With the postponement of South by Southwest (SxSW) in Austin Texas this month, we will miss hundreds of bands, but can still enjoy many online:
Here are a few you might enjoy
ADA LEA.
Intimate Whispered Indie Pop from Montreal Quebec, Canada.
Alexandra Levy’s music is backed by acoustic guitar. Album Title: What We Say In Private.
NOGA EREZ
A Tel Aviv based musician and IDF veteran from Caesaria
SIVAN LEVY
An Israeli musician and actress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2IX61yLMW8&list=RDEMCJmUx5edymep5KlPCTJqyg&start_radio=1
LOWER TAR
Lower Tar is the experimental techno project of Los Angeles-based musician and visual artist, Ori Ofir. Formed in 2014, Lower Tar has released albums on Ascetic House, Ecstatic Recordings, and Night Gaunt Recordings, the label that he co-founded, and has collaborated with Silent Servant on a duo project called Sterile Hand.
Using techno as a cathartic backbone enables Ofir to cope and understand the multiplicitous relationship he has with being Israeli American on both a conceptual as well as a physical level.
TAMAR APHEK
From her early childhood Tamar showed a natural inclination for rhythm and pitch. Her four years stay in Egypt with her diplomatic parents widened and enriched her imagination and exposure to different dynamics and melodies.
When she returned to Israel she joined the ‘Ankor’ children choir with whom she was exposed to famous conductors like Daniel Barenboim, Zubin Mehta, Kurt Masur and learned the importance of international tours. Within ” Carusella”, and later “Shoshana” band Tamar demonstrated her creativity as a song writer, singer and guitarist. Within a short period of time she succeeded to break through, and become a leading figure and a prominent face of contemporary rock in the Israeli rock scene. Parallel to her performances in Israel, Tamar gained an international fame through dozens of international tours, both in Europe and the US, first with her two bands, and later under her solo personal project which carries her name-” Tamar Aphek”.
Between 2007- 2009 Tamar Aphek initiated for three consecutive years the first outdoor indie festival in “kibbutz Farod”, in the northern part of Israel.
KOSHA DILLZ
Kosha Dillz proclaims to be most interesting rapper in the world. The New Jersey born rapper has put in a substantial amount of time to DIY touring and has releasing music since 2008 in the alternative rap world. It wasn’t until his previous 2016 album What I do all Day and Pickle that he received the break through he needed to debut himself on 6 different Billboard Charts. Before that he was the guy to first get on a track w/ Gangsta Boo x Murs , rapped in BET Cyphers with the Rza, and toured the world with Jewish superstar Matisyahu. Priding himself in the element of surprise, Kosha once made $50,000 street performing outside Staples Center when he couldn’t get inside the Grammys. Rami, (as his friends call him) believes diversity is his strength. After living in Los Angeles for 8 years, he left the USA and immigrate overseas to Israel. Nobody Cares Except You. It is so factual that it is the name of his 2020 album. 2019 has been the biggest year for KD. After playing OY VEY SXSW showcase w/ PhonyPPL, Variety Magazine named him one of the top acts of 2019. He later went on to play 2 songs at Coachella. IN 2020 he will bring his new Israeli attitude to Austin.
Charlie Faye & The Fayettes
craft smart soul-pop that merges the swinging, swaying sound of the ‘60s girl groups with a vibe that’s so current, they’re dancing to the forefront of the retro-revival movement. Their debut album rose into the top 20 on the Americana radio chart and garnered high praise from the press. Often described as a “modern-day 60s girl group” reminiscent of the Ronettes or Supremes, the trio’s original songs, Motown-worthy dance moves, and tight backing band make their live shows an exciting and unforgettable experience. Their shared height (they’re all within a half-inch of 5-foot-1) and distinct ethnicities (Jewish, Korean-American and African-American) just adds cute to their considerable charms. But it’s the songs — the great, classic-sounding songs with catchy melodies and intelligent lyrics — that set Charlie Faye & The Fayettes apart from the rest.
ALEXANDER BIGGS.
Sad boy bedroom blanket tent fort folkmusic from Melbourne. I like them mostly for the ghost video below.
BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROADS.
Hailing from Cambridge, England, this art school post punk post rock band has a lot of buzz. One critic said they have hints of klezmer. I didn’t hear it. Maybe you will. Do they mean the shofar like sound? Umm.. not klezmer to me. Best lyric. “Why Don’t You Sing with an English Accent.”
FRAN.
This Chicago based rock band is fronted by Bennington grad Maria Jacobson, known for jazzy guitar riffs.
GIRL SKIN:
A Brooklyn based music collective with songwriter Sid Simons and his model.actor brother Stan and others.
HOLY PINTO
Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this charming indie pop musician is liked by me because his name, Aymen Saleh, reminds me of Amen Selah
MADAME GHANDI
A Los Angeles based activist and Electronic music producer. Kiran Ghandi is a Georgetown math grad, and the daughter of Meera and Vikram Gandhi. She has an MBA from Harvard B School and made news in London during a marathon which she ran “free bleeding” menstruating.
MILLY
A Los Angeles based band. Fronted by Brendan Dyer. Produced by Corey Coffman.
NAIA IZUMI
Hailing from Columbus Georgia, residing in Los Angeles, this virtuoso guitar player beat out 5000 entrants in an NPR contest in 2018.
NIKLAS SAHL
A Pop falsetto singer from Denamrk
