ASTU gives us "SYSTEMADDICT," an irresistible midtempo R&B collaboration with Isaiah Mostafa
New comp features Fake Fruit, Naked Roommate, Cindy, Body Double, and PROVOKE; plus Aluminum, Geographer, Hitta Slim, SOENEIDO, and more
Thank you to everyone who tuned into the Lower Grand Radio show last night, featuring a live performance and interview by Briana Marela. A Peruvian-American mixed race sound artist based in Oakland, Marela crafts a kaleidoscopic world through synthesizer, contact mic interaction, movement, and—most of all—her voice. To hear her sing and to see her perform is a tender, heart-expanding experience.
Missed it? Listen to the recording here.
Peace,
ronny
INFECTIOUS, HEAVENLY R&B
ASTU—an Oakland-based singer, songwriter, and artistic visionary—released a catchy, dreamy, and uplifting three-track EP entitled SYSTEMADDICT. Produced and co-written with her ongoing musical partner Isaiah Mostafa, the EP opens with two jams highlighting Mostafa’s midtempo dance grooves paired perfectly with ASTU’s infectious hooks and heavenly vocal improvisations. The final track slows down to an almost darkwave-like trance, while maintaining the formula. It’s a formula that works without becoming predictable. Instead it shows off a relationship and musical space allowing the two to experiment, explore their powers, and channel the subsconscious.
Listen to ASTU performing live for White Crate on Lower Grand Radio.
Enjoy this playlist of Bay Area hip hop and R&B that ASTU assembled exclusively for White Crate.
Get tickets to ASTU’s EP release party at the Chapel tomorrow night.
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A BAY-HEAVY INDIE PUNK COMP
This is fun. Emotional Response—the Cottonwood, AZ record label that has released all sorts of great alternative and indie pop music over the years—just shared Typical Girls Volume 6, the latest in the compilation series “featuring the finest in current punk, indie, darkwave female fronted music from all corners of the globe.” If you didn’t already know, one of the best corners for this type of music is the Bay Area, with the comp including songs by local artists Fake Fruit, Naked Roommate, Cindy, Body Double, and PROVOKE. Even better: You can see Fake Fruit and Body Double opening up the festivities at Halloween Meltdown in Oakland tomorrow.
MORE SELECTIONS
Windowpane by Aluminum on Dandy Boy Records
rock, shoegaze, Oakland
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Soft Spot by the California Honeydrops
Americana, r&b, rock, Oakland
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The Thing of Dreams by Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band
acoustic, bluegrass, folk, Alameda
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Hunt’n Like a Leopard by Hitta Slim
hip hop, rap, Bay Area
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Fractured Elisions by James Armstrong, Keshav Batish
jazz, Hindustani, classical, Santa Cruz
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INNER CITY GREEN by SOENEIDO on NO BIAS
drum & bass, electronic, hardcore, Oakland
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live @ quest diagnostics by .tk aka rose cherami
electronic, dance, juke, Oakland
LIVE
Our top show recommendations for the coming week:
[hip hop] Dregs One, Grand-O, Abby Imperial, Baghead — Oct 7 at Public Works
[punk] Halloween Meltdown ft. Amyl and the Sniffers, Shannon and the Clams, the Spits, Fuzz, Lydia Lunch Retrovirus, and more — Oct 8-9 at Mosswood Park
[electronic] Fisher Bay Area Block Party ft. Inner City, Honeyluv, SOSA, Adapter, Dave Galaxy, and more — Oct 8 in downtown Oakland (19th & Broadway)
[rock] Twin Shrieks ft. Pure Hex, Superbloom, LOWLIVES, Sarchasm, The Dumpies, Badvril, Dry Goods — Oct 8 at 924 Gilman
[latin] Due South ft. Ozomatli, La Misa Negra — Oct 8 at McLaren Park
[experimental] Leila Abdul-Rauf, Ross Hoyt + Ed Lloyd, Albert Yeh — Oct 8 at Adobe Books
[experimental] Park Jiha — Oct 8 at the Lab
[r&b] ASTU, Sandu Ndu, Deon Brown, Sounds by Pejamane — Oct 8 at the Chapel
[club] Boiler Room ft. Adam Kraft, Joey Labeija, New Nostalgia — Oct 8 at Club Six
[elec] Ata Kak, Nico Georis performs A Rainbow in Curved Air — Oct 9 at the Chapel
[punk] Yard Act, Gustaf — Oct 9 at the Great American Music Hall
[rock] Daniel Romano's Outfit, Carson McHone — Oct 10 at the Chapel
[experimental] Other Minds Festival 26 — Oct 13-15 at the Great Star Theater