April phools bandcamp day recs 12.0

 

 

I am on tour, dodging and weaving covid, so here's some quick recs 

Ki Oni - Indoor Plant Life II

Great collection of blissful domestic new age from LA artist Ki Oni. These songs are so easy to get taken in by. Colorful synths immerse you in a feeling of gazing out into a world that you wish you could participate in.

https://kioni.bandcamp.com/album/indoor-plant-life-ii

Khan Jamal Creative Arts Ensemble  - Drum Dance To The Motherland

Incredible faaaaaaaar out jazz lead by vibraphone master Khan Jamal. I cannot believe this was recorded in 1972, it's production is so experimental and mind expanding. It's like the most psychedelic jazz I've ever heard, with just dubbbbbbed out sounds, pounding drums and cosmic feeling....damn, thanks to who ever recommended this to me

https://eremiterecords.bandcamp.com/album/drum-dance-to-the-motherland

Print Head - Change

Print Head is easily one of my favorite punk (post) bands right now. The recordings are raw and blown out. Songs are fast, noisy, spastic and in yr face punchy vocals. The guitar work is killer and fun to listen too.. If you love The Coneheads... you'll love this. 

https://printhead.bandcamp.com/album/change

Broadcast  - Mother Is The Milky Way

Without a doubt the loss of Trish Keenan is one of the biggest blows to music in the last decade. Broadcast was/is one of the best bands of the last 25 years, and one of my favorites. This is as far as I know the last thing they ever released, a tour only CD in Australia. It's similar to the Focus Group collaboration but more homespun, lofi. The two gems are tracks 2 and 3 (Elegent Elephant being very influential on Dummys "Folk Song"). "In Here The World Begins" is a perfect melding of Tender Buttons era but taking it even further into the....Milky Way. It's a beautiful and far to brief EP, hope one day James releases more stuff. Also, this is dope cuz I've been listening to a shit download of this for years!

https://broadcast.bandcamp.com/album/mother-is-the-milky-way

Joys Union Group  - Boredom Euphoria 

Being apart of Trouble In Mind in this era of the labels existence is such a gift. So many like minded music needs making cool music, that is part approachable and part avant garde. This new release by Joy's Union Group takes elements of new age, spiritual jazz, soft focus psychedelia and hints of Chicago post rock into a meditative journey that is reminiscent of The Alps (Jefre Cantu Ledsema/Arp), Ashra and Rameses III. Slow churning bliss.

https://joysuniongroup.bandcamp.com/album/boredom-euphoria

Daisies - Discography

 Its been quite awhile since I've done a post that focuses on one band, but lately, after Dummy played with em, I'm having a minor obsession with Olympia, Washington's Daisies. I learned about this band few years ago from Taylor of the band Flasher, when I was looking for bands to play. What I got was their debut LP "What Are You Waiting For" on K Records, which is a exuberant mixed of the indie pop, triphop, techno, 90s top 40 dance pop, acid house, drum n bass and the UK baggy scene. The one thing about this album is unlike later records, this one feels like a band, which i have no clue if it is or is not. The clear stand out is "Anyones Style" with a huge hook, and bounce that is undeniable. I am also huge fan of the murk of "I'm Not Waiting Anymore" and the instrumental "ok, ok!". It's crazy to me that this LP didn't pop off in the indie pop circles for its clear lineage of Saint Etienne and the cover arts nod to Sarah Records. But, also with indie norms with their large embrace of poptism, cuz Daisies are STRAIGHT UP pop. Its fun, full of life and catchy as fuck. I have no idea if Daisies touresld, or even play out that much, or if they even have ambition outside of artistic ones. The often do pay what you want with their LPs, and when we played with em, it was low key promo wise (not a diss at all),they don't seem interested in being very online, which leaves alot of mystery...which I love. Their next album "2" I didn't even know existed till I started writing this, so I'm hyped to dive in while on tour. They followed that up with the ep "cherries" which has the BANGER "Everybodys Moving To London", I love the horns in the song. And this ep shows the more dance forward, what I assume is sample based production. Oh, and I haven't even talked about how great the production is, its neither lofi or over produced like this kinda music tends to be. Its dreamy, robust and hits hard. So, now we get to the album that really really clicked with me "Daisies In The Studio With Dj Rap Class" a near perfect diy electronic pop record. Every song has HOOOOOKS, it feels like yr own private rave. The song "I Dont Know" is a true hit, with the melody hinting at Sugar Rays "When its Over" and the vocal performance is pitch perfect. Unlike so music dancey indie music, Daisies just feels so unselfconscious, free and beautiful. The whole LP just feels so ALIVE. "Dido" is the other personal standout, great hook and makes me wanna move my ass. I think why all of Dummy connected with it is....its sense of joy and bliss. Their most recent LP is "Sour Melody" honestly didn't hit me at first, I had LOVED the single "Legalize Summer" but the rest....idk, it didn't click, but then we played with em and BOOM, it all hit. Seeing the pure joy of Chris and Valerie's faces, and the joy is was bringing the crowd, it really brought the new stuff in a better context for me, and now I love the record. It's so homespun and real. What sets Daisies apart I THINK, is that they don't give as fuck about being popular, they keep things self contained and punk as fuck, and thats why I relate to and love their music. This band should be huge, but people have bad taste and don't dig...I MEAN K PUT PUT THEIR DEBUT WTF. I think if you dig Mr Fingers, late era Bowery Electric, Mr Twin Sister, 90s dance pop to Robyn and Caroline Polachek youll have alot to fall in love with. Fucking get into it!

