Bandcamp Friday Recommendations: February 2021

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.

Parisa's Picks
​

Honey for Wounds - Ego Ella May
Genre: Neo-soul, jazz, r&B
One of the most overlooked albums from 2020, London soul singer Ego Ella May sings like a Badu and Fitzgerald crossover. Fantastic production, warm vocals, and a killer jazz band.
https://egoellamay.bandcamp.com/album/honey-for-wounds
​​

Edo Funk Explostion Vol. 1 - Various Artists
Genres: Highlife, tropical, afrobeat
Analog Africa comes through again with another fantastic compilation of rarity re-releases. This album showcases artists of the Edo Funk scene - a subgenre of highlife that emerged in late ‘70s Nigeria. It’s funk stripped down to its primal essence and travels “inward to the heart of Edo culture and outward to the further limits of sonic alchemy.”
https://analogafrica.bandcamp.com/album/edo-funk-explosion-vol-1

We Are - Lucidvox
Genre: Experimental psych rock, fantasy 
A force to be reckoned with in the Moscow DIY scene, Lucidvox combines heavy riffs, atmospheric psych rock and Russian folk mysticism for a truly unique release. It’s a shredder of an album, oftentimes giving way to proggy interludes to keep you continually surprised.
https://lucidvox-band.bandcamp.com/
​

Untitled - Warren of Ohms
Genre: Mathrock
Last Bandcamp list I featured an analog ambient record from local Phoenix artist Calantha (which I still highly recommend if you haven’t listened already.) This new album from Calantha’s other project, Warren of Ohms, is an incredibly complex mending of hardcore, post-metal and mathrock. Apart from just being a technically dynamic release, it’s an emotionally raw sonic exploration of grief. I’ve never heard mathrock and emotion balanced in this way before, and it's better than I could've imagined.
https://warrenofohms.bandcamp.com/album/untitled-2

“Sobo El Gahwa (feat. Faten Shafeq Kabaha)” - Zenobia
Genre: Electronic, dance music, Arab pop
I’m telling ya, if you’re a techno/house lover, you need to keep your eye on the Palestinian dance music scene, especially in Haifa. You can start with this new single from Zenobia, a duo that “combines Arabic pop melodies, Palestinian/Syrian dabke rhythms, synths...with occasional dubby flavours”. After hearing this single you’ll probably want more, but lucky for you they released two albums last year.
https://zenobiatunes.bandcamp.com/
​

One - Hara
​Genre: Rap, hip-hop
Beautiful storytelling and poetry from the Austin underground rap group Hara. It’s atmospheric, melodic and contemplative with an easy, natural flow. Honored that T&E got to do a single/video premiere for them a few months ago, which was accompanied by a poem from rapper Tåsi here.
https://tasi.bandcamp.com/album/one
​

Son of Sun - Guedra Guedra
Genre: Global electronica
An afrofuturistic dance party from Moroccan producer Guedra Guedra. Featuring traditional music samples from around the globe spliced together and layered with heavy bass (and even some footwork elements!)  for a psychedelic, upbeat and eclectic experience 
https://guedraguedra.bandcamp.com/album/son-of-sun 
​

Brandon's Picks
​

A Bee With Two Horns - Gnarwhal Jrz
Genre: Acoustic Rock
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting John Bonner on multiple occasions and one thing has always stood out: his charm on and off the stage. This track is a great example of that quality shining through the music as it serves as an incredible blend of acoustic folk and psychedelia. Like a modernized version of “Pigs On The Wing (Pt. 1)” by Pink Floyd, the way it blends reserved acoustic strumming with lush and airy vocals is brilliant. It’ll take anyone willing to go on a sonic trip down the ever-flowing river of time.  ​
https://gnarwhaljrz.bandcamp.com/releases 
​

Fruit Island - standards 
Genre: Instrumental “Fruit” Rock
Easily the fruitiest thing to come out of 2020, the latest release from Los Angeles-based duo standards, was a breath of fresh oxygen upon my first listen last year. It strikes this precise blend of feel-good and mind-blowing that never fails to elicit both feelings in me when I hear them. The immaculate two-handed guitar tapping is much less show-offy than it is musical, which is extremely difficult to achieve and gave me tremendous respect for Marcos Mena as a musician and as a writer. Accompanied by the frenetic drumming of Forest Rice and Brody Smith on their respective tracks, it won’t be long until you find yourself in the midst of a steering wheel drum solo. This positive music is not only meant to be heard, but to be felt.​
https://wearestandards.bandcamp.com/album/fruit-island 
​

​A. Iwasa's Picks
​

Zucker 2020 - Fastbacks
Genre: Punk
Fastbacks were a first wave Seattle hardcore punk band that I think hasn't got their due for all the ways they were pioneers, especially since they played shows through the '90s.  Let's set the record straight!   Arguably pop punk by today's standards, this was also one of the bands Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses played in as a teenager. 
https://fastbacks.bandcamp.com/album/zucker-2020

No Boys No Bass - Margy Pepper
Genre:  Dark Pop
​They could have been the next Sleater-Kinney... hailing from Olympia and everything.  About as good as it gets.
https://margypepper.bandcamp.com/album/no-boys-no-bass
​

Demo - No Dice
Genre:  Straight-edge hardcore
Female fronted, high energy, throwback and throw down:  featuring Tucson's own ex-Busted Bearings and XWalrusX member.
https://nodicehc.bandcamp.com/

OTRO GUERRILLERO MIXTAPE VOL. 2 - Rebel Diaz
Genre:  Hip Hop
I actually think this Chilean hip hop duo peaked in an earlier phase with this CD, featuring Puerto Rican Chicagoan Lah Tere.
https://rebeldiaz.bandcamp.com/album/otro-guerrillero-mixtape-vol-2
​