Bandcamp Friday Recommendations (April 2022)

If you're looking for some ideas/inspiration for music to download this coming Bandcamp Friday (tomorrow), here's a list of awesome albums of various genres that I've been enjoying lately. 

I plan on plugging these individual releases on Twitter (@fogsongsblog) throughout the day tomorrow too, because they definitely deserve some standalone attention.

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Dayton Swim Club - HANGMAN (2022)

GENRE : post-punk, indie rock, alternative, western noir

RECORD LABEL : Perpetual Doom

The dark sinister apocalyptic debut album from LA's psychedelic goth rock band Dayton Swim Club. Think early Nick Cave meets The Doors meets Joy Division meets Swans in a desperate fight to the death. Great album.

Stream/Download the album here...

https://perpetualdoom.bandcamp.com/album/hangman

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Dear Boy - The Strawberry EP (2019)

 

GENRE : pop rock, alternative rock, indie rock, alternative punk, power pop

RECORD LABEL : self-released

Dear Boy are an excellent power pop band. They're currently working towards the release of their debut album, but they have a pretty sizeable discography of EPs and singles so far that you should definitely dip into. This is the last EP they self-released before they got signed to a record label (Last Gang Records). I think they really found their stride with this one.

Stream/Download the EP here :

https://dearboy.bandcamp.com/album/the-strawberry-ep

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Hainbach - Assertion

GENRE : cosmic disco, electronic, electroacoustic, ambient, experimental, techno

RECORD LABEL : Chase Bliss Records

I previously did a write-up for Hainbach's wonderful 'Home Stories' album here. This is another excellent release of his. Beautiful experimental techno music - at times somber, at times bright and (dare I say) dance-y. This is cosmic disco at its finest. 

The beautiful artwork by Nani Gutierrez deserves some love and attention too. Look at it. Stunning!

Stream/Download the album here :

https://hainbach.bandcamp.com/album/assertion

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Ali Murray - Wilderness of Life (2022)

GENRE : alternative folk, dream pop, post-punk, shoegaze, ethereal

RECORD LABEL : Dead Forest Records

Dark ethereal alt-folk/dream-pop from a small island in the north of Scotland. This is the long-awaited new solo album from melancholy Scottish/Filipino songwriter Ali Murray. It's not officially out until April 17th, but you can pre-order it now. The 3 songs that are available for streaming are f**king beautiful. I can't wait to hear the whole thing.

Stream/Download the album here :

https://alimurray.bandcamp.com/album/wilderness-of-life

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CADE - s/t (2018)

GENRE : alternative folk, indie folk, folk rock, Canada

RECORD LABEL : Fox Food Records

A sublime, delicate, mesmerizing folk album by Canadian songwriter/musician Kaiya Cade. These songs are raw, fragile, dreamy and ethereal. Her vocals are beautiful and the instrumentation is very spare and restrained. Great stuff.

Stream/Download the album here :

https://foxfoodrecords.bandcamp.com/album/cade

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Field Mouse - Meaning (2019)

GENRE : power pop, pop, indie rock, alternative punk, alternative rock

RECORD LABEL : Topshelf Records

I'm a sucker for good power pop, especially female-driven power pop. Here is an awesome summertime album from Field Mouse. A really cool mixture of power pop, alternative punk, dream pop and emo rock. Check it out...

Stream/Download the album here :

https://fieldmouse.bandcamp.com/album/meaning 

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The Liquid Clear -  Yhyhh-Krymm EP (2021)

GENRE : avant-garde, post-industrial, noise, dark ambient

RECORD LABEL : self-released

This is a weird, glitchy, futuristic cyber-noise EP from The Liquid Clear. The recording originated from an improvised live performance using a single unit of (unknown) hardware. It's a wonderful sonic assault on the senses.

Stream/Download the EP here...

https://theliquidclear.bandcamp.com/album/yhyhh-krymm

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The Honeysuckle Steamboat - Let's Get Away (2022)

GENRE : alternative folk, indie folk, psych folk, folk pop

RECORD LABEL : Vard Records

The Honeysuckle Steamboat are a brand new alternative folk/rock band, and this is their debut single. It's cheerful and playful and fun (almost like a nursery rhyme, or a children's singalong) but it's also a bit dark and demented below the surface. Regardless, this song really puts me in the mood for summer.

