“Dub Mission was a labor of love, but it was also labor.” Interview with DJ Sep
Whimsical polyrhythms from Later Version (DJML & Jerod S. Rivera), American primitive from Bill Orcutt, hearty club music from Samsara Beats, and spooky-but-serene bangers from William Ryan Fritch
Thank you to everyone who came out last night!
Alongside Public Works and KALW, White Crate proudly brought to San Francisco one of the wildest Congolese bands out there: KOKOKO! They’re not based in the Bay but both supporting acts were, and they’re both badasses.
One of these openers was DJ Sep, founder of Dub Mission—one of the longest running reggae clubs in the world—who last night treated us to her fine-tuned heady mix of dub, reggae, and electronic. As part of the lead-up to last night’s show, we spoke with Sep about her musical beginnings, the story behind Dub Mission, perspectives on the Bay scene, and more. Read the interview with DJ Sep.
Missed the show last night? All good, we got you covered with a playlist of Congelese dance dub riddims, Indian unclassical ragas, and Jamaican ragga. Listen on Spotify.
— White Crate
MAGICAL (HYPER)REALISM
Swim Domain, the new EP by Later Version (Oakland’s DJML & Jerod S. Rivera) on London label Third Place, accomplishes a whimsically imagined interpretation of oceanic allure. Delicate polyrhythms drizzle from the sky onto brush-stroked waters. Through the deceptively consistent surface, there is something resembling an emerald algae undergrowth, revealing an ecosystem rife with shimmery, rumbling life. The whole scene’s a little bizarre though, as attention turns to the occasional clamoring metal. Linger a little longer above the kelp forest that stretches deep below into some abstract abyss, where you may catch a glimpse of creatures flaunting a more mechanical nature, their hearts beating to the sound of their own mechanical drum. Sea bass powered by gears for fins? Magical (hyper)realism sonically realized.
The EP also includes a remix of the title track Jacktone co-owner, Dark Entries and Tartelet Records affiliate, and Beats Unlimited member Doc Sleep.
— Elise Mills
TIMELESS PEACEFUL SOLITUDE
American primitive guitar. Freak folk. Experimental acoustic. Those are just words, and this is just music. Jump on It is the latest album by San Francisco-based guitarist and composer Bill Orcutt, and it’s a beauty. It’s 10 tracks of the instrumental acoustic guitar meditations and improvisations that Orcutt has become known for, fingerpicking his way through a peaceful solitude fit for any hour of the day. Compared to last year’s release, it’s the same but different: Music for Four Guitars was just that, converting the contemplative solo acoustic into an electric chamber jam. And all of it’s distant but still connected to Harry Pussy, the Miami noise rock band Orcutt founded in the 90s.
See the Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet perform at the Lab this Saturday, May 6.
— Ronny Kerr
HEARTY CLUB MUSIC
SF label Samsara Beats released a hearty compilation of dance music this month—Eternal Chaos of the Footwork-Jungle & Turbo Beats—but hold up, it’s not just another four-on-the-floor-easily-insert-track-into-dj-mix-here tracklist. There’s truly something for everyone here who never left the chaotic (and delightfully innovative) world of ‘90s dance music. Enjoy cycling through buzzy breaks saturated by just the right amount of squelch, metallic discordant synthesis, and eclectic surprises on the road to your next genre-fluid party. The tracks are entirely enjoyable to listen to on their own, and perhaps best listened to unadulterated for the greatest impact… and, dare I say: mix at your own risk!
— Elise Mills
SPOOKY SERENE BANGERS
If you’ve got a Bandcamp discography page arranged in a 4×10 grid, you’d think it would be daunting to come up with new material. But William Ryan Fritch, astoundingly, just keeps on creating: When last I checked, he was creating in a barn on some expansive property in rural Petaluma, though it looks like he’s back in Oakland now.
For the uninitiated, William Ryan Fritch isn’t really a traditional singles-to-album type of guy. He’s a multi-instrumentalist that makes incredibly intricate, moody, scene-setting (literally: he’s frequently contracted for film soundtracks and scores) instrumentals. Though you won’t see him play many live shows, he’s just as much a fixture on the local music landscape, having been at it for a decade. Just… quietly so.
Cohesion (release #40) is his latest addition to a catalog full of spooky-but-serene bangers, inspired by one of his film projects from last year. The new album contains 13 eerie, wordless (but not always voiceless) tracks that transport you to another state of mind and place. So if you’re like me and are your most productive while listening to one of those lo-fi YouTube channels, consider Cohesion as a local alternative.
— Jody Amable
SHOW RECS
Our top show recommendations for the coming week:
[punk] Hammered Hulls, Rip Room, Low Praise — May 5 at Ivy Room
[rock] The Bobby Lees, Thank You Come Again, Shutups — May 5 at Bottom of the Hill
[club] Matthew Dear, Öona Dahl — May 5 at Monarch
[club] Vague Terrain ft. DJ Real, Exotic Gardens, YNV — May 5 at Underground SF
[club] The Blessed Madonna — May 5 at 1015 Folsom
[rock] Fantastic Negrito — May 5 at Great American Music Hall, May 7 at Moe’s Alley
[experimental] Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet — May 6 at the Lab
[indie] Field Guide, Jack Van Cleaf, Asha Wells — May 6 at Bottom of the Hill
[club] Club Triste ft. Mars Kasei, Doggiechow, 011668 — May 6 at Brix 581
[club] No Bias & Lotek ft. Soeneido, Tom Marsi, RITCHRD, Technopagan — May 6 at Secret Warehouse Location
[rock] Deerhoof, Fake Fruit, Simulation — May 8 at Great American Music Hall
[hip hop] G-Eazy — May 9 at the UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall
[reggae] The Wailers — May 10 at the Chapel
[rock] Diesel Dudes, Thunder Boys, Fuckwolf — May 10 at Bottom of the Hill
[soul] 79.5, lovetempo — May 11 at Rickshaw Stop
Want even more? Join our Patreon to get access to the full Bay Area concert calendar, featuring specially curated recommendations for upcoming Bay Area shows.
