Genre-fluid, Bastiengoat's "Node" is the Bay’s first essential club release of the year
Plus new music from Odd Nosdam, Farsight on Chrissy's label Maximum Airtime, and a bunch of pysch rock releases just dropped
When it comes to new music, mid-December and mid-January always have a lull. All the year-end lists are published, and the holidays are happening, so it’s a bit of a crazy time. But we can tell winter break is officially over because the new releases are coming in hot, especially in the Bay’s super-ripe psych rock and alternative/indie field.
Here’s a sampling of what just dropped:
“Golden Hour” by Agouti. See them tonight at the Stork in Oakland.
Color TV is the full-length debut by Analog Dog. Celebrate with them and Con Brio tomorrow night at the Independent.
“The Carousel” by Asha Wells. See her tomorrow night at Beauty Supply Arts in Oakland.
Glory Daze V by King Dream. See them tonight at the Cornerstone in Berkeley.
Infinite Possible Futures by Mayya. Originally released in late 2022 but celebrate the vinyl release with Shannon Shaw and Mae Powell tomorrow at Rickshaw Stop.
Read on for new music reviews from the past week plus upcoming show recs.
— White Crate
SPINE-TINGLING JUKE+
Were you in the back room of F8 for Bored Lord’s Name It release party? If so, then you’ve already plugged this sound into your spine. Node is the latest EP by Oakland producer Bastiengoat, mashing together big warehouse beats, sexed up rap hooks, neuron-tickling IDM, fire-under-the-feet juke, and crisp slicing breaks into a meticulously constructed kaleidoscope of dance floor divinity. The Bay’s first essential club release of the year.
— Ronny Kerr
STEADY TAUT BOOM BAP
Where can we find the first 46 volumes? Presented with quotes from musical masters Ice Cube, DJ Shadow, and Lee “Scratch” Perry (plus a bonus from the wordsmiths of wordsmiths among comics, George Carlin), Psyop (Vol. 47) is a new instrumental hip hop collection by Odd Nosdam. Originally “crafted for various MCs circa 2016-2020” and newly remastered, the 13 beats here conjure up everything from heavenly harp to growling garbage disposal monsters, threading through it all a steady taut boom bap. Another great one for the beat tape lovers.
— Ronny Kerr
WOBBLY WARPED TECHNO
The latest EP from Chrissy’s label Maximum Airtime—Piano Bros by Tokyo’s Guchon—features a remix by underground favorite Farsight. The Peruvian-American producer turns up the BPM by 10, warping the groovy techno of “Funky AI” into wobbly breaks full of sudden silent spaces and stretched hyping vocals. For more from Farsight, check out their EP Sorry Mate! released last month on London’s deadbeat Records as well as their remix of “Buttons” by Baalti.
— Ronny Kerr
SHOW RECS
Our top show recommendations for the coming week:
[rock] Agouti (record release), Cave Clove, FREQz — Jan 12 at Thee Stork Club
[rock] Whiskerman, King Dream (album release), Alexa Melo — Jan 12 at Cornerstone Berkeley
[rock] Atta Kid, Radio Veloso — Jan 12 at Boom Boom Room
[club] ANOTHER NO BIAS PARTY ft. Mars Kasei b2b Ani Klang, Taraneh, Tom Marsi — Jan 12 at Underground SF
[gospel] The First Church of the Sacred Silversexual — Jan 12-13 at Great American Music Hall
[indie] Asha Wells (single release), Freight Train Lady, Madeline Kenney — Jan 13 at Beauty Supply Arts
[rock] Shannon Shaw, Mae Powell, Mayya (album release) — Jan 13 at Rickshaw Stop
[rock] Con Brio, Analog Dog (album release) — Jan 13 at the Independent
[fest] Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ft. Aneesa Strings, La Doña, Kev Choice, Pher, and more — Jan 13 at the Paramount Theatre
[experimental] Melanie Marie, Agnes Martian, R Beny — Jan 18 at Gray Area
[country] Miko Marks, Frank Thibeaux — Jan 18 at the Guild Theatre
[punk] Fake Fruit, Dummy, Chokecherry, April Magazine — Jan 18 at Rickshaw Stop