The New Alternative Releases You Need To Grab This Bandcamp Friday

Since the start of the pandemic, Bandcamp has devoted the first Friday of every month to waiving their cut, and giving 100% to the artists. This month between new releases and upcoming pre-orders there’s an embarrassment of riches of new music. Check it out, and let us know what you’ve got on your radar.

Bartees Strange – Heavy Heart

The rise of Bartees Strange is one of the few bits of good news to come out of the past couple years. His latest, “Heavy Heart,” builds on everything that made Live Forever such a remarkable document, adding triumphant horns to his expansive palette.

Proper. – The Great American Novel

From the first 3 singles, Proper.’s forthcoming The Great American Novel is definitely shaping up to live up to its name. The band’s introspective blend of classic emo, indie, and punk contorts their influences into something altogether new. Singer Erik Garlington’s lyrics have never been more pointed or poignant.

Kaiju King – 2/22/22

Samurai Shotgun frontman Mateo’s wandering muse has taken him to unexpected places over the past year. One of his most stunning experiments is the post-rock of Kaiju King, whose debut finds a way to be lush, spare, and devastating all at the same time. Like its namesake monsters, Kaiju King will leave you trembling.

MANEKA – Dark Matters

The last release from MANEKA remains a staple around here, and Dark Matters, due out next week, looks slated to carry on everything that made Devin remarkable. Devin McKnight’s songwriting never takes the obvious route, adding layers of dense distortion to his oblique lyrics. His music practically demands repeat listens, and Dark Matters will be no exception. Pre-order it now so you can spend the next year digesting it.

SPEW – HATE DEALER

Tony Bontana’s hardcore sideproject SPEW steps up their game with the defiantly noisy HATE DEALER. It’s 5 tracks of pure bone-crushing fury destined to get your blood pumping.

Oceanator – Nothing’s Ever Fine

Elise Okusami has a gift for turning the lowest of the lows into expressions of DIY joy. The lead single for her next full length Nothing’s Ever Fine is a glorious mess of contradictions that perfectly captures the vibe of this moment in time.