In Celebration of Juneteeth, Bandcamp is donating 100% of it’s fee to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and has committed to doing the same on every June 19th from here on out, making today a particularly good day to pick up some music from any musician on the platform.
But today, and every day, the staff of Ears to Feed urges you to open your wallets for Black Artists in particular. As we all join together to protest the supreme injustice of police brutality and anti-Trans violence in the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, Dominque Fells, Riah Milton, Jamel Floyd, Tony McDade, Sean Monterossa, Justin Howell, and the ever-growing list of Black Americans who continue to be killed at the hands of law enforcement, it’s critical to understand how much putting your dollars to work can have a tremendous impact on the livelihoods of Black musicians. Eternally underrepresented in our scenes and in critics circles, it’s on us to show up for them.
We’ve compiled a small list of favorites to support this Friday, but if you’ve got a minute and an open mind or some extra change to spare, this spreadsheet of over 2000 Black artists, producers, and labels is an excellent resource to find some new favorites.
We also urge you to look at our Support List, a guide to various resources to educate, create action, and protect the Black Lives Matters movement.
Dreamcrusher
“Nihilist Queer Revolt Musik” is the word from Brooklyn-based electronic mainstay Luwayne Glass, and the hits keep on coming. Another Country, their 39th (!!!) release under the name, is their greatest yet. A sublime and sprawling 43 minute transfiguration of the soul that “noise” simply cannot describe. Buy it now and let it kick your ass, forever.
Special Interest
Glamorous no-wave that captures the unrelenting humidity of their native New Orleans, the boiling grooves that Special Interest have mastered will claw out of your chest and ruin your landlord’s day. With a new record out today, Juneteenth is your loudest wake up call yet, so you better pick up. Dance so hard you break something.
MIKE
MIKE’s supremely emotive rhymes historically hit hardest in the dark of night, but last year’s tears of joy knows no bounds. Truly warped, glitching production – dreamy enough to blow that sleepy shoegaze out of your brain – meets storytelling of the highest order. Drift into the sunlight and hold someone you love.
Soul Glo
“NIGGA I’M TALKING REPARATIONS DO NOT TRY TO FUCKING PLAY ME NIGGA.” This is the energy from now on and the messengers are SOUL GLO, a Philadelphia hardcore crew with wildly inventive songwriting and a divine rage that echoes long after the feedback stops. Clear your schedule. You’ll be looping last year’s THE NIGGA IN ME IS ME for weeks.
duendita
In the two years since the heaven-sent direct line to My Creator, duendita has dropped a series of stunning new tracks – all seemingly out of the blue yet arriving with serendipitous precision. With a marvelous talent for instrumental texture and a lush voice to match, the misty, sample-rich landscapes she crafts are jarringly intimate, instantly cozy. Headphones are a must for these meditations.
100% of all purchases will be going towards Emergency Relief Fund.
Too Free
Supergroups are rarely more than the sum of their parts, but the laser focus of Too Free’s Love in High Demand commands your full attention from the drop. Futuristic visions of the perfect dancefloor unspool gently, rolling back the fog of self-doubt as you experience yourself emerging into pure, unqualified emotion. Groove to this alone first, then share it with everyone you know.
Yves Tumor
Arguably one of the best albums to be released this year is the fourth effort from the chameleon that is Yves Tumor. Melding a palette of sounds that experiments in depth searching iconography, impeccably timed rhythms and lyrics emboldened with an unwavering confidence. Sexuality drips from every layer of this record showing the evolution of an underground noise prince to a full blown star embracing their path.
Pink Siifu
Arriving just as the heat of lockdown summer started to rise and pour out into the streets, it’s hard to imagine a more perfect moment for Pink Siifu’s NEGRO to unfold into. A fluid collaborator who shape shifts diligently across dozens of styles, Siifu leaps into punk with abandon, embracing the balance as he stomps between brazen chaos and dreamy relaxation. Face your fears and let this one cook.
Fusilier
Locked in permanent evolution, Fusilier’s noisy soul breaks new ground on the Upstream EP, pairing the deliciously orchestral, atmospheric cry of the title track with a raved-up cover of “Dancing in the Street” that leaves the soft cheese of previous versions in the dust. Throw on the included instrumental of “Upstream” like a blanket. Cocoon yourself in stardust.
Ganser
Ganser’s upcoming LP Just Look At That Sky is shaping up to be a great record for a terrible day. Rather than bash your head against the wall, let the screech of knotty guitars on opening slavo “Lucky” take the heat for you. Instead of blacking out in self-effacing misery, turn up on the whirlpool delirium of “Bad Form.” Get knocked down. Forget the silver lining. Find a friend to fight with.
They’re partnering with their label Felte to donate $2 from every sale to the Trans Law Center, combined with an exclusive new track “Self Service”.
No Swoon
Released this past November, Brooklyn duo No Swoon encapsulate a lost sound from within the sprawling streets of the city they call home. Their self-titled debut showcases the band’s ability to create lush dreamlike landscapes over the rapid anxiety placed upon their surroundings. Equally dissonant and romantic, a tango that surmises the constant battles we wage within our heads.
Pleasure Venom
Austin natives Pleasure Venom harness the early days of punk with a fervent energy on their 2018 S/T sophomore effort. A collage of post-punk melody, moody atmospheres and cacophonous noise propel the collective through a transcendental experience.