Baghead preaches the gospel of self-worth on instrumental hip hop banger "Growth Mindset"

Melt into trombone honey with Danny Lubin-Laden; crackling grooves on turntable drawing no. 16; plus more from Miko Marks, Cass McCombs, Louie Elser, and Red Rot

Aug 26, 2022

If you didn’t know a thing and wanted to dig into the richness of SF hip hop right now, there’s one artist I’d probably tell you to start with: Baghead.

Baghead was one of the main producers behind one of the best hip hop albums of 2021—Don’t Forget You’re Welcome by the Watershed, featuring the talents of Equipto, MC Pauze, Monk HTS, Professa Gabel, and fellow producer Brycon. Later that year, he released instrumental album Dedicated to Those Who, and today he just dropped another called Growth Mindset. His music is rich and addictive, and even without lyrics has substance behind it. You’ll hear meditations on artistry as well as comments on the state of SF from a local, street-level perspective. And he’s no singular force but has played with SMARTBOMB and today plays a central role in the 18-person strong crew Family Not a Group, hosting shows and releasing new music on the regular. And next week, I’m proud to host him for a live performance on LGR.

Tune in Thursday, September 1 at 8 PM PT on Lower Grand Radio.

Peace,
ronny

ON THE UP AND UP

“It's only a moment in your growth.” One of the best SF-based beatmakers, Baghead is back with Growth Mindset, a 22-track collection of precisely plucked samples, fuzzy stuttering drum kits, and soul-infused instrumental hip hop. Entirely produced and mixed by Baghead and released by Audio Vandals, the album is the follow up to 2021’s Dedicated to Those Who. While the last album explores the relationship between artistry and community, this one shifts to self-consciousness: Many artists know the happiness and highs that come with major breakthroughs and accomplishments, but maybe more universal are the feelings of struggle, insecurities, and low self-esteem. So Baghead offers us Growth Mindset: Don’t let any challenge let you change how you view your self-worth. Just rock to the beat, learn the lesson, and get on to the next.

You can catch Baghead at El Rio for his album release party tonight, featuring guest appearances by Briizv, VelvetCloudRadio, Saya, Spote Breeze & OG Jarin, JENSET, and DJSAY.

MELT INTO TROMBONE HONEY

Occasionally treading into brightly colored new age, Notes to Rest is an innovative new ambient jazz work by Oakland artist Danny Lubin-Laden and his band. The cares of the day are whisked away by trombone honey and a whimsical yet deep electro-acoustic backtrack consisting of organ, drums, electric bass, synthesizers, flute, and tape loops. The compositional texture is dauntless, sophisticated, and mesmerizing, assembling an orchestral vehicle sure to transport listeners to the sound world of some obscure silent art film.

— Elise Mills

CRACKLING VINYL SUNRISE

Premiered in 2017, turntable drawing no. 16 is a fascinating, contemporary classical piece by Giacomo Fiore, Danny Clay, and Jon Fischer that “combines three turntables playing locked-groove records with a score for electric guitar featuring looped chordal fragments.” The atmospheric effect of this is surprisingly tactile: Buzzing, crackling vinyl brings the warmth of an ambient sunrise, while electric guitar disrupts the deceptively serene soundscape and musters its own pleasant welcome. You can experience it live at the turntable drawing no. 16 album release party this Saturday at the Center for New Music, complete with live performance, a homemade record exhibit, and a most intriguing “turntable petting zoo.”

— Elise Mills

MORE SELECTIONS

“One More Night” by Miko Marks & the Resurrectors, the second single from their upcoming album Feel Like Going Home, out October 14

roots, country, americana, Oakland

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Heartmind by Cass McCombs

alternative, pop, rock, California

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“Hollow Stone” by Chroma Sea x Shipwreck Detective

ambient, electronic, IDM, San Francisco

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“Velvet Pink Heart” by Louie Elser

electronic, dance pop, soul, Bay Area

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Dreaming in Cursive: The Girl Who Loved Sparklers by Mystic

hip hop, r&b, soul, Oakland

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WAVEBREAKER #2 by Mike Park and Catbite on Bad Time Records

punk, power pop, ska, San Jose, Philadelphia, Alameda

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Mal de Vivre by Red Rot was featured in Bandcamp’s New & Notable this week: “The new progressive death metal project from two members of Ephel Duath, Red Rot strikes a balance between raw pummel and technical prowess.”

death metal, progressive, thrash, Oakland