Cone Shape Top anthologizes its experimental sonic meditations for all possible nows on Cicada
Uplifting house music from Bored Lord favorite Agropol, a new shoegaze release by Buddy Junior on Cherub Dream Records, plus our weekly show recommendations
What a beautiful night!
Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who came and partied with us at Mothership last Saturday! What an epic night. Sending all the love in the world to two of our favorite Bay Area producer/DJs, Bored Lord and Baalti <3
If you haven’t already, check out our interviews with Bored Lord and Baalti.
— White Crate
ANTHOLOGY OF EXPERIMENTS
“we are here, we were always here”
Simultaneously an artifact of the past, a piece of the present, and a nod to the future, Cicada is a new compilation of experimental electronic ambient and drone by Cone Shape Top, the boundary-pushing specialty art and music center based in Oakland.
It is a look to the past because the anthology compiles 10 “experimental longform transmissions” by 10 (mostly Bay Area) artists released by CST since the heart of the pandemic in 2020, beginning with an hourlong work by Amma Ateria. It is also situated in the present because—in addition to the previously released pieces by Joel St. Julien, Jerod S. Rivera, Gabby Wen, and IDHAZ—Cicada features two new works: the droning, shape-shifting “Cicada 11” by Oakland cellist transcriptions01 and the twisted string chamber reverie “Cicada 12” by Catalina Africa.
Looking to the future, perhaps most exciting of all is the fact that this release marks the launch of the label Cone Shape Top Imprint. Since 2017, CST has been a purveyor of important though often neglected cultural works, be it rare disco vinyl, rave pamphlets from the 90s, limited release cassettes by unnamed artists, or even one-of-a-kind apparel pieces. The specialty shop and project space operates in the furthest reaches of experimental and underground art, but it’s precisely there where ideas, perspectives, and possibilities are formed; the same ideas, perspectives, and possibilities that later shape the mainstream world we live in. It’s heartening to see CST, with the support of KADIST, expanding its footprint and continuing to provide a platform for experimental artists in the Bay.
As part of this inaugural release, CST is offering a limited edition hand-poured resin cicada USB drive along with a riso insert and poster print.
— Ronny Kerr
UPLIFTING HOUSE
“I have been seeing more house music in the underground spaces as hard techno starts to reach the mainstream dancefloors. It’s nice because the Bay has such a rich history of house and I’d love to see that spirit revitalized.” — Daria Lourd
In our recent interview with Bored Lord, she suggested that house music would return to the underground spaces as hard techno becomes increasingly welcome in the mainstream. It’s just the natural cycle of things. She also named Agropol as one of her favorite up-and-coming local artists in the Bay.
And just like that, Agropol delivers a new three-track EP of house music entitled Peacekeeper. With BPMs around 135, this still isn’t chilled out disco-inspired deep house, but more of an uptempo progressive style ideal for lifting up crowds still lingering on the dancefloor in the late club hours. “Test Me” plays with a bobbing tone reminiscent of Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” while “My House” weaves a trance of pulsing funky techno. “Peacekeeper”—a harmonious bridge between the underground and the mainstream?
— Ronny Kerr
SPARKLING MELANCHOLY
“the distinguishing feature of ( ) is that ( ) is not stable enough to be identical with itself. this is why its pliancy and its ductility enable the active dissolution called rust.”
Rust—released on the 22nd day of the second month of the year and offered as a digital album for the price of $2.22— is the second album from Buddy Junior, combining sparkly grunge, melancholy shoegaze, and a diverse array of similarly alloyed sounds into an enigmatic new alternative rock album out of SF. The quotation above accompanying the release’s promo materials (with the word “iron” replaced by closed parentheses) comes from Rust, a book by literary theorist Jean-Michel Rabaté from the Object Lessons series, and it’s only the beginning to the labyrinth of meaning contained within and around the album. Through the quote, visual cues, numerology, scrawled descriptions, and, of course, the noisy yet melodic recordings, Buddy Junior contributes another worthy, hazy entrant into the Cherub Dream Records catalog.
— Ronny Kerr
SHOW RECS
Our top show recommendations for the coming week:
[club] Tom Marsi, Trevern, Hellspawn, ChickP, Soba — Feb 23 at Mothership
[hip hop] RNJ, WINDOW, Jebi, Solachi Voz, ITC, Teesh, Daniel Eugene — Feb 23 at Elbo Room Jack London
[rock] April Flowers, Tamarind, Sharing the Road, Izzy Delan — Feb 24 at Thrillhouse Records
[rock] Tommy Guerrero, Healing Gems — Feb 24 at the 4-Star Theater
[ambient] Suzanne Ciani — Feb 24 at Grace Cathedral
[indie] Loco Tranquilo (single release show), Vinyl Williams, Peña, Marika Christine — Feb 24 at the Chapel
[rock] Spiral XP, TV Star, Aluminum, Welcome Strawberry — Feb 24 at Kilowatt
[club] C3DO Label Launch ft. 3kelves b2b Dylan C. Greene — Feb 24 at Mothership
[experimental] Club Moniker ft. Only Now (live), Fallen Matter, kk.Shucko, Pteron, Prawns — Feb 24 at Underground SF
[hip hop] Macarthur Maze, Mainey Vent, Nimsins, Frisco Baby, Maitre D — Feb 25 at Brick & Mortar Music Hall
[fest] Noise Pop Fest ft. Grooblen, Michael Michael Motorcycle, Indents, Scary Scare, Nina Durango, Marika Christine, Agouti, Oona, Jack Lillian, The Losers, Croissant, Fog Lamp, Ex Everything, Gravedodger, Kim — Feb 27 - Mar 2 at Bender’s Bar & Grill
[experimental] Field of Fear, Delta, Thoabath, Dismal Chant — Feb 27 at Thee Stork Club
[classical] Lara Downes, Miró Quartet — Feb 29 at SFCM Bowes Center
[punk] Surplus 1980, Rip Room, Indents — Feb 29 at Ivy Room
[rock] Al Harper, Yea-Ming and The Rumours, Hectorine — Feb 29 at Thee Stork Club
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