Known Unknowns #6 - Amazing Underrated Musicians in Endless Supply

The playlist you help create, full of artist submissions and up-and-coming musicians that you want the rest of the world to love as much as you do. Plus, win tickets to see Passion Pit!

In this issue:

1) A recap of how Known Unknowns works

2) Selected highlights from the new KU playlist

3) Enter to win tickets to see Passion Pit

4) The brand new Known Unknowns playlist!

The best and worst thing I ever did for this newsletter is opening up a public music submission form.

The Music Submission Survival Guide

I’ve always been inundated with excellent music submissions, but now the staggering volume of it all is joyously insurmountable.

I have no evidence except my own ears, but it also seems like the quality has been going up in direct proportion with the quantity — I certainly would have expected the exact opposite to be true.

Perhaps I’ve just grown soft.

You’ll judge for yourselves soon enough. But at nearly two hours, this is certainly the beefiest of the Known Unknowns playlists I’ve ever compiled.¹

Known Unknowns - the Recap

Previously a monthly endeavor, now more of a quarterly brain dump, Known Unknowns is a playlist cobbled together from musicians’ submissions, random songs I discover on my own, and - most importantly - reader recommendations.

My forever favorite part about Known Unknowns is that it’s self-perpetuating.

I post a playlist of small, new, underrated artists. You share your own favorites and latest discoveries. I include my favorites in the next edition. Pretty cool, right?

The “Rules”

• Below, you’ll find a big fat playlist of the best small artists all of us could put together since January.

• I’ll ask you to add your recommendations in the comments for the next installment, keeping in mind that artists should be fairly small (the smaller the better, but <30,000 monthly Spotify listeners is a good start).

• Recommendations should be for new(ish) artists. 2020 is a good cutoff.

• Rules are made to be broken (within reason).

That’s it! Let’s boogie!

Playlist Highlights

I always like to feature a handful of standouts before I reveal the full playlist.

1. Pan Arcadia

My sense is that this young New York band positions themselves as a sort of classic rock revival. Maybe, baby — but the wave of Strokes nostalgia that washes over me when I listen to them is a shock to the system. A little Britpop in places, too. If you need more convincing, take Scott Lipps’ word for it; he heartily approves.

2. Penfriend

There are so many incredible musicians quietly making something of themselves here on Substack; Laura Kidd 💌 Penfriend is one of them. Like a less haunting (but no less emotionally raw) Poe or a grungier Juliana Hatfield, she is just what the doctor ordered for the alt-rock deprived.

3. Lùlù

I’m so excited about this new discovery, especially on the heels of my “no English allowed” kick from a little while back. A French supergroup of sorts, they’re made up of members from Irnini Mons (who might sound familiar), amongst others. And the sound? Glam-tinged power pop, in French and Italian.

4. Kowboje

Frankly I think all I need to do is provide a diescription with no additional commentary: this is Polish egg punk with a country/western bent. It’s right there in the name and everything! What else could you possibly need? I’ll add my two cents, though — it fucking rips.

5. Marxist Love Disco Ensemble

I now forget who amongst you reminded me of this absurdly named Italian group (please identify yourself!), but what an absolute delight. I spent a non-insignificant amount of time dancing in my kitchen to their self-titled in the Fall of 2022. Their spacey, groovy tracks take inspiration from Eastern European disco, a genre I will now be diving into head-first.

Before I share the full playlist, a quick aside to mention a MUCH bigger artist (but also quite the champion for small artists, something we’ll get to in a future post²). . .

Passion Pit has announced a Deluxx Fluxx residency at Webster Hall in the East Village. I have 2 tickets available to any show May 6th - May 21.

One winner gets to bring a +1. Open to ALL SUBSCRIBERS, but paid sub entires count twice. ENTER FAST - I’m choosing a winner May 1st.

Known Unknowns - Vol. 6: The Playlist

Please enjoy the 6th edition of Known Unknowns!

Don’t forget to leave your new small artist recommendations below (any genre, please), and if I didn’t include your suggestion, you can always formalize your suggestion on the official submission form.

Also on Amazon, Apple, Tidal, & YouTube.

Ciao for now.

xo

Gabbie

ICYMI…

• Known Unknowns #1

• Known Unknowns #2

• Known Unknowns #3

• Known Unknowns #4

• Known Unknowns #5

1. So much for my adorable compulsion for sticking to 45 minute A and B sides! But hey, there are 120 minute cassettes, too.

2. Hint hint!