Stream/Download the song here...

https://thehoneysucklesteamboat.bandcamp.com/album/lets-get-away

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Richard Luke - Glass Island

GENRE : modern classical, neoclassical, instrumental piano, cinematic

RECORD LABEL : Moderna Records

Beautiful muted pianos, lush soaring violins, shimmering ambient synths, soft pulsing trip-hop electronic beats, jazz-infused double bass and intelligently-placed field recordings comprises this wonderful neo-classical work of art from Scottish composer/musician Richard Luke. Another gem from Moderna Records. 

Stream/Download the song here...

https://modernarecords.bandcamp.com/album/glass-island

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Hark/We Are Joiners - Split Album (2022)

GENRE : lo-fi punk, punk rock, noise pop, noise rock

RECORD LABEL : Totally Real Records

This is a really cool split album from fuzzy folk-rock band Hark (USA) and lo-fi noise punk band We Are Joiners (Netherlands). Listening through the album in its intended sequence, we're constantly being bounced back and forth between the fuzzed out acoustic melancholy of Hark and the ear-splitting noise punk chaos of We Are Joiners, and it works really damn well. Both bands are ripping on this one.

Stream/Download the EP here:

https://totallyrealrecords.bandcamp.com/album/hark-we-are-joiners-split

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Loretta's Museum - Sound Portraits From The Gelmer Tastle Odyssey (2020)

GENRE : Instrumental Folk, Freak Folk, Psychadelic Folk

RECORD LABEL : Furious Hooves

Bizarre dreamy instrumental indie/folk soundtrack music. The acoustic guitar playing is slightly reminiscent of Robbie Basho, and the keyboards and synths remind me of The Books...but the sound as a whole is very unique and difficult to pigeonhole. It's playful and depressing at the same time...kind of like a Wes Anderson movie.

Stream/Download the album here:

https://furioushooves.bandcamp.com/album/sound-portraits-from-the-gelmer-tastle-odyssey

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Orchid Mantis - Yellow House (2018)

GENRE : Bedroom Pop, Lo-fi Pop, Ambient, Dream Pop, Experimental

RECORD LABEL : Z Tapes

This is a great lo-fi chillwave pop album. Orchid Mantis creates a weird and beautiful blend of ambient pop, tape samples, ethereal electronica and glitchy trip-hop. It kind of reminds me of early Washed Out, but more experimental and strange. A great soundtrack for long summer rides.

Stream/Download the album here:

https://orchid-mantis.bandcamp.com/album/yellow-house

Fatou Seidi Ghali & Alamnou Akroun - Les Filles de Illighadad (2016)

 

GENRE : African guitar, tuareg guitar, world, minimalist folk

RECORD LABEL : Sahel Sounds

Fatou Seidi Ghali is one of only two known Tuareg women guitarists in Niger, and she's sublime. Recorded in the open air of the desert, this is wonderful minimalist Tuareg folk music, mostly centered around fingerpicked guitar (some of it obviously improvised) but occasionally accompanied by beautiful heartfelt vocals and some tende - a Tuareg drum made out of a mortar. I thought I heard a bit of some kind of flute instrument in there too, but I'm not entirely sure. What I do know is that this is beautiful music. Check out the video of Fatou Seidi Ghali playing under a tree, posted down below. 

Stream/Download the album here :

https://lesfillesdeillighadad.bandcamp.com/album/les-filles-de-illighadad

Harry Towell & Guy Gelem - Restful Spaces (2022)

 

GENRE : modern classical, ambient, minimalist, neoclassical,

RECORD LABEL : Polar Seas Recordings

This is a long distance collaboration of two musical composers and fathers to be - sound artist/musician Harry Towell (aka Spheruleus) from the UK and cellist/musician Guy Gerem from Israeli. They created this album while expecting the arrival of their respective daughters, Emily and Neta. Their aim was to create a restful listening space for their children, and in doing so have created one for adult listeners too. This is a restful listening space for lovers of all things peaceful and ambient.

