Your Favorite Obscure Musicians

[Envy Omicron]

I know this sort of topic has been done before, but I wanted to bring it up again to see if there were any interesting choices from people who haven't already been asked this before, or who have, and have discovered new obscure musicians since.

Anyway, to answer my own question, there are two that immediately come to mind for me, and the only reason I would them consider obscure is because they've never been chart-toppers (at least, as far as I know). The first is Godspeed You! Black Emperor, who do half-hour long, simple, dark instrumental pieces, like these:

Spoiler: Godspeed You! Black Emperor

The other are a band that I discovered more recently, Portugal. The Man, who are perhaps a little more "mainstream" in their style, with the music of their's that I've listened to mostly having a radio rock style, although the lyrics of some of their songs aren't quite so "mainstream":

 

[Vault101]

depending on what your definition of obscure is...

Lazerhark- 80's throwback music
Angel Haze- I guess she's fairly obscure as far as rap goes

I'll think of more later...

 

[Flutterguy]

I prefer finding hidden gems myself, I'll share a few.

Spoiler: Bonnie Prince Billy

The first of the two was the original, after being called "too depressing" he made an upbeat version of one of his more popular songs. His other stuff is worth checking out too.

Spoiler: Nick Diamonds, singer of a few bands

Spoiler: That Handsome Devil, good on occasion

Well, I've plenty more seeing as I'm a selective person with internet who often comes across abundant free time. Hopefully I find something new of worth on this thread.

 

[AWAR]

Spoiler: Nucular Animals

bandcamp:[link]http://nucularaminals.bandcamp.com/album/start-from-an-end-self-release-2012[/link]

Spoiler: The KVB

Spoiler: Underground Youth

Spoiler: Ariel Pink

 

[Frezzato]

Hell yeah, unpopular music time
I'm such a sucker for female vocalists.

Spoiler: Dark, dreary Elysian Fields

Elysian Fields - Hearts Are Open Graves

Spoiler: Flunk, from Norway

Flunk - Play

Spoiler: The Hundred in the Hands

The Hundred in the Hands - Lovesick Once Again

Spoiler: Pure Bathing Culture

Pure Bathing Culture - Only Lonely Lovers

 

[Eleuthera]

My top-10 most played artists, tell me how many you know.

1 Heather Nova

Spoiler

2 K's Choice

Spoiler

3 The Weepies

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4 Serena Matthews

Spoiler

5 Jenny Owen Youngs

Spoiler

6 Kate Havnevik

Spoiler

7 Maria Mena

Spoiler

8 Ingrid Michaelson

Spoiler

9 Emilíana Torrini
10 Butterfly Boucher
10 Amber Rubarth

I'll add some more videos later today. (EDIT: I didn't)

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Dexter Romweber.

He's been rocking a long ass time.

 

[Tactical Pause]

Well, while my choice isn't as unknown as some bands, they are obscure to the point where the lead singer can barely afford to keep making music (and may have to stop completely, which would be terrible).

I present to you, Hurt.

Spoiler

They've gone through a few different sounds over their life, so it would be difficult to post just one song.

 

[Cloned31]

I would say Raymond Scott. I love jazz and his music is just so cool. I mean "Powerhouse" is awesome but theres "Twilight in Turkey", "The Girl with the Light Blue Hair" and all of his electronic accomplishments. Really considered obscure, though I kinda wish he wasn't.

 

[sanquin]

I suppose I could say Van Canto. They don't seem to be hugely obscure, but every single person I've talked to has never heard of them. They're a vocal metal band. 5 singers and a drummer.


Another one I can think of is Qntal. It's...hard to explain their music. Don't even know what genre. But sometimes it's great music in the background.

 

[Avalanche91]

Does Miracle of Sound count? Really fond of Gavin's tracks.

 

[shrekfan246]

I'm just going to go with what I said the last time one of these threads came around -
Art By Numbers

Spoiler

Though maybe it's for the best that they're 'obscure', considering how obnoxious metalheads get about the "purity" of their genres...

 

[sc1arr1]

I really doubt they're obscure, but I just got into Van Canto.

 

[klaynexas3]

I only just got into them(thanks to the fact that they'll be touring with Coheed), but I'm enjoying Thank You Scientist. With only one album and an EP, and on top of that they're only a few years old, I'd say they're relatively obscure. It sounds like an MJ and Claudio mixture singer, with a Less Than Jake and Coheed and Cambria sound. So kind of a ska-prog sound.


Also, VNV Nation is not well known where I'm from. I've met one person outside my group of friends that knows them, and they had lived in my city for 8 years with me being the first person to recognize their shirt outside of their friends.

Ayreon isn't well known of in my city also, though I'd hardly call them obscure.

Now, for the really obscure, I give you: Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains!

 

[Smolderin]

Silent Descent I suppose. And Machinae Supremacy. Both are rock bands. Well, Silent Descent is Trance Metal while the other is just hard rock with some creative use of chiptune and other electronic elements thrown in.

 

[raeior]

I suppose I could say Van Canto. They don't seem to be hugely obscure, but every single person I've talked to has never heard of them. They're a vocal metal band. 5 singers and a drummer.

Great band. Although a bit funny, they are quite known around here (well not "in the charts" known or anything) and also are touring a lot around the area so...Awesome live band too!

My choice would come down to either Cryptic Wintermoon or Fjoergyn. Both german melodic black metal bands that are pretty unknown I guess (even among fans of the genre).

 

[Yopaz]

Honestly I don't really know. Most of the music I listen to is fairly mainstream compared to truly obscure music. I guess that based on the fact that I can't pronounce their name and be certain it sounds anything like it's supposed to I have to list Berry Txarrak here.

Spoiler

 

[Seraj33]

Now you are in for a treat boys and girls.
This my friends is Jazzhop. Its the smoothness of Jazz combined with the good part of hip hop.
My absolute favourite artist in this genra is a young man from seattle by the name Marcus D.
Here are some of my favourite tracks from his albums.

400 Years of Preserverance from Melancholy Prequal.

Melancholy Hopeful from Melancholy Hopeful

Intervention from Simply Complex

(all can be found on youtube)

These examples were more heavy on the hip hop part. He also does a lot of instrumentals, especially in the Melancholy albums.

I hope you enjoy!

 

[purf]

Went to a tiny tiny concert of three singersongwriter types once. One of them was

Spoiler: Paleo

... When he eneterd the stage I remember thinking Ok, this is going to be awkward, sinking a bit into my chair in anticipation of a good dose of second-hand embarrassment. Holy cow, was I wrong. The dude's awesome

there's Suicide.

Thanks for that. Can't say that I likelike that but.. Well. I learned something today