Celebrating two years of Bay Area music love

This week's love and gratitude goes to new releases by Stunnaman02, Maria BC, Beaunoise, 3kelves, Marquito, Kanata the Philosopher, Demahjiae, and E-40

Nov 25, 2022

White Crate is two years old! Some milestones:

It all started with a review of an IDM album by Xyla. This soon expanded into a full-fledged newsletter, compiling a week’s worth of music from around the Bay. Since then, we’ve written up more than 500 albums, EPs, and singles—and a new one gets published on Instagram nearly every day.

We got a shiny new logo, thanks to Johal Design.

We reflected on whether we’re on the cusp of an Alice Waters-style farm-to-table movement for local music.

We made many many many many playlists, and one spectacular megamix of all the best music from the Bay Area in 2021.

We hosted 10 incredible artists across genres on Lower Grand Radio, including Brycon & Professa Gabel, Mae Powell, Richard Haig, James Wavey, ASTU, Flung, Baghead, Briana Marela, and Moto Tembo.

In the autumn of 2021, we hosted an ambient house show with Leila Abdul-Rauf, Infinixhuma, Shipwreck Detective. The following spring, we threw a backyard dance party with Louda y los Bad Hombres, Juanny Depp, and Sue Problema. And this past September, we hosted our first-ever live music showcase at Public Works, featuring Salami Rose Joe Louis, Mejiwahn, and James Wavey.

Most recently, we proudly announced a limited-capacity performance by synth pop band Cold Beat at the iconic Grace Cathedral in downtown San Francisco—complete with live video projection, choir, and organ. It’s gonna be epic, so get your tickets!

And there’s even more to come.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. Thank you for caring about local music. Thank you to all the other great organizations, platforms, venues, promoters, and crews that have been doing this a lot longer than us—and have graciously supported us. Also, a huge thank you to Elliot for helping to build White Crate into something greater than I could have imagined. Thank you to Elise for consistently writing great reviews. Most of all, thank you to the artists making the music. All gratitude. All love.

Peace,
ronny

HYPHY IS HEALTHY

“Healthy Gas. A true ode to the hustlers. A project positively purposed to push the passion of people who pursue their dreams. At a time where ego, insecurity, animosity, and toxicity are at an all-time high, it’s crucial to prioritize one’s health.”

His new album may begin with 20 seconds of quiet introspection, but after that Stunnaman02 isn’t holding back any of his wild, explosive energy. With acoustic guitar and thumping beats, the title track somewhat maintains the reflective tone of the opener, but the SF rapper spits like he always does: hilarious, irreverent, and ambitious without end. A highlight is when it goes straight hyphy on the P-Lo production “Get That Dough,” a classic party anthem dedicated to the #1 mission. With Healthy Gas, Stunnamon02 just wants you to know one thing: he’s still winnin.

— Ronny Kerr

ECSTATIC DISSONANCE

Look into the mirror of Maria BC’s stunning 2021 release Hyaline, and emerge on the other side haunted. On Hyaline Remixes, five tracks from the original indie “ambient-folk” album are recast by experimental artists, induced by the mysticism of doom metal and even darker, avant-garde ambient and techno wavelengths. Low-tuned guitars ooze a thick emotional residue while cascading vocal ambiance culminates in ecstatic dissonances. The reintepretations assemble a distorted complement to an already somber original; in Maria BC’s words, the artists have “transformed the meaning of these tracks and elevated them.” Ancestral and deeply existential energy courses throughout.

— Elise Mills

LIKE A SECRET LOVER’S EMBRACE

Neoclassical meets the famed Buchla Music Easel in Beau Sorenson’s Indifference Will Devour You. True to his alias, “Beaunoise” knows how to deliver a beautiful ambient soundscape: Imagine a tender moment captured on film, with the opening melody of “Almost Transparent Blue” enveloping like a secret lover’s embrace during a catnap. The window is open just enough for a light breeze to ruffle the sheer curtain’s stagnancy. And just as your ears settle into the late afternoon sun, half awake and half asleep, Sorenson transports the dream into the outerworlds of deep space.