These beautiful gentle lullabies are a wonderful remedy to the current state of this world. Our lives are so noisy and frantic and busy, and there's so much cruelty and hatred all around us... it's so lovely and comforting to be able to slow down, kick back and immerse ourselves in Towell & Gelem's gorgeous aural world.

There's a delicate child-like playfulness to the shimmering ambience of these pieces. The instrumentation plucks and tinkles and chimes away to the backdrop of birdsong and other miscellanous field samples, while the cello soars and swells over it all in such a yearning and wistful way. A beautiful album for a not-so-beautiful time.

If you like this album, you should have a browse through the Polar Seas Recordings back catalogue of releases on their Bandcamp page. Lots of stunning releases in there.

Stream/Download here...

https://polarseasrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/restful-spaces

Polar Seas Recordings...

https://polarseasrecordings.bandcamp.com/

Lisbonne - Debut 7" (2013)

 

GENRE : alternative, France, bedroom pop, lo-fi pop,

RECORD LABEL : Wonderful Sound

If you're looking for a little ray of sunshine in your grey little life, here's a fun little release from French lo-fi pop artist Lisbonne, who now lives in London. Or at least she was when she recorded this little 7" record back in 2013...

The songs on this debut single are quirky, cute and very lo-fi - performed on Casio keyboards, guitars and ukeleles, through vintage amps and pedals, with Lisbonne's lovely voice laying sweetly on top of the mix. On Track 2 there are guest vocals from Laetitia Saedier, who was one of the vocalists for the legendary Stereolab! The songs are sung in French. I don't understand the language, but it doesn't take anything away from my enjoyment of it. So if you need to have your day brightened up a bit, look no further than Lisbonne. 

Stream/Download it here :

https://lisbonne1.bandcamp.com/album/lisbonne-debut-7

Best Underground Shoegaze/Dream Pop

Shoegaze and Dream Pop tend to go hand in hand. You could argue that they're basically the same thing. Anyway, I decided to dedicate this post to some of the best modern Shoegaze and Dream Pop albums from underground acts that most people likely aren't aware of. 

Everyone knows The Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Slowdive, Ride, Swervedriver, Lush, etc... and for good reason. They're the original Shoegaze/Dream Pop bands that created and launched the wonderful genre, and they're all incredible bands that you should definitely check out, if you haven't already...

This is just a list of ten of my personal favourite underground modern Shoegaze/Dream Pop albums (in no particular order) that all seem to exist on the fringes (or completely outside) the popular circles of all things noisy and beautiful.

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Be Forest - Knocturne (2019)

This is a dark psychadelic post-punk album from Italian band Be Forest. It's stark, hazy, raw and mesmerizing. Ethereal vocals, heavily-effected guitars, haunting basslines and thundering drums create these dark swirling vaporous atmospheres that not only captivate you - they completely swallow you up. Sick album.

Stream/Download : https://wwnbb.bandcamp.com/album/wwnbb-099-knocturne

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Blankenberge - Everything (2021)

Blankenberge are a fuzzy shoegazey post-rock band from St.Petersburg, Russia. Their sound is somehow both soft and noisy at the same time - beautiful serene vocals drifting in the midst of a dreamy haze of melodic reverb-drenched noise. Some songs are slow and brooding, others are delivered with a faster punk rock energy.  Overall, this is a wonderful shoegaze album to lose yourself in.

Stream/Download : https://blankenberge.bandcamp.com/album/everything

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Vapour Night - Snow Fled (2015)

Vapour Night is a dark noisy pop project from a small island in the north of Scotland. 'Snow Fled' is a cold dark winter journey into the abyss. The songs are dark, melancholy and lonely... yet sweeping and beautiful. 

There's lots of different musical elements going on in this album - dark post-punky guitars, bittersweet dream pop, ferocious noise rock, cold ambience, mournful electronica, sheer walls of glorious noise, and haunting vocals that cut beautifully through the mix. 

