March '23 Roundup
Better late than never?
Had this mostly drafted out before I went on a little tour the first weeks of April, delaying me finishing it. But I’m back home now and still wanted to get this out before it was too late!
Follow the 2023 roundup playlist to have a collection of everything from these roundup posts in 2023!
Nu Balance - Nelson Bandela
14 tracks, 35 minutes
Released: see below
From: Brooklyn, NY
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap, Funk, R&B
Recommended For Fans Of: Prophet, DRAM, Pink Siifu
Nelson Bandela’s first studio album has technically dropped every month of 2023 so far. If you haven’t heard his raps featured on projects by Pink Siifu, Quelle Chris, AKAI SOLO and more, I’ll introduce him to you with his unique album rollout. Nu Balance was first released in January exclusively on his website, before arriving to Bandcamp in February, and finally getting a streaming release on March 31st. While still getting his bars off on this project, Bandela utilizes sounds you’d expect from an 80s house album as he drifts away from the rap he was making on past projects like God Dad Bod and Sexiest Ugly N**** Alive Mixtape to lean more into his own Dada funk R&B sound. Entirely produced, written, recorded, mixed, and mastered by the ‘black James Blake’ (as Bandela’s referred to himself as), Nu Balance solidifies him as an artist free of genre restriction, reaching incredible creative heights.
Standout Track: Endorphins (Feat. Afua Darko)
Mascarade - Gayance
10 tracks, 30 minutes
Released: March 3rd, 2023
From: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Genres: Electronic, House, R&B, Soul
Recommended For Fans Of: Solange, Shygirl, Ojerime
Gayance (stage name for Aïsha Vertus) is getting people dancing to soul infused house with her debut album, Mascarade. With over a decade of experience in the DJ space under her belt, the Montreal artist (who relocated to Amsterdam in 2022) stepped into producing their own music to put together this wide ranging debut. It culminates her life and all her creative experiences, including writing for Red Bull Music Academy and The Fader, her film Piu Piu about the Montreal beat scene (featuring a young Kaytranada when he went by the name Kaytradamus), curating the Visions Hip Hop QC exhibition at PHI Center, and her upcoming short film that was made to accompany this album. Similar to a good DJ mix, Mascarade gathers from various scenes and styles and fuses them together seamlessly to make something new. Creole music is one of her main inspirations (Gayance is the Haitian creole word for joyfulness), as well as UK garage, Detroit techno, and New York electronic music among others. It ultimately creates a beautiful reflection of herself, in an album dedicated to, “all weird Black Femmes around the world.”
Standout Track: Shore Apart
Sestinas - Infinity Crush
9 tracks, 24 minutes
Released: March 10th, 2023
From: Greensboro, NC
Genres: Indie, Folk, Country
Recommended For Fans Of: Florist, Lala Lala, Frankie Cosmos
North Carolina solo act Infinity Crush (stage name of Caroline White) returned in March for their first album in nearly four years with Sestinas. Quaint but tight and somber folk instrumentals lay the backdrop for these tunes, setting the perfect scene for White to sing poetically sad lyrics full of reflection and longing. In addition to music, White is actually a poet and shares poems online regularly, which should become apparent just from the songwriting. Basically if passionately written sad girl folk backed by slide guitar is your thing, you’re going to have a good time here. Charlie was my more upbeat standout, but the album’s closer The Cowboy really sends the project home in an incredible way. Sestinas was mixed and mastered by the previously featured Max Gowan.
Standout Track: Charlie
21st Century Masters: Dr. Horsedoctor: '20–'23: The Early Years - Dr. Horsedoctor
9 tracks, 33 minutes
Released: March 3rd, 2023
From: Washington, D.C.
Genres: Indie Rock
Recommended For Fans Of: Band Of Horses (idk, probably), Of Montreal, Dad Rock
Dr. Horsedoctor the type of band to make a greatest hits collection their debut album. Dr. Horsedoctor the type of band to photoshop their own ‘graphic design is my passion’ album cover with a picture in the kitchen. Dr. Horsedoctor the type of band to name themselves after a horse that’s also a doctor. Dr. Horsedoctor the type of band to make music as a duo but perform as a four piece. Dr. Horsedoctor the type of band to make a beat out of them saying the name of their band on loop. Dr. Horsedoctor the type of band to tweet ‘Madame Zeroni can get it.’ Dr. Horsedoctor the type of band where every member is in four other bands at the same time. Dr. Horsedoctor the type of band to mock the hallowed name of greatest hits CD compilers 20th Century Masters. Dr. Horsedoctor the type of band to make some feisty indie rock bangers though.
Standout Track: State of Mind
Other Things Worth Hearing
From the tailend of February, Filipino-Australian singer daine delivered a stellar collection of hyperpop bangers with the shapeless EP.
Yasmin Lacey’s new album Voice Notes is funky, introspective, and a front to back hour long jam.
adultSW!M sees Deem Spencer utilizing some great features and making some of the best music of his career.
FORWARD by Jordan Ward is an exciting mix of Steve Lacy and Kyle Dion esque indie R&B. Constantly moving and always interesting.
Alice Longyu Gao imagines a world without heteros (and the argument is pretty compelling) on her exhilarating new project, Let’s Hope Heteros Fail, Learn and Retire.
Meet Me @ The Alter’s debut album Past // Present // Future is explosive, catchy, and fun as hell pop punk at its finest.
Tei Shi returned with her exciting and independent EP, BAD PREMONITION.
LA rapper ICECOLDBISHOP has his own hard hitting yet thought provoking debut album on his hands with the good kid, m.A.A.d city inspired GENERATIONAL CURSE.
Softcult have strung together a strong run of EPs since 2021, the latest See You In The Dark is no exception.
Goodreads
Bandcamp Workers Form Union: ‘It’s Not Enough to Get Small Wins Alone’ Kim Kelly for Rolling Stone. Almost exactly a year since Bandcamp was acquired by Epic Games, the workers are unionizing. Read their mission statement and support here.
‘Snorting your way through it catches up with you’: The mental health toll on touring musicians Nick Duerden for iNews catches up with some artists who have canceled tours, as well as previewing the newly published, 600-page, Touring and Mental Health: The Music Industry Manual.
Alumni Watch
Sunstoney (featured 2/15/21) takes you on a groovy trip with their newest project, 2079.
Genevieve Artadi returns with her first album since the one featured in my inaugural post, another excellent release in Forever Forever.
Friko (featured 4/27/22) utilizes tour footage in the new video for their latest single, Crimson to Chrome
Worlds Worst (featured 7/7/21) expanded the exciting garage rock sound of that EP for their self titled debut album.
Pedazo De Carne Con Ojo (featured 8/18/21) dropped what almost sounds like dispatches from other planets in their follow up to 2021’s Dun Dun, the self-titled Pedazo. (Cleft)
April roundup coming in a much more timely manner