Bandcamp Counselor: February and March 2018
By Cameron Deuel
Bandcamp is the single greatest music discovery platform in existence because it grants you instant access to an ecosystem of music in virtually every genre from artists around the world. You could accidentally click on an album under the Recently Sold section and discover your new favorite band. You might also quickly recognize that lo-fi didgeridoo two-step isn’t your jam. (Or maybe it is, and you find acceptance among the didgeridudes and didgeridudettes!) As your Bandcamp Counselor, the goal of my column is to point you in the direction of great releases from the last month that flew under the radar. Here are a few outstanding releases from February and March.
Marbled by Abhi The Nomad
Though Abhi The Nomad hails from Austin, Texas, his debut album taps into the easygoing bounce that seems to be the lifeforce of the eternally young Coachella set. Marbled https://abhithenomadtbe.bandcamp.com/album/marbleweaves so many genres together the final result is decidedly new and bright.
RIYL: Wearing shorts with long socks, when Tyler the Creator plays piano, the Pacific Coast Highway, $1 bins at record stores
https://abhithenomadtbe.bandcamp.com/album/marbled
Waves by Donovan Wolfington
Five years after their debut album, New Orleans’ premier indie punk band says goodbye with an album that remind fans why they fell for them in the first place. Waves is packed with electrifying riffage and chant-ready choruses to ensure Donovan Wolfington go out with a bang.
RIYL: Long goodbyes, Irish goodbyes, ghosting, toasting
https://donovanwolfingtonmusic.bandcamp.com/album/waves
Spanaway EP by Mud on My Bra
The Seattle-based two-piece Mud on My Bra exists between punk, surf rock, and garage rock and their Spanaway EP is a bracing shot of locally sourced goodness.
RIYL: Getting change for $1 to use a jukebox, summer beanies, CRAFTS!, roller skates
https://dentapes.bandcamp.com/album/spanaway-ep
Junior by Pax
Dilla-inspired beat tapes are a dime a dozen on Bandcamp but Paxico Record’s Junior is more than homage. Throughout the 46 tracks on the album, listeners are treated to an impressive variety of samples, genres, and sonic textures. Throw this on to experience the music equivalent of a box of chocolates. You deserve it.
RIYL: Hot potato, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, messy jewelry displays at thrift stores, snack mixes
https://paxicorecords.bandcamp.com/album/junior
Steal Chickens From Men and The Future From God by Shakarchi & Stranéus
Swedish DJ duo Shakarchi & Stranéus blessed the world with a dozen tracks that are untethered to any particular era and, instead, opt for a feel-good simmer that makes traveling through the album an absolute pleasure.
RIYL: New sweatpants, bicycling with friends, a cloudless sky, a fresh set of markers
https://studiobarnhus.bandcamp.com/album/steal-chickens-from-men-and-the-future-from-god
My Other Dad is Your Ride by Sleepover Club
The latest release from Sleepover’s Club (pictured at the top of this post) is a punchy dose of riot grrl goodness. While it’s not surprising that a project called My Other Dad is Your Ride focuses on DADS, Sleepover Club’s lyrics are hilarious and sweet and optimized for audience engagement during their live shows.
RIYL: Dad hats, dad jokes, dad rock, dad sads
https://sleepoverclub.bandcamp.com/album/my-other-dad-is-your-ride