Thursday 31 March 2022

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...

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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 :

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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 :

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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 :

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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 :

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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 :

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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:

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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:

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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:

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