Darien Campo | Designer
As an insufferable music snob, my hunt for even more obscure artists to listen to never ends. Over the years I’ve padded my iPod collection with a large collection of albums from unsigned and little-known bands. From indie artists to solo bedroom producers: here, I’ve collected some of my favorite albums that deserve much more attention than they get.
“You and I, Animals” – Black and White Envelope
Black and White Envelope is a solo artist from Connecticut, recording music in his own bedroom studio. “You and I, Animals” is a fun-filled record of bright pop-rock and catchy-as-hell tunes. His music sounds so much like a collection of lost Vampire Weekend tracks, a comparison he gladly boasts on social media. The upbeat rhythms, angular melodies and bright instrumentation make every track fun composition. So, if you’re looking for more Vampire Weekend-style Baroque pop, Black and White Envelope is there for you.
Recommended track: “Conversation Aviation”
Photo by: Blackandwhiteenvelope.bandcamp.com
“Anywhere That’s Wild” – Adventure Galley
The Portland-based group Adventure Galley bring an energetic mix of synth-pop and dance-rock to the table. “Anywhere That’s Wild” perfectly mixes the best parts of upbeat rock music and cool synthesizers. With a cutting punk edge to the lyrics and vocal delivery, Adventure Galley is what the Arctic Monkeys would sound like if Alex Turner had grown up listening to nothing but synth-pop. The powerful dance beats and enormous harmonies are sure to get anybody moving.
Recommended track: “Diane”
Photo by: Adventuregalley.bandcamp.com
“The Coast is Never Clear” – Beulah
Though Beulah is no longer together, they are one of my all-time favorite bands and there’s no way I could leave them off a list like this. The Elephant Six rock group brings punk eclecticism along with dense orchestration, poetic lyricism and infectiously catchy choruses. Where most bands use orchestral instruments as flavoring for their track, Beulah has an almost cinema-like quality in their use of brass and strings that makes their music feel totally massive. “The Coast is Never Clear” is an album of winners, with not a single filler track to be found.
Recommended track: “A Good Man is Easy to Kill”
Photo by: www.beulahmania.com
“Nostalgia” – Wren
Photographer and poet Cody Weber’s side project, Wren, has released some great experimental music over the years, but, for me, “Nostalgia” is his most powerful record. “Nostalgia” makes use of a bizarre twist on alternative hip-hop and trance that feels utterly unique. The samples are strange and otherworldly, the synthesizers are gritty and warped and the beats pound you in the chest with every hit. I completely credit this record with opening my mind up in high school to more experimental and electronic music. “Nostalgia” is uncompromising and powerfully personal.
Recommended track: “The Shakes”
Photo by: Iamwren.bandcamp.com
“Sincerely, Future Pollution” – Timbre Timbre
Canadian freak folk group Timbre Timbre released their newest album “Sincerely, Future Pollution” in the spring of 2017, and it’s a great starting point to their haunting, groovy sound. Timbre Timbre sound like a scary twist on Bowie-like pop with a great focus on atmosphere. Filthy instrumentation, drenched in reverb, with hauntingly beautiful atmosphere to wash over it all – Timbre Timbre is worth a listen if you’re looking for a stranger, slower burn of a record to explore.
Recommended track: “Grifting”
Photo by: Timbertimbre.bandcamp.com
“Tsunawatari” – Hako Yamasaki
Hako Yamasaki’s 1976 record “Tsunawatari” is a strange journey through a world of psychedelic folk-pop. Yamasaki channels the singer-songwriter power of artists like Bob Dylan on this album, with gorgeous acoustic ballads that give way to oddly textured folk tracks. Even as a native English speaker, I can still feel the strength in Yamasaki’s soaring vocal hooks and skillful lyrical rhythms. “Tsunawatari” is a subtle record that invites you to intimately explore it’s musical complexities.
Recommended track: “Himawari”
Photo by: www.albumoftheyear.org
“Dialects” – SNOWMINE
Brooklyn five-piece SNOWMINE have their own take on what pop music should sound like; they strike a perfect balance between electronic soundscapes and soaring orchestral strings. Singer Grayson Sanders’s smoky tenor deftly handles the complex poetry of SNOWMINE’s lyrical content, leading to music that is sometimes hard to sing along to, but always easy to get stuck in your head. “Dialects” is SNOWMINE’s sophomore effort, and an incredible triumph for such a young band.
Recommended track: “Plans”
Contact the author at dcampo13@wou.edu
