Welcome to a fresh edition of Sound Sunday. Every week I present you with 10 free albums from various backgrounds and genres that I think are worth listening to.
At the time of writing the article, the downloads are free. Unfortunately, Bandcamp limits the amount of free downloads, the artists may change their minds, or the record labels may reach their quota. So over time, most downloads will go from free to pay. This is why I recommend you to check in early every Sunday and get the albums while they're hot.
If you have any suggestions, feel free to flood the comments or drop me an email [tina at makeuseof dot com].
Stephen Hunley - Wait and See
Genre: acoustic, blues, soul, pop rock
Wait and See is Stephen Hunley's debut album. A soothing voice, simple melodies, and arrangements that keep the listener engaged. In short: music for the radio. The skill of this talented young singer / songwriter and the quality of the album may have to do something with the fact that he is the nephew of country vocalist Con Hunley, but that is pure speculation.
Download Wait and See free from Bandcamp.
TFPP - Lost In Time
Genre: electronic, pop
Lost In Time is one of two albums from TFP and a third one, Chill Crosby 2: Rave to the Grave, is expected to be released through Circuittree Records soon. A preview is available via Soundcloud. On Bandcamp, Matt Hettich (aka wake) and Bob LaDue (aka ddb) state that Lost In Time is "free and available for dating." Unfortunately, both guys are taken and not available for romantic encounters.
Lost In Time is a free download from Bandcamp.
TFPP Homepage.
Electric Assembly - How To Make Mistakes
Genre: indie, experimental, shoegaze, post rock
This album contains "a collection of unreleased tracks, works in progress, rough mixes, studio outtakes, remixes and alternate versions." David, Paul, and Steve of Electric Assembly, a London-based indie experimental band, have released the sampler in November 2006.
You can download How To Make Mistakes from Bandcamp.
David Shultz and The Skyline - Rain in to the Sky
Genre: indie, acoustic, americana, folk, rock
Message from David: "I encourage you to download this album, and to share it. 300 copies of this album were pressed, but those are all gone now. The band and I put a lot in to this, and we're very proud of it. Love - David"
Rain in to the Sky can be downloaded for free from Bandcamp.
M.Island - Yes!
Genre: hip hop rap, lyrical
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From his homepage: Refusing to conform to categories designed by the masses, hip hop artist M. Island dishes out the perfect blend of ingredients to satisfy both the Hip Hop purist and the most avid party-goer. "See, a lot of rappers purposely try to write a 'club banger' or 'deep/personal' song, but I just listen to the track and let my heart speak. It is from that energy, realness, and passion that the listener feels me," explains Island. "You don't have to love hip hop"¦all it takes is for you to be human and I have something for you." |
Download Yes! from M.Island's Homepage.
The Nico Blues - Blame the Boredom, Blame the Basements
Genre: alternative, indie, rock
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Blame the Boredom, Blame the Basements is the debut album of the alternative rock band The Nico Blues from New Jersey. They recorded, produced, and mixed it in their home studio and released the album via their own record label Tiny Giant Records. This is the way to go in today's music business and The Nico Blues are doing it very well. |
You can download Blame the Boredom, Blame the Basements from The Nico Blues' Homepage.
Dropa - A Well Orchestrated Plan
Genre: alternative, indie, experimental, ambient, electronic, new wave, pop
Dropa is the "solo indietronic, electro synth pop venture" of Micah Tamblyn from Portland, Oregon. The name he chose for his hand is rather interesting. Dropa, also known as Dropas, Drok-pa or Dzopa, Chinese: æœç«‹å·´, was the name given to dwarf-like extraterrestrials that, according to legend, landed near the border between China and Tibet about twelve thousand years ago.
A Well Orchestrated Plan is available for free from Bandcamp.
Impossible Nothing - Montechristo
Genre: experimental, electronic, hip hop
According to Darwin Frost, the man behind Impossible Nothing, Montechristo is a Comic Hip-Hop Meta-Narrative. It is one of three free albums available on his Bandcamp page. If you enjoy this one, you should also give Bananas and Banana Peels a spin.
Montechristo is a free download from Bandcamp.
Impossible Nothing SoundCloud and Twitter.
MR Cluck - Birdbone Altar
Genre: experimental, ambient, electronic, minimalist, acoustic, tape music
MR Cluck is an all around talent. Writer, musician, and artist in general, he presents us here with an album of predominantly tape loop based music that, in his own words, "documents a fall from grace into regrettable cyclical behavior." There is no accounting for taste or art.
Get Birdbone Altar for free from Bandcamp.
BackBeat SoundSystem - One Step Forward
Genre: pop, dub, roots, reggae
The list of genres caught your interest, didn't it? The music of BackBeat SoundSystem is very unconventional. Pop with traces of reggae and electronic music, swaying from one side to the next like a palm tree in the wind. Or as they say it: "Made with movement in mind. Traditional reggae music slapped upside the head with a party stick. Stomping bass, dub synths & steady grooves." Excellent stuff!
One Step Forward is a free download from Bandcamp.
Still got room on your mp3 player? Browse past editions of Sound Sunday. You can also get in touch with me [tina at makeuseof dot com] to share free material, suggestions, and feedback or simply post it into the comments below.