This One Time, at Bandcamp... (#1)

Few industries have been hit harder by the Covid-19 pandemic than the music industry. In a year where gigs have been non-existent, the smallest artists are likely to have suffered the most. They just aren't going to have the streaming numbers or record sales to make up for the lack of income from live shows.

Bandcamp is the primary home for many of these small acts on the internet and one of the few places where artists appear to get a fair deal for their music. I've found some ace stuff there this year and I thought I'd share a few of them here. I'll start with a few discoveries from earlier this year.

Nailah Hunter - Spells       

My job has its ups and downs. Sometimes when things get stressful and a bit of anxiety kicks in, I need to whack on the headphones and listen to something soothing to get my mind back on track. This little EP from LA-based multi-instrumentalist Nailah Hunter has done this on more than a few occasions this year.

 

 

 

Bandcamp says: 

Each of the EP’s six tracks represent a spell, a unique sonic place forged by imagination and incantation. Ambient in nature, each spell highlights Hunter’s skills as a composer. “It really started off with me just wanting to kind of reclaim the way that I thought about creating music and then also performing it,” Hunter says. “I was like, okay. I need to get back to the basics of why I like to create and what it does for me … so I set out to make spells, in the sense that each layer is one of the steps in incantation... It became about purpose... the procedure and the ritual, so that when it came to performing it, I wasn’t able to get into my head about it because I was just carrying out these steps. Each track is its own incantation, its own spell, its own world.” Colorful atmospheres permeate Spells, each track offering tranquil, reflective setting.

Released 28 May 2020 on Leaving Records.

Genre: Ambient

Natalie Slade - Control

When I heard this album earlier this year, I was surprised that this album hadn't had more exposure than it has. To me it sounds like one of the sharper nu-soul/R&B albums I've heard for a while (albeit a genre I don't claim to be an expert on!). In parts this reminded me of Eska's self-titled debut (and Mercury-nominated) album, from 2015, with elements of Kaleidoscope-era Kelis thrown in.

 

 

 

Bandcamp says:

Control is the incredible debut album from Sydney based vocalist Natalie Slade, produced by Hiatus Kaiyote’s Simon Mavin and featuring contributions from other members of the Grammy Nominated group. Combining Soul, Jazz, Folk and RnB, Natalie’s timeless vocals dazzle across 10 stunning tracks, perfectly complimented by rich, live instrumentation and Mavin’s vibrant production. The album is classic to its core, whilst taking a fresh and energetic approach to a long tradition of Soul/RnB long players. Familiar broken rhythms and jazz heavy motifs, notorious with Hiatus Kaiyote’s writing and arrangement style are present, reminding us throughout that we are in the hands of true masters. The result is a kaleidoscopic reimagining of sounds and styles from an exciting new vocal talent.

Released 05 June 2020 on Eglo Records.

Genre: Nu-soul/R&B 

Kassa Overall - Shades of Flu

 

I was pointed in the direction of this one through Tom Ravenscroft's 6 Music show. It's a jazz mixtape from Brooklyn musician Kassa Overall and as far as I can tell it's a Bandcamp-only release. An incredible variety of tunes are on here, and something I keep coming back to. 

 

 

Bandcamp says:

On the heels of his second, full-length album, I THINK I’M GOOD (Brownswood), the Seattle-raised, Brooklyn-residing Kassa Overall has a gift for the Corona-weary masses— a surprise “jazz remix tape” called SHADES OF FLU.

The title is an homage to Overall’s favorite producer, Madlib, whose own jazz remix album SHADES OF BLUE revolutionized how hip-hop producers engage the jazz archive in 2003. On SHADES OF FLU, Overall unleashes his formidable, if unsung, talents as a producer, once again redefining what jazz is, this time through the medium of the remix.

“As soon as the Corona thing got crazy, I felt the need to get to work, urgently. Livestreaming didn’t feel like the right medium. Instead, I dove into work on SHADES OF FLU, which is basically me playing music with my friends.”

Self-released on 20 May 2020. 

Genre: Jazz/Electronic