Bandcamp Friday Recommendations

Graphic by Drew Litowitz

It's Bandcamp Friday, which means it's time to open thy wallet! Need help figuring out what to purchase today? Below is a list of independent artists that deserve your ears and your support.

Noe's Picks
​

INNA BABALON - John T. Gast
Genre: IDM
Layered, hypnotic, electrocuted, schizophrenic electronic music that is truly captivating in its complexity and entrancing melody.
https://5gatetemple.bandcamp.com/album/inna-babalon ​
​

condemned to die in a carolina motel bar - Mathew Lee Cothran
Genre: Singer/Songwriter
Lo fi, sad indie music that dives into solitude and intergenerational melancholy. Beautiful lyricism and compositions.
https://mathewleecothran.bandcamp.com/album/condemned-to-die-in-a-carolina-motel-bar 
​

the hum of your veiled voice - Jake Muir
Genre: Ambient
From Space Afrika’s record label we get another gorgeous ambient record from Jake Muir. Textured with ASMR sounds and alive field recordings, this is an ocean to get lost in.
https://sferic.bandcamp.com/album/the-hum-of-your-veiled-voice ​
​

Lifetime - Klein
Genre: Ambient / Electronic / Experimental
Klein explores the bizarre and oppressive experience of growing in a zealously religious family. The record is filled with pain and beauty, and the mixture of electronic music, distorted conversations, and field recordings creates a profoundly evocative experience.
https://klein1997.bandcamp.com/album/lifetime ​
​

Music from Saharan Cellphones - Various Artists
Genre: Rap / Ballad / Rock / from Africa
Did you ever share music via bluetooth or infrared? This compilation provides some of the best hits passed around from phone to phone in Western Africa. A very fun collection.
https://sahelsounds.bandcamp.com/album/music-from-saharan-cellphones ​
​

Psyops for Dummies + Purge - DJ Stingray
Genre: Detroit Techno
One of the best from the world of Detroit Techno, DJ Stingray delivers alien sounds with deep undertones that will get you moving.
https://prestorecords.bandcamp.com/album/psyops-for-dummies-purge ​
​

Limerencia - Lila Tirando a Violeta
Genre: Club
Powerful club tracks with impeccable production showcase the exciting dance music coming from Mexico City and Latin America.
https://naafi.bandcamp.com/album/limerencia 

​

A. Iwasa's Picks
​

Rare Form - Rare Form
Genre:  Hardcore
A predominantly female band, with an anthemic, throwback sound usually associated with "macho" dudes.  Intelligent lyrics and great live when I caught them in Oakland.
https://rareformhc.bandcamp.com/releases
​

Demo 2020 - Muddle of Pud
Genre:  Crust Metal Queercore
Ex-Windmill of Corpses guitarist and sometimes vocalist, Jessie Williams, continues to deliver brutal metal.  The sense of humor that attracted me to Windmill of Corpses is a little more obvious this time around.  Also just as good live as on CD.
https://muddleofpud.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2020
​

Time is a Vulture that is Always Circling - Healers
Genre:  Post-Punk
Like the best of ‘80s new wave and goth bands had a baby in the San Francisco Bay Area!
https://healers.bandcamp.com/album/time-is-a-vulture-that-is-always-circling
​

Don’t Be Cute - Golden Hour
Genre:  Devotional (I’m sure that’s a joke, I’d call them post-punk)
Some elements of riot grrrl and no wave, but also of the rock revival of the last 20 or so years. 
https://goldenhourband.bandcamp.com/album/dont-be-cute
​​

Parisa's Picks
​

OS1 - Calantha
Genre: Ambient, drone
An excellent first release from Phoenix-based solo artist Calatha. Beautiful soundscapes centered through tape loops and spacious, ever-expanding ambient drones. 
https://calantha.bandcamp.com/album/os1 ​
​

Funeral Songs - fra fra
Genre: Traditional Ghanaian music
Recorded and produced by Ian Brennan (Tinariwen, Ustad Saami), this new release is a collection of traditional funeral songs sung by a small tribe in northern Ghana. Minimal, raw and a wonderful celebration of life.
​https://fra-fra.bandcamp.com/album/funeral-songs
​

Glsah Sanaanea with Shiran - Shiran
​Genre: Traditional Yemeni music
Another 2020 release that deserves more attention in the Western world. Israeli-based Yemeni singer Shiran takes on classical songs of Yemen with absolutely striking vocals backed by ancient instrumentation i.e. oud, kawala, and kanun.
https://shiran-music.bandcamp.com/album/glsah-sanaanea-with-shiran
​

Ranil y su Conjunto Tropical - Ranil
Genre: Chicha/Peruvian cumbia, Andean music, tropical
Ranil found some popularity in his hometown of Iquitos when he first released his music in the '70s, but never pursued music full-time. As stated on the Bandcamp page, this compilation was "assembled by Analog Africa founder Samy Ben Redjeb from original LPs sourced from Ranil himself...[and] presents 14 tracks – many of which have never seen wide release outside the Amazonian region – by a singular artist at the very height of his considerable powers." One of the best chicha comps I've ever heard.
​https://analogafrica.bandcamp.com/album/ranil-y-su-conjunto-tropical-limited-dance-edition
​