Plus there's a rare guest vocal from the mysterious Sun Devoured Earth who seems to have disappeared into obscurity after doing this.

Stream/Download : https://vapournight.bandcamp.com/album/snow-fled

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You'll Never Get To Heaven - Adorn (2014)

A wonderful album from Canadian dream-pop duo You'll Never Get To Heaven. Celestial, ethereal, airy and sweetly melodic music that seriously wouldn't be out of place in Twin Peaks. 

This short album consists of only six songs - five originals and one beautiful rendition of Brian Eno's 'By This River'. Great album from a great band.

Stream/Download :  https://youllnevergettoheaven.bandcamp.com/album/adorn

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Pia Fraus - Now You Know It Still Feels The Same (2021)

Pia Fraus are an awesome jangly noise pop band from Estonia. This album was recorded when they were only sixteen years old! Gorgeous female/male vocal harmonies backed with bright sparkly guitar pop instrumentation that shimmers and glows with a fresh dreaminess and buoyancy often lacking in a lot of shoegaze-influenced bands. This is the only album of theirs I've heard, but it's excellent, and I look forward to hearing the rest.

Stream/Download : https://piafraus.bandcamp.com/album/now-you-know-it-still-feels-the-same

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Teen Daze - Glacier (2013)

Here's an electronic ambient pop album from Canadian solo artist/musician Teen Daze. Often referred to as ''chillwave'', Teen Daze uses layers of ethereal synthesized sounds to create these sweeping autumnal atmospheres that drift and swirl beautifully into your ears and through your brain. Listening to this album from start to finish feels like sleepwalking across a frozen expanse...in a good way.

Stream/Download : https://teendaze.bandcamp.com/album/glacier

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Sun Devoured Earth - Sounds of Desolation (2012)

Sun Devoured Earth is the solo project of Vadim Vasilyev - a Latvian bedroom artist/musician. He modestly describes his own music as ''a no budget take on shoegaze with other genres mixed in here and there''. Don't let that put you off. Yes, this music is very homemade and raw...but it sounds huge. He creates dark guitar-driven walls of noise and barely decipherable vocals over cheap programmed drum beats. The end result is bleak and depressive, yet beautiful. 

Sun Devoured Earth gained quite a substantial cult following in the years that he was prolifically releasing music, but he seems to have disappeared into obscurity since his last album in 2013. I have no idea what he's doing these days.

Stream/Download : https://sundevouredearth.bandcamp.com/album/sounds-of-desolation

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Jane Woodman - Teenage Red (2013)

Jane Woodman is a darkwave electronic artist from San Francisco. I originally discovered her through a guest vocal she did on the self-titled Vapour Night album. She's a mega-talented musician that expertly mixes gothic post-punk with dark shoegazey electronica. The music is sometimes abstract, sometimes hooky and melodic... but always massive and cinematic sounding. This is her only full-length album to date. It's a long dark romantic journey through an ambiguous apocalyptic landscape. 

Stream/Download : https://janewoodman.bandcamp.com/album/teenage-red

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Hearts of Black Science - The Ghost You Left Behind (2007)

Hearts of Black Science are a dark electronic gothic-rock from Gothenburg, Sweden. This is their wonderful debut album. There's an airiness and weightlessness to their sound that conjures up images of softly falling snow on rooftops and lonely city streets at night. A beautiful combination of hooky electro-pop and dark broody gothic shoegaze. Excellent stuff.

Stream/Download : https://heartsofblackscience.bandcamp.com/album/the-ghost-you-left-behind

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Crescendo - Unless (2016)

LA quintet Crescendo make bright nostalgic shoegaze delivered with a striking emotional intensity and upbeat punk energy. Their glorious pop melodies and jangly instrumentation make these songs so sparkly and crisp, and a pure joy to listen to. According to an article I read about them, one of their goals is to inspire listeners to dance and disappear from reality via space travel. 

