Nicole Mitchell and Lisa E. Harris - EarthSeed
The name EarthSeed comes from the 1990's novels Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents written by award-winning Black science-fiction author Octavia E. Butler. The fiction books chronicle 21st-century America as it unravels into horrific, tyrannical mayhem, and those who were once considered middle-class citizens struggle to survive in a violent reality void of normalcy, family, and resources. Seemingly more prophetic as time goes on, one of the characters in the Parables, Lauren Oya Olamina, helps rebuild her community through Earthseed, an "egalitarian philosophy and spiritual practice which honors inquiry, independent thinking, and realistic acceptance of constant change."
Nicole Mitchell and Lisa E. Harris's EarthSeed is inspired by and a tribute to Butler's work. In response to the chaotic and atrocious turn our society is taking, the composers have made a sonic EarthSeed. The 11-track project is both soft and energetic, utilizing spoken word and solo instrumentation to create something spiritually moving.
Merce Lemon - Moonth
Merce Lemon's first full-length album, Moonth, officially dropped on all streaming outlets last week. But those on Bandcamp may have gotten to hear it a little bit earlier, as Crafted Sounds and Darling Records (the labels are doing a co-releasing) released Moonth on the platform a week prior.
With her father Greg Pierce on guitar, the album is a bedroom pop blend of blues and indie-folk. From the indie rock stomper “Sardines,” to the jangly hitter “Baby,” to the stripped-down solo “Disco Ball,” you can hear the bond shared between father and daughter as their guitars weave in and out.
100% of all profits from this release will be donated to the Pittsburgh-based Black Unicorn Library and Archives Project, with a commitment to a minimum donation of $200.
Josh Vredevoogd, an LA-based animator and designer, produced a video for Moonth's lead single, "Baby," which can be viewed below.
