Iris' Picks for Bumbershoot 2023

Hello! I’m Iris, an intern at Teentix, a solo music producer for 5 years, and a transsexual woman. My eclectic taste greatly influences my personal work, and informed my choices of artists from the Bumbershoot roster. I’m really excited to see the great selection of extremely talented acts that will be performing this year. They put a lot of effort into showcasing a diverse array of genres and artists in their roster.

My choices from the lineup will feature genres such as: shoegaze, jazz, and punk music. After I give you a run-down on the artists I chose, I’ll give some recommendations for related music to check out

#1 DOMi and JD Beck

DOMi, a French keyboardist, and JD Beck, an American drummer, are a contemporary jazz duo signed to Blue Note records, a label synonymous with some of the greatest jazz artists of all time. Some of my favorite jazz CDs feature Blue Note on the spine.

The duo’s 2022 debut album NOT TiGHT, is a gorgeous project with contributions from Herbie Hancock, Anderson .Paak, and Thundercat. It’s filled with lush melodies, rich rhythms from the standup bass, and ethereal vocals. The percussion stood out to me most however, as a huge fan of hip-hop royalty J-Dilla, as well as the monumental work of MF DOOM and MadLib. A love for DOOM became even more evident when I realized they had an entire Madvillainy tribute on Youtube. If you listened to any of DOMi & JD Beck’s music and wanted some other material to delve into, here are my recommendations:

● MF DOOM, the supervillain himself. It's best to start at the beginning of his work under that name, with the masterwork album OperationDoomsday. My personal favorite is definitely BORN LIKE THIS.

https://mfdoom.bandcamp.com/al...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

● Quasimoto, a side project of MadLib, features pitched up bars from the producer, and amazing beat-making that is synonymous with the hip-hop legend. I love his album “The Unseen”, it’s a must-listen.

https://quasimoto.bandcamp.com...

● Onyx Collective is an enigmatic jazz ensemble from New York City, their 2018 project “Lower East Suite Part Three” has been a favorite of mine for years, since I initially discovered the song FDR Drive through a skate video soundtrack.

https://onyxcollective.bandcam...

#2 Ride

Ride is a British rock group formed in Oxford. They played an influential role in the Shoegaze landscape in the 90’s, and continue to deliver solid material since their 2014 reunion. I’m a huge fan of their 1990 album “Nowhere”, which is filled to the brim with effect-heavy, layered, and versatile instrumentation.

If you’re afan of Ride, or shoegaze as a genre, I highly recommend you check out some of my picks:

● Siren For Charlotte is an Angelic Post-Shoegaze label from Japan, who is responsible for the compilation tape “Xtalline : 001”. The music draws from many genres and moods, and comes together to form a dreamy, sonically dense, and beautiful experience that I urge you to experience for yourself.

https://eneiongaku.bandcamp.co...

● Ethel Cain is a transfemme singer-songwriter born in Tallahassee Florida. Her album “Unreleased” which is a compilation of unreleased songs and demos from 2018-2019. Her voice is haunting and gorgeous. Her songwriting and storytelling is heart wrenching and incredibly intimate

https://mothercain.bandcamp.co...

● Antarctica’s album “81:03” is a wonderful electronic-infused shoegaze album. A highly textured, reverb laden project, with layered vocals throughout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

#3 Destroy Boys

Destroy Boys are a punk band from Sacramento,

California that were formed in 2015. They have a wealth of fast, angry, and extremely catchy tracks, all accompanied with vocals from Violet Mayugba. My favorite tracks from the group are their 2023 singles “Shadow (I’m Breaking Down)”, “Beg For The Torture” (https://destroyboys.bandcamp.c...) and “Fences” from 2020.

Here’s some of my favorite hardcore picks to check out after you finish listening to Destroy Boys:

● Lysol is my first favorite local punk band from Seattle. Their 2015 album “DEMO”, specifically the track “CLEAN LIVING” is a must listen. I got to see them live with Electric Chair at a house venue a couple years ago and it was unforgettable. https://lysolpunx.bandcamp.com...

● Beta Boys is another favorite of mine. Based in Olympia, Washington. The snarling, nasty vocal delivery, and brain melting tempo changes make this a really fun listen. Their 2018 album “Late Nite Acts” is a great example of all the great aspects of this group.

https://erstetheketontraeger.b...

Bumbershoot Arts and Music Festival returns to Seattle Center this year on Seattle Center campus. Check out the entire line up at https://bumbershoot.com/schedule