Bandcamp is and always has been the most focused and virtuous of all streaming platforms, unconditionally centered on the actual music and downright concentrated in quality and functionality. On March 20th, 2020 Bandcamp waived their revenue share to support those artists impacted by the pandemic, and consequently the site became well supplied with new and special releases from musicians and labels.
A full list of artists and labels who offered donations, merch from cancelled tours, discount codes and other exclusives followed, making the whole platform incredibly busy and almost impossible to turn away from.
Here's a list of highlights which broke out during Bandcamp's fundraiser.
10. Krallice: The Wheel
New York black metal band, Krallice, revealed a first piece off their coming album, expected later in 2020. The Wheel is a three-minute piece of expected intensity which a feels a bit more death metal bent than the band's customary avant-garde black metal complexity, and comes like a strong indicator of what is to come.
9. Sondra Sun-Odeon: And the Earth Will be Our End
Sondra Sun-Odeon's And the Earth Will be Our End is a meditative, more ambient bent instrumental which displays more of the artist's cinematic and ethereal side. Although the track appears rather different from her previous work, it feels very much complementary to her recent full length, Desyre.
8. Torche: Part Time Punks Session
Composed of four new renditions of songs from their latest LP, Admission, Torche's new release was recorded in the fall of 2019 for the Part Time Punks Session show on KXLU 88.9FM in Los Angeles. The EP reinforces the idea that Admission included some of the finest tracks the band has ever come up with, while its proceeds will be covering for the cancellation of their recent tour with Russian Circles.
7. Pallbearer: Ashes (Redux)
Arkansas heavy doom rockers, Pallbearer, revealed a new version of their 2014 track, Ashes, which they also consider to be one of their favorite own pieces. Reportedly the popular band will be back with a new album later in the year.
6. Uniform & The Body: Live At The End Of The World
Uniform and The Body also called off their joint tour, and put out an album that represents the deftness of their live sound and presence. The imposingly titled Live At The End Of The World was recorded at Zebulon in Los Angeles just a few days before the massive cancellations.
5. Boy Harsher: R.O.V. (New Beat Edit) // Part Time Punks Session
Another Part Time Punks Sessions, Boy Harsher's R.O.V. (New Beat Edit) was recorded with Morsel's Be Hussey in his studio Comp-NY, in Glendale, CA, on November 14th 2018. According to the band there's a possibility for this version of the song to come with an accompanying video in the future.
4. Marissa Nadler: Unearthed
Known for the great quality of her outtakes and demos, Marissa Nadler has put out an entire album's worth of unreleased material, including a cover of Buck Owens' country classic Under Your Spell Again, and a dozen other raw, earthy and direct delectables.
3. Soft Kill: Sick Day EP
With their new album expected later in 2020, Soft Kill published a pair of "home-recorded demos to celebrate never going outside again." Also acknowledged for the high standards of their demos, the band released a full album of them from the Savior sessions back in December 2019, yet, this time the feeling comes across much more intimate and prompt.
2. The Radio Dept.: You Fear The Wrong Thing Baby
Although not intended to coincide with current state of things, the new single by Swedish greats, The Radio Dept., couldn't appear more topical. "Yes, it’s a weird coincidence," they admit. "When we recorded the song we had no idea what was coming. The text is against conservatism and a tribute to youth as a progressive force."
1. Cold Cave: Waving Hands
A brilliant cover of a brilliant track originally by a brilliant underground synthpop act becomes the latest offering by Cold Cave who put their on spin of Absolute Body Control's Waving Hands. The new track coincides with Wesley Eisold's new book of poetry, Plague Poems, with Mark Lanegan.
Honorable mentions: two releases in the exact same spirit by Converge and Lingua Ignota which arrived a day ahead of the fundraiser.
ZR