Summer Bandcamp Shopping List

This year in music is turning out to be wildly amazing. And there’s never been a better time to buy music on Bandcamp – on Juneteenth (6/19), Bandcamp is donating all of their shares of Bandcamp sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, a racial justice organization with a long history of effectively enacting change through litigation, advocacy, and public education. Bandcamp is always the best platform to purchase music on and support artists, and this month, a great cause as well. Here are some of my absolute favorites out now or coming out this summer.

John Swanke – Soundings in Fathoms Gorgeous ambient folk, reminiscent of Black Brunswicker with more grit. Drone into the ether.

Wila Frank – Black Cloud Serious Fiona vibes from this precocious songwriter.

Quintelium – Moonwaves Heavy, heady electronica from one of my new favorite instrumental composers.

Abbey Blackwell – My Maze Soulful, classical folk from Ruination Records.

The Far Sound – The Far Sound Far out, beyond psychedelic middle eastern appalachia high lonesome vibes.

Ki Oni – An Evening Stroll to the Garden Party Ki Oni has truly perfected the art of personifying the object of inspiration through sound. Garden Party is ethereal, floral, and intoxicating.

Tinariwen – Amatssou Tinariwen with Daniel Lanois? Sign me the fuck up. The fiddle, the pedal steel – this album is a breathtaking melding of words.

Danny Paul Grody – Arc of Day Danny Paul Grody is my platonic ideal of what acoustic guitar music should always be.

Eric Silverman – Stay In It Crunchy, consciousness-expanding Curation Records goodness. Recorded on Jerry Garcia’s old console in the Mojave, the production value is something you have to hear to believe.

Marcel Sletten – Mammatus Clouds Marcel’s music is always pushing the boundaries of genre and this 16-track album goes all ways. Meditative new age bliss bleeds into laser noises into salsa- it’s all over the map and thoroughly interesting as a result.

Bobby Lee – Endless Skyways Bobby’s music is always so multi-faceted and hypnotic. I have been listening to this non-stop for several days and hear something new each time. Absolutely mesmerizing.

Drew Gardner – Flowers in Space World music played at a pace in which you can explore and admire every intricacy.

Waswas – Just because you wander in the desert, it does not mean there is a promised land Contemplative, unhurried, hazy guitar beauty.

Hayden Pedigo – The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored Too pretty, like if Bruce Halpern played guitar.

Jeffrey Silverstein – Western Sky Music Jeffrey’s releases get better and better and better and this is an instant classic. I’m shocked but not surprised by how amazing this album is.

decker. – Ouroboros An epic, orchestral, psychedelic extravaganza filled with the desert heat and heartache and catharsis.

Anna St. Louis – In The Air Pure gossamer sounds, and Anna’s voice is so lush and complex.

kintsugi – life in death Minimalist, soothing meditations with swells of emotion.

Kara Jackson – Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love? Layers of
heartfelt, ponderous lyricism, gorgeous vocals, and a bevy of lush instrumentation.

compassion: a petal motel compilation for human rights – yeah STILL promoting this because not only does it also support a great cause (The National Network of Abortion Funds) but because it’s AMAZING. 32 incredible tracks of ambient country folk electronic goodness.