Now Playing: Bandcamp Friday Purchases

March 1, 2024 was Bandcamp Friday.

What’s that, you may ask? Check out my original post for more on what Bandcamp Friday is.

Here are my purchases with notes.

Black Nail Cabaret Chrysanthemum {Deluxe Edition}

I mentioned this in my previous post as it was a pre-order then. Prior I had only been able to listen to the tracks “Autogenic” & “Roadtrip,” which I liked, but yesterday I finally had the opportunity to start listening to the full album. I’m still digesting it, but my initial reaciton is that this band seems to be getting better and stronger with each release. I went into this album pretty much blind (other than those two tracks I mentioned) but I bought it on the strength of their previous couple of releases.

It appears my (admittedly small) risk has paid off because so far this album is solid.

I wasn’t worried about being disappointed, but I am pleased that this album is as strong as it is.

Chillhop Music Chillhop Essentials Spring 2024

Like I did for the release above last month, this is actually for a pre-order releasing later this month for the modest price of one whole Euro.

I admit that I don’t know much about the artists on these compilations, for all I know it could all be the same person creating fake band names and putting out new releases. I doubt that, but it could be, right?

I have bought several of these compilations over the last few months because I like to play them while working or writing. There are seldom lyrics, just chill, down-tempo hip-hop beats coupled with light, ethereal music. Some might call this the perfect music to ignore, a form of melodic white noise, but I prefer to think of this more as the audio version of a warm blankt. Kind of like if the Danish concept of hygge was music.

Regardless, this is a pre-order I feel safe in purchasing, and later, enjoying.

Lazerpunk “FADETOBLACK”

I don’t know what it is about Hungarians being so good at synth-based music (see Black Nail Cabaret above) but they seem to have it locked down.

Whereas BNC is more synth-pop, Lazerpunk is definitely more synthwave with a darkwave edge. Confused? It’s dancy, but not like techno, with a more nefarious edge.

All of Lazerpunk’s singles are posted as “name your price,” which means you’re welcome to pay as much, or as little, as you want. You can literally pay nothing and the track is yours, the caveat being that you can then only listen to it through the Bandcamp website/app. If you’d like to download the music to play elsewhere you actually have to spend some amount of money, so I usually throw him $1 per song. His track record is such that I sometimes buy his new singles before evening listening to them. I don’t think I’ve been disappointed yet.

Lazerpunk does frequent collaborations with other dark- or synthwave artists, so though this music may all be within the same genre, there’s a fresh take with most releases.

Mass Minor “Worthy”

I discovered Mass Minor about the same time that I discovered Matte Blvck, Urban Heat, Glass Spells, and a whole host of this new batch of synth-pop/post-punk bands I’ve seen emerging as of late. They definitely use synths, but this track is a bit more bro-y than I would normally prefer, but damn it if it isn’t catchy. Would I call them synth-pop? I don’t think so, but they are close to it.

Will I still like this song in a year? I honestly don’t know, but for now I enjoy it so I grabbed it.

Pixel Grip Pixel Grip On Audiotree Live

Sometimes someone says something perfectly and there’s not really a better way to say it; here’s what some staffer at Audiotree said about this Pixel Grip release:

Pixel Grip is a electronic band who pen progressive cold wave tunes with sparkling melodies and frantic, anthemic soundscapes. They explore socio-political themes like wealth disparity, structural sexism and celebrity worship through these stunning electro jams. Check out the super rad performance by Pixel Grip live at Audiotree.

I love Pixel Grip, having first discovered them listening to KEXP’s Song of the Day in 2021. Shortly after that I ran to Bandcamp and purchased all they had (two studio albums and a live release). I honestly didn’t know that this other live recording existed because it’s listed on the Audiotree Bandcamp page (which, duh). I stumbled across it as I reconsidered a live release by Destroy Boys and, of course, I had to have it.

They’re playing live here in Michigan in three weeks (opening for HEALTH) and I think I have to go. Part of that excitement may have encouraged me to purchase this release, but I am listening to it as I type this up and during the first track “Club Mania” I was clapping my hands in the air and chair dancing.

I think I made the right call.

shallou In Touch

Shallou describes himself as a “…an ethereal mix of airy vocals, ambient textures and dance rhythms” and that really hits the nail on the head.

This isn’t quite as slow as trip hop, and not as chilled out as chill hop; there’s cleary more of a dance beat, I don’t know, shallou is just fucking good.

It’s clear that I like music, like this and most everything this week, that goes boop-boop-beep.

Trevor Something Archetypes

Hey, more synthwave!

Trevor Something is far more hit than miss with me over the last few years, but yes, this is even more synthwave. What can I say, I really like synths.

This time around it’s a collection of covers, some that work far better than others. A few of these I already owned as I picked them up as singles, so I grabbed the whole album. Like Lazerpunk above, Trevor Something also employs “name your price” pricing, but I always throw a few dollars his way because I want him to keep making music.

I admit that I was never a huge fan of the original “Wicked Game” but I see the appeal of the track more so in Trevor’s cover. Likewise, while “Lovesong” by The Cure is perfection, I do enjoy Trevor’s spin on the track. It’s not better, but it is complimentary to the original while giving it a new coat of paint. Perhaps I am a bit biased as I love the original of “It’s No Good” so very much, but in my opinion is that there’s just something missing from this cover. Ditto for “Closer.”

Which makes his take on “Sexyback” all that much more tantalizing. I like the original, but this cover is so much more nefarious, almost sinister, and I love it. It’s like Trevor took the mindset of the original version of “Closer” (by NIN, of course), and filtered that through his take on the Timberlake original.

Over all, a solid release, warts and all.

Tonebox & Lazerpunk “Insider Threat”

Yes, even more synthwave, only this time from Tonebox AND Lazerpunk (from above). It’s good, I like it, ’Nuff said.

This month I only dropped about $20.

I did grab a release from Mass Minor as I noted I might last month, but held off on the Nils Frahm album Day because I am debating how badly I want that on vinyl. Also, I need to listene to Matte Blvck a little more before I pull the trigger on their album.