Stream/Download : https://wewereneverbeingboring.bandcamp.com/album/wwnbb-077-unless

Sloppy Seconds - More Trouble Than They're Worth (1998)

GENRE : punk rock, junk rock, punk pop, rock n roll

RECORD LABEL : Nitro Records

Sloppy Seconds are a junk rock (that's right, junk rock) band from Indiannapolis, Indiana, and this is their Nitro Records debut album. I don't know how many times I've listened to this album in my life, and I've never got sick of it. It's exciting, hilarious and fun. Like a lot of people, I first discovered this band through the 90's Nitro Records compilation album, 'Deep Thoughts', and I've loved them ever since. This album is full of wild and sloppy (yet energetic) punk songs about hot chicks, B-monsters, crappy relationships and getting drunk. They're angry, witty and cool as f**k. If you like The Ramones, KISS and The Misfits, then this band might be right up your alley...

'More Trouble Than They're Worth' is available on all the common music platforms - Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, etc...

Victoria Blade - Lo-fi Love Songs (2019)

 

GENRE : indie folk, folk pop, lo-fi pop, bedroom pop

RECORD LABEL : Already Dead Tapes & Records

This is the debut album from singer-songwriter Victoria Blade. It's exactly as the title suggests - an album of lo-fi love songs. Recorded onto a 4-track Tascam, these simple dreamy folk songs are wonderfully hissy and bare. They address and express the deep love and affection one feels towards a significant other, and documents the places they've been and the time that they've shared together... but the songs also address and express the internal struggles that occur during major life changing events.

This album makes me yearn for summer. They make me wish I was sitting on a warm sunny beach, without any responsibilities or commitments... just watching the water sparkle and shimmer away, birds cawing and swooping...

Instead I'm sitting in front of my computer in a cold room with several layers of clothing on, listening to this album while trying to ignore the howling gale outside that's rattling my window pane. 

Oh yeah, Victoria Blade is also an actress, most notable as the commercial woman on the Emmy-award winning series Wandavision.

Stream/Download the album here...

https://alreadydeadtapes.bandcamp.com/album/lo-fi-love-songs

Nadine Carina - Reverie (2019)

 

GENRE : folk pop, indie pop, bedroom pop, alternative folk, electronic, Switzerland

RECORD LABEL : Furious Hooves

Nadine Carina is a Swiss singer-songwriter that writes delicate dreamy songs that completely lull you with her beautiful breathy vocals and hazy guitar/piano playing. This album is one big soft pillow on which to (figuratively) rest your weary head. The songs are stripped down, organic and minimalistic - the sound of one person happily lost in their own little dream world. Such a lovely musical discovery during this horrible time.

Furious Hooves (tape label) have such an interesting roster of lo-fi bedroom pop, experimental folk, noise rock and quirky electronica artists. If you like this album, you should definately take a browse through their Bandcamp page.

Stream/Download the album here :

https://furioushooves.bandcamp.com/album/reverie

Furious Hooves :

https://www.furioushooves.com/

The Bearer of Bad Tidings - Every Day We Sing of Sorrow... (2021)

 

GENRE : harsh noise, dark ambient, drone, experimental, gospel noise, 

RECORD LABEL : Imploding Sounds

I'm really questioning my own sanity (and my mental health in general) when I'm constantly drawn towards a random suicidal noise album I stumbled upon on Bandcamp. I've listened to this album several times in the past few weeks. It's miserable, depressive, terrifying and creepy...but it's so damn good!

The Bearer of Bad Things is a solo music project from Saratov, Russia - a person who calls themselves ''D.S''. The album begins with a warped sample of a black gospel song that repeats and recurs over and over again throughout the glorious 17 minutes of dark suicidal noise that makes up the opening track 'Descending'. It sucks you in and doesn't let up until the entire album is done, and you're done. I don't know why I find this album to be so awesome. I just do. Give it a go, if you dare.

Stream/Download the album here...

https://songsofdeathandsorrow.bandcamp.com/album/every-day-we-sing-of-sorrow-every-day-we-sing-of-death

Eric Terino - Innovations of Grave Perversity (2022)

 

GENRE : alternative, art rock, chamber pop, freak folk, indie rock

RECORD LABEL : Perpetual Doom

Here's a gorgeous chamber pop album to soothe your aching spirit. This is the new album by American artist/musician Eric Terino, and the latest release by the ever-growing/ever-mystifying record label, Perpetual Doom.