https://daisies.bandcamp.com/album/daisies-in-the-studio-with-dj-rap-class

March Bandcamp Friday recs

 

Hello, here's my recs for this bandcamp Friday, be kind to each other. 

Poorly Drawn House  - Home Doesn't Have Four Walls

My god, as someone who isn't into slowcore or post rock that isn't from late 80s/early 90s this album by Poorly Drawn House blew me AWAY. The first thing that grabbed me was the field recording of the crickets against the slow churn of guitar, who's tone reminds me of Karate. Its slow moving beauty, made by people who aren't trying to empress anyone but their own artistic whims. 

https://candlepinrecords.bandcamp.com/album/home-doesnt-have-four-walls

Empath - Visitor 

Empath is a dope band, they play psychedelic pop without using any of the annoying/over used tropes of the genre. This record does in fact, tone the frenzy down, but what it lacks at times in pure blissed out energy it makes up for lucid hooks vocally. "Bell" is a clear stand out, I'm not sure why it wasn't a single, the little feedback bit in the chorus is brilliant! There are few bands I feel like I/Dummy relate too, in that Empath makes sonically interesting pop, that uses sound design, propulsive rhythms and has a deep love for new age music. I hope the next record they do more of the long stretched out jams, combined with these great pop tunes. 

https://empathx.bandcamp.com/album/visitor

Hydroplane  - Shoulder to Shoulder

Thanks to Glenn of The Reds, Pinks and Purples for posting this on Twitter, I have a new(to me) bands discography to traverse. The best way I could describe this release is a mixure of the Bristol rural psychedelia scene mixed with Galaxie 500, Mazzy Star and some triphop beats. Very similar to whats happening in the Bay right now......."fog pop" like April Magazine. This is a collected singles compilation and I love it. The real gem here is the epic "The Love You Bring".

https://hydroplaneband.bandcamp.com/album/shoulder-to-shoulder-collected-singles-1996-1998

Heather Trost  - Petrichor

One night recently Mariana Timony and I were hanging out, and we were looking for bands for Dummy to play with in Albuquerque, NM. We dug deep in the bandcamp tags, and it was feeling (no shade intended) hopeless. But, ding Mariana remembered reviewing this fantastic LP. Surprisingly Heather said yes to playing with us, and I am personally THRILLED. This album oddly is out on Third Man, who isn't know for this sorta thing.Its members of Hawk and A Hacksaw and Neutral Milk Hotel...but sound nothing like those bands. It pulls from the same influences as Broadcast like Jefferson Airplane, The United States Of America, Suicide, Julie Cruise and a dash of kosmische. The LP starts of kinda pysch pop but ends more wild, dream and more abstract. Along with Beach House, I cannot imagine a better band suited for the Twin Peaks roadhouse. 

https://heathertrost.bandcamp.com/album/petrichor

Wash - Wash Demo

Australian shoegaze from 1991 that no one has ever heard of, YES PLEASE. I don't know anything about this band but it's great noisey shoegaze. Similar to underrated favs Aspidistra, Moose and Jane From Occupied Europe. Its got that great youthful, we dont care how bad this sounds, just document it! The song "Chlorine" gooooooes. Highly recommend.

https://washperth.bandcamp.com/album/wash

Vasco Martins - Universo Da Ilha

Alex discovered this recently, and I am only becoming familiar with its beauty. Its beautiful spiritual jazz/new age with lots of mantra like vocals. Very easy to get lost in the repetition and rhythms. It kinda reminds me of some of Lonnie Linston Smiths more far out moments. Its just damn good, can't wait to dig in more while on tour. 

https://vascomartins.bandcamp.com/