New Indian Releases You Can Now Buy for Bandcamp Friday

Ever since March, when music platform and marketplace Bandcamp announced their monthly Friday initiative to waive their cut of purchases on the site, musicians have earned nearly $100 million. In the last 30 days alone, Bandcamp states that they’ve had $17.8 million in transactions between fans and musicians.

Bandcamp Friday returns today (October 2nd) all the way until 12:30 pm IST tomorrow (October 3rd) and across genres and styles, here’s what is worth checking out:

Advaitham – The Anatomy of a Dream

Composer and producer Advaitham’s first concept album is aptly cinematic, whimsical and sublime throughout eight tracks with a wondrous artwork. Teaming up with Hyderabad origin producer Kalmi on select tracks, The Anatomy of a Dream is based on a story by filmmaker Prannoy Mehta, offering grandiose yet arresting sounds that can let anyone’s imagination run wild.

Various Artists – Chalo

Following the release of a compilation called Aaj Kal which served as a fundraiser for Covid-19 relief efforts in India, freelance journalist Dhruva Balram has teamed up with Assam-origin, Brooklyn-based producer Jitwam and his label The Jazz Diaries for a new collection of songs by South Asian artists for Chalo. While this marks the creation of a “interdisciplinary creative community and collaborative platform,” the 28-track compilation releases on November 6th. It includes everyone from veteran Pakistani producer Talal Qureshi to Indian percussionist-producer Sarathy Korwar, British artist Nabihah Iqbal, Bengaluru duo Sulk Station, veteran composer and violinist V.S. Narasimhan and more. Sales from the album will go towards such as Karachi’s Zindagi Trust and the Human Rights Law Network.

Fopchu – Now Showing

New Delhi’s Fopchu – currently comprising Shantam Khanna and Siddhant Subs – have released their new EP Now Showing, which features friends aplenty and a signature shimmer of funk, hip-hop and alternative across three tracks. New Delhi act Superfuzz’s frontman Sanchal Malhar wakes up and croons his way through funk-hop on “Shantham of the Fopera,” then we see Mahima Dayal Mathur aka Banwari Basanti add backing vocals on the murky bop that’s “Time & Time Again” (featuring reggae act Ska Vengers and The Jass Bstards’ Stefan Kaye on washboard and melodica). There’s also warping, psychedelic paced-up rock on to close off on “Dil Billy,” featuring Fopchu’s former vocalist-guitarist Kaizad Nariman.

K.O.K.O. – City At Night

About two years after the release of his chillwave debut EP Outlines, producer-vocalist Anukool Raman aka K.O.K.O. offers two short but fun new tracks with a new EP called City At Night. It’s about three-and-a-half minutes in total, but Raman squarely hones in on a smooth, (obviously) late night synthwave and pop groove to layer his wistful vocals over.

Urmila Mahajan and Aman Mahajan – #poetryatthepiano

Finding a new way to fuse poetry and music, pianist and composer Aman Mahajan and poet Urmila Mahajan make a son-mother to release new music in lockdown since March. Compiled into a continually updated album called #poetryatthepiano, the Mahajans have experimented with moods and tones across five tracks so far. With the text of the poem in the description for each song, it can be read alongside listening to a brief piano composition.

Khanabadosh – Kaala Dil

Alternative pop-rock band Khanabadosh aim to take a worthy step into the world of Hindi rock and pop with their debut Kaala Dil, hailing from Udaipur. Featuring slickly produced rock arrangements, there’s definitely a more than evident influence from New Delhi rockers The Local Train, but the three tracks go over themes of struggle, love and seeking selflessness with emphatic levels of conviction.