These songs are deeply personal and confessional, yet rather than dragging you down into the dark pits of Terino's pain and suffering, they help you transcend your human boundaries and frailties, and ultimately elevate you to some higher plane. They make you feel like you can be whoever you want to be in this life. Like in all good music and art, Terino has the ability to turn heartbreak and tragedy into something beautiful and healing. 

Within seconds of pressing play I was lured and lulled by Terino's gorgeous voice - delicate, vulnerable, haunting and melancholic. The music itself is a beautiful mix of chamber pop and alternative art rock - the central focus being Terino's vocals and piano playing, wonderfully backed by soaring orchestral strings, jazzy French horns, harps and a musical saw. 

In the overall sound I hear elements of Anthony & The Johnsons, Tori Amos, Sigur Ros, and maybe even a bit of Bon Iver... yet at the same time it's entirely its own thing.  This is music conjured from the deepest recesses of the human heart. I highly recommend you give it a listen.

Stream/Download the album here...

https://perpetualdoom.bandcamp.com/album/innovations-of-grave-perversity

Kevin Shields - 2 (La La La Human Steps) *rare song

 

GENRE : shoegaze, noise, ethereal, dream pop, experimental pop

RECORD LABEL : unknown

For all you shoegazers out there - this song was part of a collaboration Kevin Shields did with the Canadian contemporary dance company La La La Human Steps, simply titled '2'. Beautiful, noisy, majestic, shimmering shoegaze-y goodness from one of the true masters of his field.

For those who don't know, Kevin Shields is the lead singer/guitarist of legendary shoegaze rock band My Bloody Valentine. If you haven't checked them out, you seriously need to.

Official website : https://mybloodyvalentine.org/

Helen Gillet - Bangkok Silver (2020)

 

GENRE : solo cello, singer-songwriter, jazz, folk, experimental, Belgium,

RECORD LABEL : self-released

Here's a wonderful experimental cello singer-songwriter album that I randomly discovered on Bandcamp. Helen Gillet is a Belgian-born songwriter and surrealist-archaeologist. Her music is a beautiful and interesting mixture of folk, jazz, pop, funk and classical. I found this album to be very enjoyable and impressive, not only for its various musical stylings and superb cello playing - it's also an interesting mix bag of different moods and emotions. Gillet's songs range from introspective and melancholy, to fun and bouncy, to joyful and amusing, to experimental and strange. She sings in two different languages - English and French. I personally don't know which songs are originals and which are covers, but it doesn't really matter because she makes all these songs her own. I particularly love the first two songs.

I really wish she'd sort out the colour design of her Bandcamp page though. All that white text on white background is painful on the eyes, haha!

Stream/Download the album here :

https://helengillet.bandcamp.com/album/bangkok-silver

Autumn Chorus - The Village To The-Vale (2012)

GENRE : alternative rock, post rock, experimental, indie rock

RECORD LABEL : AltrOck Productions

To describe Autumn Chorus as an ''alternative rock band'' is a terrible injustice...yet it's probably the simplest and easiest way to sum up their sound, so I'll stick to it for the time being. Autumn Chorus was a 4-piece British alternative rock band, led by frontman Robbie Wilson who sadly passed away in 2016. 'Village To The-Vale' was their first and last album, and a breathtaking masterpiece that most people will never hear...which I find tragic.

I try to refrain using the word 'epic' these days, because it's such an overused word...but I can't help but describe this particular album as epic. It's powerful and delicate, sweeping and intimate, progressive and melodic, melancholy and sweet....it's a beautiful work of art. Autumn Chorus combines the best elements of post-rock, indie rock, progressive pop and modern classical. Within the sound you will likely identify the post-rock guitar licks of Explosions In The Sky, the high fragile vocal stylings of Radiohead, some of the pastoral lyrical themes of Midlake, and the soaring orchestral majesty of Sigus Ros and Olafar Arnalds. It also features gorgeous guest vocal spots from Swedish singer-songwriter Thomas Feiner, the artist (Robbie's partner) Sephine Llo, and let's not forget their daughter, Constance. 

