It’s been one of those months, huh? I took a few weeks off of work and really mellowed out and have had a time getting back into the swing of things. I didn’t tweet an album every single day, but got pretty close. The ⬇ means that the album can be downloaded free. There’s so much good music out in the year of our Lord 2018, I hope you enjoy these picks!
Songs of Green Pheasant – Songs of Green Pheasant (Bandcamp)
Mist-shrouded acoustic songs that gently lead down a psychedelic path.
Daphne & Celeste – Daphne & Celeste Save the World (Spotify)
Produced by Max Tundra, it’s a super future pop album overflowing with charm and sincerity in a way that most of the PC Music stuff isn’t.
In Love with a Ghost – gay story (Bandcamp)
The master of ASMR pop delivers a new set of therapeutic soundscapes and sick beats perfect for maximum chill.
Melody’s Echo Chamber – Melody’s Echo Chamber (Bandcamp)
Lush psychedelic songs that hit so many musical sweet spots for me: synths, shoegaze, dream pop, experimentalism. This is exceptionally good and highly recommended. New album in June!
⬇ Det Svarta Landet – Verdant Realm (Compilation) (Bandcamp)
The perfect collection of dungeon synth tracks to bring your campaign to a fulfilling conclusion.
Project Pablo – There’s Always More At The Store (Bandcamp)
Five tracks of laid-back house here to lock into your mind and get you thinking.
Duet for Theramin and Lap Steel – 10 (Bandcamp)
Beautifully enrapturing ambient noise that could just as well be created by cosmic entities or an enchanted forest.
The Fearless Flyers – The Fearless Flyers (Bandcamp)
Fifteen perfect minutes of instrumental funk. Includes a Stevie Wonder AND Disney’s The Little Mermaid cover. No joke, this is perfect sunny day music.
Makeness – Loud Patterns (Bandcamp)
A very dense collection of songs that exists on the continuum between psychedelic rock and acid house, making side trips to shoegaze and krautrock. Killer.
Mouse on Mars – Dimensional People (Bandcamp)
Groundbreaking experimental electronic music that stays danceable. This album has a bunch of big name indie collaborators but doesn’t try to soften the strangeness one bit.
Rival Consoles – Persona (Bandcamp)
Resting somewhere between avant-garde experimentalism and deep house, this album slowly encroaches on your mind and takes it over before you realize what’s happened.
Equip – Synthetic Core 88 (Bandcamp)
In 2018, “soundtrack for an imaginary video game” is an entire genre. Equip’s second release (a collaboration with artist Drew Wise) is a stellar exemplar, designed to give you nostalgia for something that doesn’t exist.
Che – Shuco EP (Bandcamp)
Refreshingly dank laid back vibes like the shade on a hot afternoon. Kinda sounds like making computer pop in your dorm room while someone shreds one room over.
CJ Mirra – Static (Original Surf Soundtracks vol. 1) (Bandcamp)
Epic slow motion noise. (Sounds nothing like The Beach Boys, Dick Dale, or The Ventures.)
P X A – S P A C E S (Bandcamp)
ASMR zen ambience and noise for maximum relaxation. You don’t need scientifically proven albums for sleep when you have this much chill.
Superstar Cruiser – Enceladus (Bandcamp)
Big spacey sounds that seem to be formed from the detritus of crashed airbrush spaceships from the covers of 70s arena rock albums.
Dan Lissvik – Archive 1 (Bandcamp)
Literally one hundred tracks of sketchy Swedish balearic chill from half of legendary duo Studio.
The Word – The Word (Spotify)
Occasionally-transcendent instrumental gospel jazz rock that rises above “background music for a church photo montage” thanks especially to Robert Randolph’s pedal steel guitar.
Space Ghost – Endless Light (Bandcamp)
Super synthy, mega chill interstellar house that still stays grounded.
Ebo Taylor – Yen Ara (Bandcamp)
The Ghanian afro-funk legend returns with a mix of danceable melancholy that runs the gamut between jazz and ska.
Paul White – Rejuvenate (Bandcamp)
The Danny Brown producer makes a mellow sample-free R&B album that leans towards late night grooves and ghostly instrumentals.
Sweet Valley – Eternal Champ II (Bandcamp)
The Williams bros (one of Wavves fame) return to their schitzo-retro mixtape project and bring the bass and the weird noisy samples to make your head nod.
ZHU – Ringo’s Desert, Pt. 1 (Soundcloud)
Seven tracks of killer electronic R&B for fans of darkness, The Weeknd, and slow motion videos of things being destroyed majestically.
Johnnie Frierson – Have You Been Good To Yourself (Bandcamp)
The importance of the Gospel and self-care in trying times, presented in a fifty(it’s not 50, but it’s vintage)-year-old cassette recording of a Stax singer accompanied only by an electric guitar. This is AMAZINGLY GOOD.