Fall is in full swing now, and since we’re in the season of change, let’s not let the leaves be the only thing altering aesthetics. Your music library could probably use a facelift, so as we do every month in this space, we’ve explored the depths of Bandcamp and came up with a handful of albums we can almost guarantee you haven’t heard, and we can almost guarantee that at least one of them will appeal to you.
So read on, and check out what we thought were the best underground albums of September, starting with:
5. 11:11 by Tessa Dillon
Genre: indie folk, indie rock
If you like: Warpaint, Your Friend, Lady Lamb
New Zealand songstress Tessa Dillon is far from the first to do the reverb-heavy, stripped-down folk thing—the aforementioned “If you like” artists come to mind—but that doesn’t mean she can’t do it well, because she certainly does. Her voice is gentle but impactful, and the simplicity of the songs really allow a moment to take with each one; You don’t have to consciously keep up, it’ll just happen to you.
4. Weird Plastic by hi-ker
Genre: indie pop, electronic
If you like: St. Lucia, Perfume Genius, CHVRCHES
Hi-ker writes in their Bandcamp bio that they’re currently unsigned, so any record label people reading, take the hint. Weird Plastic is a super engaging album filled with high-energy electropop that’s pop enough to remind of Carly Rae Jepsen one minute and of Animal Collective the next. If they get heard, people will love them, so somebody pounce and get in on the ground floor (assuming they’re looking for a label, that is).
3. I Belong To You by Peak Physique
Genre: indie pop, electronic
If you like: Hot Chip, Neon Indian
Based on what’s actually going on, this EP should come off as a lot weirder than it sounds, but they go about it with such confidence and skill that there’s really nothing alienating about it. “When The Spell Breaks” sounds like a mix of Flight of the Conchords and Drake, album highlight “Hell Is Anywhere You’re Not” sounds like a Florence + The Machine re-hash of 2000s electropop like Hellogoodbye, and there’s pretty much everything else in between in the remaining songs.
2. Upsweep by Hannah Epperson
Genre: indie pop, electronic
If you like: Lykke Li, Four Tet
This album is hard to describe, which can be either good or bad. It’s definitely a positive in this case, though, a project very broad in scope, a double album with classically-influenced tracks like “Farthest Distance” and glitchy, rollercoaster indie pop songs like “Story.” It’s a wild, dense listen, and admittedly one that’ll take a few play-throughs to appreciate, but based on early returns, it’ll likely bloom into something great.
1. Three by Diners
Genre: indie pop, indie rock
If you like: Ariel Pink, Peter Bjorn & John, Real Estate
Early fall is a great time for breezy indie rock, so the latest from Diners came at just the right time. It’s a strong step out of summer whimsy and into autumnal reflection, with a foot firmly in both. “Fifteen On A Skateboard” is such a nostalgic and fun track, a wildly catchy tune that also has a fun music video.
Honorable Mentions
Ghost Beach by Beauty School
Genre: indie rock, indie pop
If you like: Best Coast
Red Lights by Exiles
Genre: electronic, synthwave
If you like: Chromeo, Com Truise, S U R V I V E
EP1 by OPERATORS
Genre: electronic, indie pop
If you like: Hot Chip, Mark Mills
SUSPECT DEMO by SuspectBraxton
Genre: hip-hop
If you like: Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler, The Creator
That’s all for September, but until next month, let us know in the comments which of these albums were your favorites, what we missed, and what we should look forward to. If you missed out on the last post, check it out here (and the complete Bandcamping archives are here).