Even though I never knew Robbie personally, my heart breaks every time I hear this album and think about the fact that he is no longer with us. He was an extremely talented artist and musician, and I'd have loved to have heard more from him. At the very least he left this masterpiece (and a few various singles) behind. For further listening, I also attached these wonderful singles below...

Stream/Download the album here :

https://altrockproductions.bandcamp.com/album/the-village-to-the-vale

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Autumn Chorus - Long Goodby

Autumn Chorus - Snake In The Grass

Thomas Feiner & Fyfe Dangerfield & Autumn Chorus - The Rainbow (TalkTalk cover)

Ukraine Charity Compilations (2022)

I decided to compile a list of charity compilations from amazing independent record labels around the world, who have all been working tirelessly to raise funds for Ukraine during this horrific global crisis, and have all done a fantastic job. Please consider listening to these great compilations and donating some money to an extremely worthy cause. Ukraine needs our help, and this war affects us all.

Ideally I should have posted this on Bandcamp Friday, but it's been a hell of a week, and I haven't been in the best headspace to blog...for obvious reasons. 

I'm sure that there's a lot more great compilations out there that I haven't included in this post. If you know of any, just let me know and I'll add it to the list. These are just the ones I've been personally aware of. 

You can check out the individual Bandcamp links for mission statements and further info. And please share this post with anyone you think might be interested.

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GENRE : bedroom pop, lo-fi pop, alternative folk, alternative pop, France, Slovakia

RECORD LABEL : Z Tapes

Stream/Download the album here...

https://ztapes.bandcamp.com/album/sending-sunflowers

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GENRE : ambient, dark ambient, drone, synthwave, experimental, new age, Czechia

RECORD LABEL : Binaural Space

Stream/Download the albums here...

https://binaural-space.bandcamp.com/album/blue-and-yellow

https://binaural-space.bandcamp.com/album/yellow-and-blue

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GENRE : ambient, house, techno, electronica, experimental, Germany 

RECORD LABEL : Slam City Jams

Stream/Download the album here...

https://slamcityjams.bandcamp.com/album/jams-for-ukraine-fundraiser-compilation

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GENRE : jazz, experimental, Finland

RECORD LABEL : We Jazz Records

Stream/Download the album here...

https://wejazzrecords.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-ukraine

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GENRE : ambient, post-rock, post-metal, electronica, experimental, Antartica

RECORD LABEL : The Post-Everything Collective

Stream/Download the album here...

https://thepost-everythingcollective.bandcamp.com/album/the-post-everything-collective-friends-present-ukrainian-relief-compilation

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GENRE : Russia, ambient, experimental, house, hip-hop, electronica, Russia

RECORD LABEL : Gost Zvuk

Stream/Download the album here...

https://gostzvuk.bandcamp.com/album/stop-the-war

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GENRE : alternative, experimental, UK

RECORD LABEL : House of Mythology

Stream/Download the album here...

https://houseofmythology.bandcamp.com/album/slava-ukraini

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GENRE : ambient, electronica, techno, Sweden, experimental

RECORD LABEL : Northern Electronics

Stream/Download the album here...

https://northernelectronics.bandcamp.com/album/a-dove-has-spread-her-wings-relief-for-ukraine

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GENRE : ambient, drone, modern classical, experimental, glitch, UK

RECORD LABEL : Flaming Pines

Stream/Download the album here...

https://flamingpines.bandcamp.com/album/kaleidoscope

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GENRE : ambient, electronica, glitch, experimental, Ukraine

RECORD LABEL : Standard Deviation & Mystictrax

Stream/Download the album here...

https://standard-deviation.bandcamp.com/album/together-for-ukraine

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GENRE : Czechia, dream pop, indie folk, indie pop, lo-fi pop, bedroom pop

RECORD LABEL : Bughead Records

Stream/Download the album here...

https://bugheadrecords.bandcamp.com/album/for-ukraine

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GENRE : experimental, techno, breakbeat, ambient, Ukraine, dance

RECORD LABEL : SHITS (a brand new record label!)

