These are this week’s Bandcamp essentials (21st August)

The pandemic of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has had a devastating impact on our scene, leading to the cancellation of countless club nights and festivals across the world.

Artists have been heavily impacted too, having their main revenue streams disconnected for the foreseeable future.

With tour cancellations and festival postponements leaving many members of the international electronic music community out of pocket, Bandcamp has become an even more vital platform for supporting the music you love, with 80% of all sales from the online music store going directly to artists and labels. In March, the platform announced it would be waiving its revenue share for all sales for one day, and on the 20th, took no cut from purchases made. In total, $4.3 million was spent on music over the course of 24 hours, all going straight to the creators. On 1st of May, it waived its revenue share again for 24 hours, raising $7 million for artists and labels. 

More recently, On June 5th, Bandcamp's fee-free Friday, we put the focus on releases from Black artists, labels and collectives, as well as releases from those donating to organisations supporting Black communities and initiatives. On June 19th, Bandcamp donated 100% of its profits to the NAACP Legal Defence Fund. NAACP, a civil rights organisation founded in 1909, describe their mission in the 21st century as ensuring "the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination". 

As a show of solidarity to support the artists and labels impacted through the pandemic, and to continue supporting initiatives and organisations, we launched a weekly roundup of the most vital Bandcamp releases.

Ahead of next week's Bandcamp's fee-free Friday, we've collated over 20 tracks, EPs, and albums from the likes of Angel D'Lite, Conducta, Lila Tirando a Violeta, Omar S, Plastician TSHA, and more. Check them out below.