SEXY PLANET - Bonnie Banane
​Genre: Neo-soul, r&b, funk, baroque pop, French pop, chanteuse, and so much more!
I really have no idea why Bonnie Banane isn't massive yet, but this is absolutely my top pop record of the year. RIYL: Serge Gainsbourgh, Françoise Hardy, the dream-daze state from riding your bike for hours on a cool, sunny day.
https://bonniebanane.bandcamp.com/releases
​

DRUGS vol. 2 - Xiu Xiu
​Genre: Experimental 
​Xiu Xiu has been killing the Bandcamp game in quarantine. Explore their page to find drunk commentaries, exclusive bonus tracks, covers, samples, and my favorite out of the dozens of releases - the DRUGS series. Experimental synth noodlin' to get you in an altered mindstate. **Edit: Today only they're putting the entire 50 record discography on sale for 90% off!
https://xiuxiu69.bandcamp.com/album/drugs-vol-2

The Abyss - The Psychedelephants
Genre: Rock
One of my favorite bands out of AZ. Some serious Mr. Bungle grooves, but with more shredding. 
https://thepsychedelephants.bandcamp.com
​

acts of rebellion - Ela Minus
Genre: Techno, minimal tech, ambient
The new debut release from Brooklyn-based producer Ela Minus. A moody, brooding dark electronic album that you can cry and dance to at the same time. 
https://elaminus.bandcamp.com/album/acts-of-rebellion
​

"Gangsta (feat. KrimsTheFuture)" - Medusa TN
Genre: Rap
The hardest rapper out of Tunisia. Read about her mission as a Muslim Afro-Arab woman in the rap scene in this recent interview I did with herhere. 

Alisha's Picks

A list of my favorite Phoenix local bands that deserve your support! I also provided links to some photo galleries of the bands I took pre-COVID so you can get an idea of the amazing energy at their shows.
​

Off the Couch - The Posters
Genre: Punk
The Posters are a punk rock band in Phoenix that just formed last year. They play loud and fast music that "draws from '80s hardcore, '90s skate punk, and other loud dive bar bands that you'd see for 5 dollars." You can check out photos I took of the band pre-quarantine here. 
https://theposters.bandcamp.com/releases
​

Phantom Limb- American Standards
Genre: Hardcore Punk
Chaos driven punk featuring harsh noise elements. Photo gallery I did of their high energy shows  here.
https://americanstndrds.bandcamp.com
​

Common Drugs- Skull Drug
Genre: Punk
An updated version of great late '80s hardcore and thrash. Photos here.
https://skulldrug.bandcamp.com/ ​
​

Going to Hell - Shamehole
Genre: Folk punk
Cute coupley punk meets raunchy chaos. Photos here.
www.shameholemusic.bandcamp.com
​

Corky’s Leather Jacket
Genre: Hardcore/punk
One of my favorites in the local hardcore scene. Photos here.
https://corkysleatherjacket.bandcamp.com/

S/T - El Googly Diablo
Genre: Dream punk
Dreamy, catchy melodies infused with punk roots. Photos here. 
https://elgooglydiablo.bandcamp.com/album/el-googly-diablo
​

S/T - FoL (First or Last) 
Genre: Punk
A dynamic power punk trio that should belong on the Fat Wreck Records roster! Photos here. 
https://firstorlastaz.bandcamp.com

S/T - Ischemia
Genre: Death metal 
A 2020 release from one of best new bands out of Phoenix. Extremely technical and extremely brutal. 
https://ischemia1.bandcamp.com/releases
​

There is so much amazing talent in the local Phoenix scene, so here's a link drop to more bands that I recommend checking out too:
www.redoubtband.Bandcamp.com
www.Bleachpartyusa.bandcamp.com 
www.hobobastard.bandcamp.com 
www.Reasonunknown.bandcamp.com 
www.Scrupulous.bandcamp.com 
www.Heavybreatherphx.bandcamp.com 
https://theitalianstallionbattalion.bandcamp.com/ 
www.Sorrower.bandcamp.com 
www.Evendeath.bandcamp.com 
https://acontinentnamedcoma.bandcamp.com 
https://itsembarrassing.bandcamp.com 
www.themaybenextyears.bandcamp.com 
https://none2no1.bandcamp.com/music 
https://broloaf.bandcamp.com/
https://eyerake.bandcamp.com/ 
https://swapmeat.bandcamp.com/ 
https://paintingfences.bandcamp.com/ 
www.Tvtragedy.bandcamp.com 
https://archenaut.bandcamp.com/releases 
https://dirtycheetah.bandcamp.com/album/never-too-late 
https://morgansbluff.bandcamp.com/releases 
https://lermgerm.bandcamp.com/track/fall 
www.chzbrgrpicnic.bandcamp.com 
https://cosmicsouprecording.bandcamp.com/ 
www.SQUAREDSUX.BANDCAMP.COM 
https://roethkemusic.bandcamp.com/album/toxoplasma-gandhi 

​