Chat Pile's "God's Country"

1. Milc and Televangel, “Neutral Milc Motel”
2. Maxine Funke, “Pieces of Driftwood”
3. Chat Pile, “God’s Country”

Bandcamp is an online music platform used largely by independent artists and record labels to stream songs and sell merchandise. It’s also a vibrant virtual community teeming with interesting sounds waiting to be discovered. Each week, I’ll highlight three releases available on the site that are worth your time and attention. If you find something you dig, please consider supporting the artist with a purchase.

Milc and Televangel, “Neutral Milc Motel”

The prolific Portland rapper Milc made a handful of different records with different collaborators this year, and my favorite is “Neutral Milc Motel,” an 11-track collection released in November. Not coincidentally, “Neutral Milc Motel” is produced by Portland-based producer Televangel, aka Ian Taggart of Blue Sky Black Death, who also produced the best 2022 album from another prolific Northwest rapper, Seattle’s AJ Suede. Anyway, “Neutral Milc Motel” is packed wall to wall with Televangel’s dense, woozy beats and Milc’s gritty ‘n’ witty rhymes. The two sound like they were born to make music together.

Maxine Funke, “Pieces of Driftwood”

Maxine Funke is either internet-shy or the internet thinks she is internet-shy. Either way, the New Zealand singer-songwriter is an understated presence that produces a whole bunch of stunning songs. Her most recent studio full-length, “Seance,” was one of the best albums of 2021, and she returned this fall with “Pieces of Driftwood,” a collection of unreleased material nestled among rarities, non-album tracks, songs recorded for compilations and the like. Here, tenderly whispered folk songs sit alongside droning lo-fi experiments; the results are intimate, lovely and entrancing.

Chat Pile, “God’s Country”

Last week in GO! I shared my 40 favorite albums released on Bandcamp in 2022, and I’m sure I forgot a few things. But one album I’m certain I forgot is “God’s Country,” the relentlessly heavy and bleak effort from Oklahoma noise-rock nihilists Chat Pile. “God’s Country” is great from top to bottom, and it contains one of the songs of the year, “Why,” which should be required listening for all Americans. Here are the song’s lyrics in full: “Why do people have to live outside in the brutal heat or when it’s below freezing? There are people that are made to live outside. Why? Why do people have to live outside when there are buildings all around us with heat on and no one inside. Why? Why do people have to live outside in tents, under bridges — living with nothing and horribly suffering. Why? Why do people have to live outside? We have the resources. We have the means. Why? Why do people have to live outside? I couldn’t survive out on the streets. Why? Why do people have to live outside? I couldn’t survive out on the streets. I’ve never had to push all of my s–t around in a shopping cart. Have you? Have you ever had ringworm? Scabies? Have you ever had to live outside? I don’t want to live outside. Why? Why do people have to live outside? Horror story. Real American horror story, and it’s a f–kin’ tragedy, every day. Everyday, people have to live outside. Why?”