I don’t know about you, but I find one of the best ways to discover underground music is to follow the breadcrumbs between artists, collectives, and independent labels, and sometimes this starts with a physical place. Back in April I spent a week in Austin with some of the people that make up the underground music scene there, and I’ve been eager to share my findings since. From metaphysical meanderings and Brainfeeder-esque experiments to lo-fi easy listening and, of course, no shortage of hip hop beats, there’s an endless variety to enjoy. This post barely scratches the surface! So, without further ado, here are some choice cuts to help you get acquainted.
lungfulls has been on my radar since I first heard “finite time here”: minimal, meditative, nature-inspired, like trickling water. Wake up with the sun and let your mind wander to his latest EP, “Palo Santo.”
With lungfulls comprising one of four in Azimuth Records, it should come as no surprise that the other three are producing equally-captivating music. Check em out!
Throwback to altura’s “waiting,” since we are still waiting on that EP… I’m joking. (Sort of.) But this one I’m very excited for, because it’s altura’s meticulous attention to detail that’s behind the hold-up. Pulling influences from Lapalux and FlyLo, upcoming “Light Leaks” will experiment with outdated technology as if to create the sound equivalent for its name (“A Color Map of the Sun”, anyone? Pretty Lights earned a Grammy nomination for that ground-breaking contribution. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, go listen. Go listen right now!)
Here’s one with The Deli, whose most recent EP “Encounters” will make you melt like butter under the hot Texas sun. Smooth as guacamole and fresher than pico de gallo… I ate a lot of TexMex okay?
For laid-back mixes, I recommend listening through JuiceLand Radio, which posts DJ sets for JuiceLand’s record store, Exploded Records. Of course, if you’re ever in Austin, hit up JuiceLand, too, because where else can you peruse a curated selection of beats, bass & jazz while shooting back shots of wheatgrass and yerba mate?! (I mean… LA, probably. But you get the gist.)
emune’s is a good place to start. Not be confused with his Radio Juicy mix, which is another one to put on for an evening bean bag chair sesh. Just me…?
emune heads up the ALWAYS PROPER crew with masterfully-spun lo-fi jazz & hip hop journeys to let you kick back and forget the bullshit for a while. I’ve listened to a lot of emune and I gotta say, his EP “Retaliate” is still my favourite. Lots of thought-provoking samples sprinkled throughout. Link takes you to Bandcamp where it’s free for download.
I’m gonna leave off here because this post is getting hella long and the June sun is calling to me. Butactuallyonelastthing–
Shouts out to Amarillo-based SVNSET WAVES for hosting an endless stream of experimental gold on their Soundcloud. Been on this page for daaaays.
Don’t forget to follow the artists, y’all!
