DJ Kevin Cole Shares His Bandcamp Friday Picks, Inspired by Pushing Boundaries

photos by (clockwise) // yaeji (Dasom Hahn) // park hye jin (Hyo Young Choo) // son lux (Djeneba Aduayom) // yee loi (facebook) // tomo nakayama (courtesy of the artist) // Yukla Down (Keigo Fusano) // Drinking Boys and Girls Choir (courtesy of the artist)

Since March 2020, on the first Friday of every month, Bandcamp has waived service fees for purchases to help out artists — financially — through the pandemic. These wonderful holidays are called “Bandcamp Fridays” and today may be the last Bandcamp Friday we see for a while. I wanted to share some of my favorite music I’ve found on Bandcamp recently, if you’re looking for something to purchase today.

I was inspired by the amazing staff of KEXP, who so eloquently described our celebration of Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month as Pushing Boundaries. We are celebrating the music of Asia and Pasifika and refuse to put any artists in a box or a group. Music from these regions are as diverse as any other music we play — maybe more. 

So, here are a handful of my favorites. Buy this music, if you can, and thank me later. Also, you can tune into Drive Time today from 4-7 PM PT to hear these picks and so many more. Happy Bandcamp Friday!

Morningwhim - "Talking To Myself" [read more]

Dreamy, melodic  jangle-pop from Japanese 4 piece indie rock band.

Hiperson - "Crashing Into Daylight" off Bildungsroman [read more]

Discordant, melodic post punk from Chinese band’s intense third album Bildungsroman.

Yee Loi - No One Eats For Free

This is the best.  The antidote for anyone who has lost their joy for life or love of rock and roll. Inspired by the Ramones and classic punk rock, two young sisters, guitarist Rose (age 13) and lead vocalist Matilda (age 11) rock out.

파란노을 (Parannoul) - "아름다운 세상 (Beautiful World)" off To See the Next Part of the Dream [read more]

Lo-fi shoegaze jams from Seoul Korea based bedroom musician.

Yukla Down - "Two Seven Heavy" off In Memory Of

Interstellar, blasts of shoegaze bliss from Tokyo bands debut full length.

Drinking Boys and Girls Choir - "Secret Revenge" off We, Do It Together

Korean pop punk from a compilation confronting misogyny in the Korean indie scene.

Ego Function Error - "Our Nation" off Outsider Life Service

Rebellious, thrash punk.  Incredible musicianship with so many twists and turns it’ll have your head spinning!

No-No Boy - "The Best God Damn Band in Wyoming" off 1975 [read more]

A remarkable song/story about the George Igawa Orchestra, a big band formed inside a Japanese-American internment camp in Wyoming during WWII.  Who knew?  We all should.

Son Lux - "A Different Kind of Love" off Tomorrows III

Experimental, orchestral pop submerged in deep emotional waters.

박혜진 Park Hye Jin - "Like This" off How Can I [read more]

Hazy, hypnotic house jam from this pre-pandemic globetrotting artist’s debut Ninja Tune EP.

Yaeji - "When I Grow Up" off What We Drew [hear an exclusive mix]

Electronic avant-pop from this Brooklyn based artist that last August did a Bail Project Boiler Room fundraiser.

Tomo Nakayama - "On The Way" [read more]

Powerful new song from Seattle’s Tomo Nakayamo written in response to the Atlanta spa shooting and the rise in violence against Asians across the nation.