Stream/Download the album here...

https://ssshitsss.bandcamp.com/album/various-artists-01

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GENRE : ambient, UK, drone, electronica, minimalist,

RECORD LABEL : Home Normal

Stream/Download the album here...

https://homenormal.bandcamp.com/album/places-for-peace

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GENRE : ambient, electronica, dreampunk, slushwave, Chile

RECORD LABEL : No Problema

Stream/Download the album here...

https://noproblemadigital.bandcamp.com/album/--10

Outcast Tape Infirmary - Hope For Spring (Charity Compilation 2022)

 

GENRE : alternative, indie rock, punk rock, punk, emo, experimental, charity,

RECORD LABEL : Outcast Tape Infirmary

There was a lot of charity compilations released on yesterday's Bandcamp Friday, in support of various different causes. I had a super busy day, so I couldn't keep up with it all myself, unfortunately, but I was able to check out a couple of them and donate. 

Here's an awesome charity compilation from new-ish DIY tape label Outcast Tape Infirmary. See below for info...

(I'm going to do a separate blog post for compilation albums in support of Ukraine)

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100% of all purchases will be donated to Hope For The Day - an organization that provides important resources for mental health issues and suicide prevention. It's no secret that we're all struggling right now, and we all know somebody else who is struggling. There is always hope. There is always someone out there who cares. It's Ok Not To Be Ok. For more info, check out HFTD.org

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The artists who have contributed to this compilation are of no specific genre or style, which makes the whole thing unpredictable and chaotic, and brilliant. It bounces from lo-fi indie folk to emo to abstract electronica to dark ambient to ear-splitting punk rock. It's a great compilation of songs, and it's for a very worthy cause. Give it a blast and please consider donating.

A few personal highlights :

Ali Murray - Dear Evelyn - a stunning electro-acoustic dark atmospheric pop song by sinfully unrecognized Scottish songwriter Ali Murray. I'll be reviewing his new album when it comes out on 17/04/22, which is now available for pre-order.

Jonny Fallout - Dark Space - a breathtaking ethereal electronic pop song by Boston synthwave artist Jonny Fallout. Awesome stuff. Check out his Bandcamp page here.

Frick. - Bike - a cool fun simple lo-fi punk song by a band called .frick that would be right at home on any of the wonderful 90's Epitaph or Fat Wreck Chords compilations. I love it.

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Stream/Download the compilation here :

https://outcasttapes.bandcamp.com/album/hope-for-spring-compilation-22

Stefán Hafsteinsson – Heima EP (2021)

 

GENRE : neo classical, modern classical, instrumental piano, ambient, electronic, Iceland

RECORD LABEL : Moderna Records

Here's a beautiful little EP by Icelandic composer/pianist Stefán Hafsteinsson. It's short and delicate, yet powerful and heartbreaking. These four instrumental piano pieces are generally minimalistic. The piano playing is gentle and beautiful, and accompanied by cold ambient electronics and a soaring yet understated string section. This EP feels like seeing a distant beacon of light, welcoming you in after you've spent far too long, lost and alone, away from everything you love.  Another great release by Moderna Records.

Oh yeah, I absolutely adore the EP artwork too. It perfectly complements the music. It's a painting called 'Half Light' by Eva Ullrich. Splendid.

Stream/Download the EP here :

https://modernarecords.bandcamp.com/album/heima

'Half Light' by Eva Ullrich

Menthol - Decade: Remastered and Resequenced (2021)

 

GENRE : vaporwave, ambient, electronica, shoegaze, dreampop

RECORD LABEL : self-released

This is a wonderful vaporwavey/shoegazey album from Californian solo artist Menthol. Ideal for staring at the stars and completely zoning out. It's smooth, dreamy, floaty and nostalgic. I don't know the story behind this music, or the artist, but that doesn't really matter. This album is a really cool random discovery for me, and I want you to listen to it.

Stream/Download the album here :

https://menthol1.bandcamp.com/album/decade-remastered-and-resequenced