5 Sizzling Picks for July's Bandcamp Day
From our ears to yours, Afterglow Staffers compiled a list of Bandcamp-friendly indie artists who have been recently dominating our playlists.
Written by Afterglow Staffers
Image courtesy of Bandcamp
This March, the online music marketplace launched a series of revenue share days in an effort to support small artists facing financial difficulties as a result of COVID-19. When it’s business as usual, Bandcamp typically takes a 10% cut for physical merchandise sales and 15% for digital music, with the rest of the proceeds going to the artist after payment processing fees. But on these “Bandcamp Days,” the company waives its cut in favor of the artist.
Since the first one on March 20, there’s been four total Bandcamp Days that have all brought huge amounts of traffic to the site. According to Bandcamp, fans spent $4.3 million on March 20, $7.1 million on May 1, and $4.8 million on June 5, 2020 — each of these more than 15 times the amount spent on a normal Friday.
As of publication, it seems like this might be the last Bandcamp Days for now, so take full advantage of the day’s opportunity to boost your faves and find new artists to support, like the ones we’ve recommended below. To discover even more talent, check out Afterglow’s Bandcamp lists for Texan artists and Black American artists.
All day today until 11:59 p.m. PDT (2 a.m. CT), 100% of profits made on Bandcamp will go directly to the artists.
— Annie Lyons
Fat Tony
Photo courtesy of Houston Chronicle
Rapper Fat Tony is a legend in Houston’s underground rap scene, and a quick listen through his discography proves why. The Nigerian-American artist has seven albums to his name, each with production and lyrics that push the boundaries of the genre. Take “Texas” from 2018’s 10,000 Hours. Fat Tony pens an ode to his home state atop several groovy guitar licks, complete with the iconic line “I like Solange, Greg Abbott not so much.” Or the culinary-themed “Magnifique” from Wake Up, his collaboration album with producer Taydex released this February, that has lines like “Curry and paprika, we gon’ freak it till it’s right.” Rapping about your cooking prowess over robotic beats and pulses doesn’t seem like standard rap, but innovation is a key ingredient in any Fat Tony track. — Delaney Davis
Recommended If You Like: Duckwrth, EarthGang, Aminé
Mélissa Laveaux
Photo courtesy of Mélissa Laveaux
With her childish vocals and upbeat folk sound, Mélissa Laveaux’s music may seem cheerful at the surface. The Haitian-Canadian singer-guitarist uses her blend of rock, folk, and roots music to celebrate her heritage and express her frustration with those who misunderstand it. In response to Donald Trump’s vulgar comments about Haiti in 2018, Laveaux covered Auguste de Pradine’s anti-imperialist song “Angeliko” for her album Radyo siwèl. Adding in her own lyrics, Laveaux warns Trump to “Keep Haïti out of your mouth (unless it’s to talk about reparations for the occupation).” Throughout the album, she similarly infuses her signature musical stylings into Haitian folk classics to reflect the many facets of her multicultural identity. Her intelligent songwriting, unique sound, and impressive guitar skills make Mélissa Laveaux a must-listen for anyone looking to explore Afro-Caribbean music. — C.S. Harper
Recommended If You Like: Alabama Shakes, Martha Jean-Claude, Odetta
Peach Pyramid
Photo courtesy of Peach Pyramid
“I've been sleeping in too late / Let my hair grow past my waist / Maybe it's the season? / I'll justify my reason,” sings Peach Pyramid frontwoman Jen Severtson on single “Wear Sunscreen,” tapping into a key truth: summer’s not summer if it isn’t a little sad. For the British Columbia-based trio, this sun-drenched melancholy ties together the alternately bright and hazy soundscapes of Bright Blue, their sophomore EP released in September 2019. Throughout the EP’s six tracks, Severtson considers her inner anxieties and yearnings over the blooming synths and glistening guitars that define the group’s surf and shoegaze-infused dream pop. Her voice, boasting a full and clear inflection, is an instrument all its own. “Wear Sunscreen” is a blissed-out gem filled with ‘60s pop-inspired harmonies; “Mt. Pleasant” is all drawn-out longing as Severtson lets her voice snag on lines like “You're casual, even though you are so distracted,” the rest of the lyric spooling out with languid deliberation. But despite the album’s wistful tone, Peach Pyramid brings warmth to each note.
— Annie Lyons
Recommended If You Like: Alvvays, Mazzy Star, Jay Som
Star Moles
Photo courtesy of Bandcamp
Since dropping her first release on Bandcamp in 2017, Star Moles, a one-woman band by Emily Moales, has been difficult to pin down. From the sci-fi psychedelia of earlier projects, like 2018’s STAR MOLES IN SPACE, to the lo-fi indie rock of 2019’s The Magic of Believing What You See, the Philadelphia artist has covered a lot of bases. Star Moles’ recently dropped single “Barely” is a somber track about the disillusionment of self with dreamy keys and mellow bassline. But it’s the precise vocal inflection — breathy and stretched to its limits, all while maintaining monotone exhaustion — that truly captures the feeling of slipping away. With a catalog of over 20 projects available on Bandcamp, Star Moles covers a lot of ground, but always maintains her DIY charm. — Laiken Neumann
Recommended If You Like: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Frankie Cosmos, Courtney Barnett
Y La Bamba
Photo courtesy of Signal Kitchen
Portland-based alternative band Y La Bamba (frontlined by lead singer Luz Elena Mendoza) originated in 2008 and have since produced six evocative albums. Effortlessly blending Mendoza’s Chicana roots with Mexican folkstyle influences and a psychedelic indie feel, Y La Bamba generates a haunting sound that can only be described as spiritual. Singing in both Spanish and English, Mendoza’s seamless transition between languages explores themes of el patriarcado, chicana feminism, familial history, and spirituality. “Mariposa De Coalcomán” and “La Última Vez,” the band’s latest singles dropped back in April, are both a part of the latest Sub Pop Singles Club series. Both sang predominantly in Spanish, the songs’ acoustic feel and warbled vocals give the tracks a bolero feel, touching on themes of heartbreak and melancholy. With a discography as vast as Y La Bamba’s, it’s easy for any listener to lose themselves in the trance that is Luz Elena Mendoza. — Samantha Paradiso
Recommended If You Like: Julieta Venegas, Natalia Lafourcade, Ana Tijoux