Today is Bandcamp Friday, meaning that from midnight to midnight (Pacific Time), Bandcamp is waiving their share of sales in order to directly support artists. Many artists/labels have new releases and are also donating directly to important organizations in support of racial justice and change. Here are ten music projects, all released in 2020, that have been soundtracking my year.
Also, another reason to love Bandcamp: on Friday, June 19th, they’ll be donating 100% of their share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to support their work.
Help any way you can. You can find many valuable resources at ally.wiki, which is updated automatically every five minutes.
Black Lives Matter.
Armand Hammer - Shrines
“Retreat to the forest where the moon don’t shine
and the sun barely sweeps the floor
-ELUCID”
This album dropped today! I originally had Armand Hammer’s Paraffin - then Rome - on this list: two albums I’ve listened to on repeat this week, paying more attention than ever to each and every line. With Shrines, we get 14 new songs between tongue-twisting wisdom poets Elucid and billy woods. The project features keiyaA (featured below), R.A.P. Ferreira (featured below), Earl Sweatshirt, and so many more. I’m buying it now. I’m pressing play. Join me.
Martin $ky - In Real Time
After last year’s Say No More, Chicago producer Martin $ky offers up his second finely-tuned and seamless instrumental LP. In Real Time is a half-hour voyage that sparkles in the clouds, that pushes through to the sun. Complete with plenty of familiar producer features, this is the album for your next distance picnic. “You’ll Find” is one of my favorite bumps of the year.
Medhane - Cold Water
I’ve only known of Medhane for half a year or so (thanks to Ryan Magnole at EveryDejaVu) and this is the first album where I was up to speed. Only two weeks old, this 15 song LP is one that deserves many more paragraphs. Packed with scraping, crackling production and densely-packed lyricism, it’s a narrative with friends keiyaA, Navy Blue, Jadasea, Maxo. It’s a portrait of “summer ended and it’s already snowing.” If you like what you hear, be sure to check Medhane and AFB’s (Medhane’s alter ego) Full Circle from earlier this year.
KeiyaA - Forever, Ya Girl
KeiyaA, who is featured above in the Medhane post AND the Armand Hammer post, released her debut full-length Forever, Ya Girl back in March. The Chicago producer and singer/songwriter now resides in New York, where she fully produced this hazy album of love and hurt (with co-production from dj blackpower aka MIKE). Vintage, glistening like a disco ball atop a fog machine. Crackling like a sparkler. Like a spliff. Blending R&B with 80s synths and future soul, it’s full of personality and character, strong energy and healing.
R.A.P. Ferreira - Purple Moonlight Pages
Milo (aka Scallops Hotel aka Ruby Yacht’s Ink Cartridge Supplier) stripped his name in exchange for his true self: R.A.P. Ferreira. Layering verses and free-flowing poetry over production by jazz cigarette-laden heroes The Jefferson Park Boys (Mr. Carmack, Mike Parvizi, Kenny Segal), Purple Moonlight Pages is one to play in your home at 4am, a world entire in your head. I came really close to also including Nostrum Grocers, but it was the only one on this list that wasn’t released in 2020. That being said, go grab that. Now.
lojii - lo&behold
Following lojii and Swarvy’s 2017 classic Due Rent, lojii released his solo LP lofeye in 2018. It’s one of my favorites hip-hop albums of the last few years. I haven’t stopped listening. Now, two years later, to kickstart 2020, lojii released his newest lo&behold. With features from favorites Alexander Spit, Pink Siifu, and Swarvy, it’s an album that sounded great when it was cold in January and even better now that it’s heating up in Chicago.
SadhuGold - Golden Joe Season One
I found out about Philadelphia artist SadhuGold through Charlotte artist LORD JAH-MONTE OGBON. A video led me to an album which led me to SadhuGold’s Bandcamp, where Golden Joe Season One has since been on repeat. Released at the beginning of May (and with Season Two out on Spotify today), I * think * these were initially available as rare cassettes a couple years back and are finally available on streaming. If that’s the case, that means Season Three is coming soon. Press play and dive into these beat tapes. Each track smacks like both past and present. Some haunted, some bright.
Ohbliv - Spirit Medicine
Virginia beat doctor Ohbliv reminds us why he’s one of the best at loops, flips, samples, bumps. Instrumentals in general. Spirit Medicine is a seven song offering from the prolific producer that feels like a party at noon. If you’re into it, there are seven B-sides as well. If you’re into all of that, check out his live set with Nickelus F, a video I try to revisit on a monthly basis.
junyii - Oceans
junyii’s Bandcamp is packed! Since first covering his Tundra EP back in 2018, the producer has released a steady supply of short and sweet instrumental tapes. Oceans is his most recent offering, but Float and Gleem are also worth your while. This is lofi behind a cloud of smoke. This is dope. This is jazz in slow motion.
Elaquent - Forever is a Pretty Long Time
Producer Elaquent’s full-length album might be his opus. It’s one giant posse cut where no weak beats/verses are allowed. Featuring MCs Guilty Simpson, Oddisee, Chester Watson, Blu, and so many more, the album is a late night at the studio, an escape with like-minded creatives, a retreat into a soundproof basement. Modern rhymes with timeless bounce. Play it loud.
