Bandcamp Friday: What I Bought!
Just in case you’re not familiar with the concept of Bandcamp Friday I’ve linked an explanation.
Ever since COVID, i.e. 2020, I have been an avid fan of Bandcamp Friday and probably spend more money when these occur than I should. That said, I like owning the music that I enjoy, but also, I want to support the independent artists that make that music.
Sure, most artists make more money on touring and merchandising, but over the years the big corporations have been taking bigger and bigger chunks for themselves. Let’s not forget that Live Nation, the company that has contracts with almost every venue, owns Ticketmaster, and in many cases now wants a cut of merch sales as well. This means that even touring isn’t the guaranteed money-maker that it once was for music acts.
But on Bandcamp Friday 100% of the proceeds go directly to the bands, so yes, I support that 100%.
All that said, here is what I purchased during the Bandcamp Friday for August, 2025, but also why.
Bronski Beat & Neil Tennant “Why? (Superchumbo Mix)
I honestly don’t think I own any Bronski Beat despite liking much of their music. I saw that this remix included Neil Tennant (of the Pet Shop Boys) and decided that it was time to rectify this gap in my music collection.
Cabaret Nocturne “Bloodwalk”
I described this to Shalee as “dark music for a lived-in sci-fi film” and she thought that was very appropriate, like something you’d hear in Blade Runner or something else that depicts a less-than-Utopian future. Regardless, I dig it.
DSTRTD SGNL “House Thing,” “Permission”, “Untold Story”
I purchased another single by DSTRTD SGNL during a previous BCF, so I listened to these three singles and decided that I should own those as well. In my opinion, this is very good, stompy dance music, more akin to Futurepop than techno, but why quibble about labels?
They are all very good, but of these three I really can’t get “Permission” out of my head. It’s SO GOOD!Four Test “Into Dust (Still Falling)
Oddly, enough, with its ethereal femail vocals this tracks feels like a bridge between DSTRTD SGNL above and shallou below. It’s chill, but also dancey, and I’m more than OK with that.
The Mighty Roostmen The Mighty Rootsmen
I am the first one to tell you that I don’t know all that much about reggae. Yes, I like Marley, Tosh, select Yellowman, Black Uhuru, and Toots and the Maytals, but that’s pretty much the extent of my knowledge. Normally I would skip any covers album if it was just random, unknown reggae artists, but the song selection here is pretty good, and the reggae artists involved are some of the legends mentioned above. After sampling a few tracks I was sold. I am enjoying this much more than I thought I would.
Irvine Welsh & The Sci-Fi Soul Orchestra Men In Love
This came across my feed and I was intrigued: the author of Trainspotting creating a disco/funk/soul album as a companion piece to the a novel written in that same universe? It can’t be that good, can it? I started the first track and was instantly hooked.
True, I enjoy disco, but my dad was a fan of Motown back in the day, and I feel like if he were alive today I could share this album with him and he’d love it.
As you can see from the vast majority of my purchases, my preferences tend toward all things boop-boop-beep, but this album makes me smile. Shit, this might be the best music I”ve purchased this year, and though it’s only August, it’s already my favorite album of the year.
It’s that fucking good.
Caveat: again, I prefer Bandcamp, especially on Bandcamp Friday because then the artists get all of the proceeds. This album is cheaper on Amazon, which is fine, I want artists to get paid, but the Amazon also includes an additional track placed as the second on its version, and it’s a banger. Why don’t I get that song on this release when I’ve paid more already? Rant over.shallou 24, summer, 24, autumn, 25, winter, 25, spring
I’ve been grabbing tracks from shallou for a year or so now because they’re this perfect balance of chill and make-your-booty move. Some of the electronic music I buy is too frenetic for Shalee, but this she loves.
I think I have a couple of the singles already on these EPs, but again, I want to see artists get paid, so I bought all four of these extended releases.Snowbeasts & Solypsis Extinction Burst
Technically I got this before Bandcamp Friday for free as part of a promotion that Snowbeasts were doing, but I wanted to highlight them just the same because I have purchased their music in the past and it’s a perfect blend of nefarious synths and haunting beats. If I didn’t already own it I would have purchased it, so it counts.
Starfounder Halo (Deluxe Edition
Again, more dark wave electronic music because I definitely have a preference. I had previously purchased the single “Stay Where You Are,” but I wanted the entire album, so I don’t mind paying for it again.
“Ne Plus Ultra” is also great, so this is a solid pickup of which I am very happy.UnderGround Sound USGSC001: New Year, New Dubs, USGSC002: New Year, New Dubs Volume 2
These caught my attention because they are from my hometown of Grand Rapids. Add to that the fact that I enjoy the “deep riddim” of dub for background music, grabbing these both was a no-brainer.
worriedaboutsatan “Start Again (Go Real Slow) / Sleep With The Light On”
I’ve been buying most of what worriedaboutsatan has been putting out the last couple of years, not everything, bust most. This is more IDM than darkwave, and I mean this as a compliment when I say that this is the perfect kind of electronic music that I like to have playing while I’m working or writing, much as I’m doing right now (yes, it’s literally playing right now).
Good stuff!Wicked Boy “Arrival”
I’ve been a fan of Processor for a couple of years now. In fact, I purchased their entire discography (at the time) about a year or so ago. This appears to be a side project as the performer is listed as “WIcked Boy,” but it has fun synths and the beat slowly builds. It’s kind of dark and foreboding, but you can also dance to it. This is exactly in my wheelhouse for the type of music I like, so I grabbed it.
As always, support independent artists and independent music!
© 2025 Michael A. Diaz
