Pet Door Show’s top independent & underplayed Bandcamp picks for December 2023
Wow, I can hardly believe that it’s Bandcamp Friday again!
In my last Bandcamp Friday blog post, I talked a little bit about the massive lay-offs (disproportionately impacting Black and trans employees) at Bandcamp following their acquisition by Epic Games and subsequently Songtradr, and Bandcamp’s failure to recognize the employee-led union Bandcamp United. All that shadiness made me hesitant to share my Bandcamp picks that month, so I feel like I should acknowledge that since then, a tentative severance agreement was reached for laid-off employees, although it appears that Bandcamp United’s demands for rehiring staff were not answered and there remain some gaps in healthcare coverage for laid-off employees, and I’m unclear whether Bandcamp is officially recognizing the union. So, you know, a little better, but still not great.
However, the deal for artists continues to be one of the best. For context, while all of this is happening, Spotify has just announced that it will be pulling out of Uruguay after the nation passed a law requiring digital streaming platforms to offer equitable remuneration to artists, which would have required Spotify to double its paltry artist payouts. Not to leave a shred of doubt as to whether they care at all about supporting artists, Spotify have also announced that they will stop paying royalties for tracks with fewer than 1,000 annual streams, which accounts for the majority of tracks on the platform. Yeah, you read that right. What a cool, fun business model. Just don’t pay the people whose art your platform runs on! What a world.
The idealist optimist in me hopes that without the pressure of having to compete against exploitative digital streaming platforms, some smart Uruguayan music enthusiasts will be able to create a successful platform that does actually equitably remunerate artists, and then we can all just jump ship and use that instead. There are of course features and attributes that make all of these platforms attractive and user-friendly, but my hope is that we will see something that is even better (for artists, listeners, and employees) in the near future. Come on, Uruguay!
Long story short, Bandcamp Friday ensures that 100% of proceeds from sales on Bandcamp today go to the artists, and supporting independent artists is my jam. On the Pet Door Show (my radio show, Thursdays 2–4pm Pacific / 5–7pm Eastern / 10pm-12am GMT on Shady Pines Radio), I exclusively share tracks released in the past year by independent and underplayed artists from around the world, all by artists with fewer than 5,000 instagram followers. The result is an eclectic mix of tracks that get nowhere near the airplay they deserve. This Bandcamp Friday, I want to share some of the most under-the-radar Bandcamp releases that I’ve played on the Pet Door Show this month, all by artists with fewer than 2,000 instagram followers. Show these underappreciated artists some love and buy their music! Purchase and social links are provided below, listed alphabetically by artist name.
Hope to see you on the Pet Door Show this Thursday, 2–4pm Pacific / 5–7pm Eastern / 10pm-12am GMT on Shady Pines Radio, for your weekly sampler of the world’s best new independent and underplayed music!
A
Artemisia* — Catastrophe Darling
Album released August 4, 2023.
Favorite track: MAMA
Oakland, CA. Folk.
* Artemisia features Ariel Wang, host of the Sub Rosa Sound radio hour on Shady Pines Radio, and beloved longtime musical collaborator!
B
Bow Thayer — Let ’Em Sing
Single released May 16, 2023.
Stockbridge, VT. Indie americana.
Brutalligators — What’s Next
Single released May 31, 2023.
Hitchin, England. Indie punk.
C
Checkmate Mido — Pete
Single released August 2, 2023.
Nairobi, Kenya. Hip hop.
ChipPunks — Chipple H
Album released April 11, 2023.
Favorite track: Đi Tiếp
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Punk pop.
D
Djeli Moussa Condé — Africa Mama
Album released January 27, 2023.
Favorite track: Korte
Paris, France. Folk.
dt Luis — Al sendero y su huella
Album released November 7, 2023.
Favorite track: El nombre de su bautizo
Santiago, Chile. Folk jazz.
E
Ebony Lamb — Ebony Lamb
Album released October 20, 2023 on Slow Time Records.
Favorite track: Midnight is My Name
Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa. Indie folk.
F
Family Junket — Waiting for the Moon
Single released May 8, 2023.
Chicago, IL. Indie R&B.
FEASTS — My Delicious Friends
Album released January 13, 2023.
Favorite track: Sticking to the Floor
Norwich, England. Math punk.
G
going222jail*, Dino Gala, Gollylagging — fauna
Split EP released February 24, 2023.
Favorite track: going222jail — rabbit
Salem, MA*. Indie punk.
H
Haneen OD & Jowan Safadi — This Monster هذا الوحش
Single released April 27, 2023.
Haifa, Israel-occupied Palestine. Indie.
J
Jazmine Mary — Dog
Album released February 6, 2023.
Favorite track: Only Yellow
Gunaikurnai ancestral lands, Australia. Folk.
Joé Napoléon & Black Leather Rose — J’sacre mon camp
2-track released October 17, 2023.
Favorite track: L’épluchette
Montréal, Canada. Indie folk americana.
K
Kanot — Textile Fantasies
Album released November 25, 2022.
Favorite track: Mygg
Folktronica. Gothenburg, Sweden.
L
Lewis Barfoot — HOME
Album released November 17, 2023.
Favorite track: For You A Stór
East Cork, Ireland. Folk.
* Lewis Barfoot was the Pet Door Show’s highlighted artist, November 30, 2023!
M
Mama Oh No — Mamasaurus
Album released November 23, 2023.
Favorite track: Give Me Back My Heart
Cromer, England. Indie soul.
O
Ókindarhjarta — Ókindarkvæði
EP released April 1, 2023.
Favorite track: Dystópíski draumurinn
Reykjavik, Iceland. Indie rock.
OMAT — Pollen / Knot
2-track released August 25, 2023.
Favorite track: Knot
Brooklyn, NY. Indie punk.
P
pibblepap — i shall be released (ft. Smushie)
Single released January 25, 2023.
Chicago, IL. Indie soul.
Prateek — ’Til June
Album released April 7, 2023.
Favorite track: If I Were a Dog
Boston, MA. Folk americana.
Premium Leisure — Choosey
Single released November 8, 2023.
Oxford, England. Indie soul pop.
R
Royalz — Bloodsport
Album released June 15, 2023 on Grhyme Productions.
Favorite track: The Dojo (ft. Lord Goat)
Naarm, Australia. Hip hop.
S
Shannon Davis — Tell Me a Story
Album released October 27, 2023.
Favorite track: Are You a Sailor
Cape Cod, MA. Folk.
Starcleaner Reunion — Ribbon Le Chou / Moss on my Brick Wall
2-track released August 4, 2023.
Favorite track: Ribbon Le Chou
New York City, NY. Indie.
V
Vera Ellen — Ideal Home Noise
Album released March 31, 2023.
Favorite track: Homewrecker
Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa. Indie alternative.
Violet Hirst — Donegal
Album released August 7, 2023.
Favorite track: Everyone Knows
Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa. Alternative folk.
Virgo Rising — Vampyre Year
EP released October 13, 2023.
Favorite track: Nail Biter
Winnipeg, Canada. Indie bedroom pop.
That’s the end of the list! If you enjoyed this list, check out the Pet Door Show’s top independent & underplayed Bandcamp picks for November 2023. Join me on the Pet Door Show every Thursday, 2–4pm Pacific / 5–7pm Eastern / 10pm-12am GMT on Shady Pines Radio.