Here Are 6 New Indian Releases for Bandcamp Friday

On March 20th, music platform Bandcamp marked out a Friday on which they waived all their revenue share so that independent artists could make the most of sales in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down major income sources such as live shows. It was hugely successful, seeing $4.3 million dollars in sales in a single 24-hour period. They’ve now made it a recurring event, with reneging their cut of sales today (May 1st), June 5th and July 3rd. Indian artists have for long used Bandcamp but now is as good a time as any for sales to pick up. We picked new and upcoming releases across genres that you can add to your cart today.

22-2 by Various Artists

On March 27th, in the midst of the nationwide lockdown, 22 producers from across the country got around to a new experiment in beatmaking. Spearheaded by Bengaluru producer Oceantied aka Ketan Bahirat as a means to “participate in a beat challenge,” the only rules were to submit one sample and then create a track using all 22 submitted samples, within two days. Everyone from Zokhuma to Raka to Lacuna and Nate08, Pardafash and Hashbass have participated.

EP 1 by Oort

New Delhi/Bengaluru producer Rahul Das, who also creates music for SundogProject, indulges his electronic side on his debut EP as Oort. Although Das has taken Oort on the road for shows a few times over, his first studio record is a must-hear for any fan of electronica. Across four tracks, there’s elements of IDM, techno, industrial, new wave, ambient, plus a dash of hip-hop and trap. 

Bedlam by Konflicts

Gangtok, Sikkim duo Konflicts bring together a harrowing, genre-jumping debut EP with Bedlam. They combine grindcore, noise, dark ambient that morphs into riff-dragging dissonance and experimental electronic music. Formalized as early as January this year by Phurba Yenden Sherpa and Chaman Prakash Singh, Konflicts present a scattered but unhinged palette of sounds, for any who likes heavy music without any genre restrictions.

Antariksha Sanchar: Transmissions in Space Vol. 1 & 2 by Murthovic

After a successful run of stage presentations across India in the last two years, Red Bull’s futuristic Bharatnatyam dance opera Antariksha Sanchar — which featured a live electronica band on stage — gets a soundtrack release this week. Helmed by seasoned producer-DJ Murthovic, the original soundtrack offers electronic fusion in the first volume, while the second volume features standout remixes by Indian producers such as _RHL aka Rahul Giri, Madboy aka Imaad Shah, Spryk aka Tejas Nair and more. The trans-media project’s creators Avinash Kumar aka Thiruda and Murthovic will be in live conversation over on Red Bull India’s Instagram on May 2nd and 3rd at 7 pm.

Limefright by Jayanth Potharaju

Chennai-based artist Jayanth Potharaju’s debut EP Limefright seems to incorporate his love for everything from funk to rock and electronic music, albeit in subtle ways. His main weapon of choice across six tracks remains the guitar. There’s ballads, rage, plenty of emo-ness and pop-punk. Thankfully, Potharaju seems to retain a smile throughout it.

Thoughts to Melt to by Disco Puppet

Releasing on May 3rd, Bengaluru-based producer, drummer and vocalist Disco Puppet aka Shoumik Biswas’ latest offering is perhaps cutting edge in a different way compared to his previous records. Inspired by American singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston, there’s a much happier, friendlier sound on Thoughts to Melt to that recalls artists like Gorillaz and general indie/electronic pop. Recorded at home during the lockdown, the five-track EP does well to retain the artist’s distinct vocal style.