great shows. One was when they opened for Deerhunter and Aldous Harding they blew me away with their clanging no wave meets Velvet Underground brooding pummel, but after them it was Aldous Hardings and she was INCREDIBLE, and it was just her and a dood playing guitar/keys, and the whole crowd was like wtf are we watching and Deerhunter was great as per usual, it was a inspiring night. The 2nd time was a tiny house show in Charles Village (Baltimore),  and they just killed it,the pounding rhythms and ice cold guitars weaving in and out of each other. Plus, both me and my husband thought they ruled and he hates current guitar based music for most part. They only put out these 2 EPS, and they are extremely abrasive, holds you at a distance, and like i said before its no wavey, Velvet Underground meets Women kinda vibe.

https://jock-gang.bandcamp.com/

Les Halles - Elsewhere Is A Negative Mirror 

Hailing from Brussels, Les Halles brings healing new age music with lovely flute sounds, synths, samples, field recordings and blissed out drones. This is a comp of tracks he selected to collect on one cassette from across his discography.  I recommend checking out his whole discography. My husband introduced this to me when we first started dating, so it kinda reminds me of that time. Truly peaceful music for early mornings or late afternoon walks in the sun.

https://halles.bandcamp.com/album/elsewhere-is-a-negative-mirror-compilation

Cartwheel - Cartwheel

This project is, as far as I know, a solo recording project from the guitarist of Big Bite/Versing, and like those bands its bendy fuzzed out goodness. It feels more influenced by MBVs Isn't Anything and MBV than the after mentioned bands who recall the wiper and pavement. The songwriting is really cool, strange dynamics, transitions and pure feedback drenched guitar work. This is a capital G guitar record. "Skin" is definitely my favourite track, all feedback, whammy bar fuzz and chill vocals w no drums. If you dig Hotline TNT, Toner and Bugg, you will for sure dig this.

https://cartwheeeel.bandcamp.com/album/cartwheel

Sprain - As Lost Through Collision

Dummy was supposed to play w Sprain in April for Gold Cages record release, and I was super excited to see em live cuz I've watched a few video and it seems super super tense and explosive. This is their debut LP. This shit is dark, brooding and absolutely pummeling. It takes bits of noise rock, slowcore, no wave, drone and mixes it into an apocalyptic swirl of pure pent up rage. Its like if Duster was influenced by AmRep records and the dirt, instead of outer space. 

https://sprain.bandcamp.com/album/as-lost-through-collision

ovrkast. - Try Again

ovrkast. is from the same scene as MIKE, Earl, Mavi, Lojii and Navy Blue, which are all some of my favorite hiphop artists going right now. Chill, at times abstract, and at time truly beautiful, forlorned, and self reflective. The production is lush, slightly dreamy, skittering rhythms and the jazzy samples are are a perfect backdrop for his style of rapping. Idk, i think this another excellent hiphop record from this small and vibrate scene of writer's and producer's who aren't really concerned w trends and typical song structures. 

https://itsovrkast.bandcamp.com/album/try-again

Sweeping Promises - Hunger For A Way Out 

Sweeping Promises comes through with one of the best and most playful post punk records I've heard in awhile. Lira and Caulfield were in one of my favorite bands i ever play with on tour called Mini Dresses, who you should also check out. The LP recalls early B52s, XTC, Girls At Our Best and Maximum Joy, with its nervy dancey anxious rhythms, and stabby guitar lines. Lira is a fantastic singer, and that is kinda what sets this apart from most current post punk, along with its lack of posturing, its cool effortlessly, and isn't trying hard to seem this way or that way. The recording is just raw enough, to buck at current hyper polished recording, probz because they did it themselves. Yea, its a good as hell LP, and better than 99% of current post punk.

https://sweepingpromises.bandcamp.com/album/hunger-for-a-way-out