We’re only three Bandcamp Days deep and the monthly event is already severely overwhelming. On top of those wishlists you’ve been accumulating for as long as the platform’s been around, last month saw a spike in new releases tied to the unofficial holiday—a number that’s only increased for June, when artists are digging through old recordings for unreleased music to put out in support of anti-racist causes and pro-Black organizations.
So as to make the decision-making process a little bit easier, we’ve combed through our social media feeds to find a handful of the best new singles and albums uploaded to Bandcamp this week with the intention of raising profits for Black Lives Matter, various cities’ bail funds, memorial funds, and more. See our picks below.
Supporting: Metro Atlanta Mutual Aid Fund, As They Lay, Black Alliance for Just Immigration
“This release has been created to support, in a small way, those who continue to struggle under life and death circumstances to end the miserable condition that exists for Black and other oppressed people in this country and its colonial world. We dedicate this to the families of those who have been murdered by the police state in America, and encourage our supporters to continue to donate in their memory.”
Astronautalis, “The Way I Am”
Supporting: African American Youth Harvest, Lake Street Council, Unicorn Riot
“I am going to be honest, we’re going to need every nickel we can get to property put the full length album out our ourselves, but right now, there are people who need it more.”
Grouplove, “SHOUT SHOUT SHOUT (Demo)”
Supporting: Campaign Zero
“BLACK LIVES MATTER. DONATE. VOTE. PROTEST. EDUCATE. OUR VOICES ARE LOUDER TOGETHER. SHOUT SHOUT SHOUT.”
Marissa Nadler, “Old Friends” / “Bookends”
Supporting: Black Lives Matter
“Friday, June 5th- Bandcamp is once again kindly waving their revenue stream as we all navigate through an extremely tumultuous time. 100% of the proceeds of this track will be donated to Black Lives Matter. Additionally, the sales all of my releases on Sacred Bones as well as all of their other wonderful releases will be donated tomorrow to the Loveland Foundation, a non-profit making healing services available to people of color, particularly to black women and girls, and to a nationwide bail fund that splits donations among community bail funds.”
Moor Mother and Olof Melander, “ANTHOLOGIA 01”
Supporting: The Futurist Fund (Afrofuturist Affair)
“Don Giovanni has agreed to make 200 Cassette Tapes (the pre order for those tapes will go up soon) with all proceeds going to the Futurist Fund. The Digital Sales will first cover the cost spent on making which was $600 & then all money will go to the Futurist Fund started by the Afrofuturist Affair started in 2011. Our Goal for this tape is $700 for a motorized wheel chair anything over that will be split between those who need.”
Supporting: The Bail Project
“The Bail Project is a National Revolving Bail Fund on a mission to combat mass incarceration and reshape the pretrial system in the United States. 100% of online donations are used to bring people home. Since bail money comes back to us when cases close, we’re able to recycle every dollar donated at least twice per year. Money keeps people in. But your donation can break them out.”
NNAMDÏ, Black Plight EP
Supporting: eatChicago, Assata’s Daughters
Nothing, GEORGE (A Live Part Time Punks Session)
Supporting: ActBlue
“100% OF SALES/PAY WHAT YOU WANT GO DIRECTLY TO ACT BLUES COMMUNITY BAIL OUT. A SPLIT DONATION BETWEEN 38 DIFFERENT COMMUNITY BAIL FUNDS.”
Obnox/A Better Tomorrow, “Big Fire (Pigs in a Blanket” / “One Big Happy Family (OG Version)”
Supporting: George Floyd Memorial Fund
Obnox: “Dedicated to Arbery, Floyd and Taylor”
A Better Tomorrow: “Consume more revolutionary content”
Rituals of Mine, “SCRAPE”
Supporting: NorCal Resist Activist Bail, ICE Bond Fund
“We wrote SCRAPE this week as a direct reaction to the movement that we are seeing all over the country and all over the world for Black lives. 100% of the proceeds for this song will go directly to the NorCal Resist Activist Bail & ICE Bond Fund, for protestors in the Sacramento area who need bail out assistance during this time. We stand with all of those protesting and speaking out against these injustices. Black Lives Matter.”
Supporting: Black Visions Collective
“Released exclusively on Bandcamp, this collection gathers unreleased tracks, live recordings, vintage cuts, demos, and previously released songs from some of the artists we work with. We put a call out for songs on May 30th and in less than a week this was the amazing response we got.”
Shamir, “Something That’s Worth My Praises”
Supporting: Center for Black Equity, BLM Philly, Philadelphia Bail Fund
“Its only gonna be available for the next 24hrs and half of the proceeds will be split between @Ctr4BlackEquity, @BLMPhilly, and the Philadelphia Bail Fund.”
Show Me the Body/CORPUS, Mutual Aid EP
Supporting: The Okra Project, CORPUS Family Mutual Aid
“50% OF PROCEEDS GO TO THE NINA POP MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY FUND BY @TheOkraProject WITH THE OTHER 50% GOING STRAIGHT TO THE CORPUS MUTUAL AID FUND”
Tape Deck Mountain, “Scream”
Supporting: Campaign Zero
“We have unearthed an old/new track from the bands Brooklyn days entitled SCREAM. All purchases will be donated to Campaign Zero and organization for Police Reform.”
Tomberlin, “natural light” (Casiotone for the Painfully Alone cover)
Supporting: Black Lives Matter, Justice for Breonna Taylor
“all proceeds made on June 5th will go to Breonna Taylor’s family in honor of what would have been Breonna’s 27th birthday today. the proceeds made on the days following will be donated to the Black Lives Matter fund and various funds that pay reparations to Black organizations in need. (i’ve become aware of many funds during this time and want to contribute to as many as possible)”
Supporting: Loveland Therapy Fund
“I’m going to give 100% of tomorrow’s proceeds for my new song, “Too Big For the Glory Hole” to The Loveland Foundation, who provide funds to black women and girls seeking therapy.”
Wyatt Waddell, “FIGHT!”
Supporting: Chicago Community Bond Fund, Black Lives Matter Chicago, Greater Chicago Food Depository
“This song is me looking at what’s happening and what I’d tell the people protesting. I had to look outside of myself at what’s going on and how people are being affected. Hearing people’s fears, anxieties, and watching everything happening on TV really helped me write the song. I hope that it can be an anthem for my people as they’re fighting for a better America.”
Yautja, “Test Subject”
Supporting: “organizations in Nashville and Birmingham currently fighting to dismantle racism, inequality and corruption”
“A limited release for the weekend of June 5th, 2020 with all proceeds going to benefit those combating racism, inequality and corruption in the American police force.”
