White Crate — Feb 19, 2021
On the three-month anniversary of White Crate, listen to the new meditative, experimental electronic album by the late SF producer Pauline Anne Strom
Happy anniversary to us!
Three months ago, I created White Crate because I couldn’t find a single digest of all the best new music coming out of the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s been a humbling experience: In spite of all the reports of our dying music scene, there’s usually more than I can keep up with. Plus, the Bay Bridged, KQED, 48 Hills, and other publications do a great job of diving deep into local artists. But if you’ve been able to discover even one great new local artist through White Crate, then I consider it worthwhile.
I realize these posts compete with a million other pieces of content crossing your periphery, so here’s one for the busy folk: Follow this Spotify playlist for a regularly curated selection of songs from the Bay—across counties, colors, genders, and genres!
Peace,
ronny
THAT NEW NEW
Angel Tears in Sunlight by SF electronic music composer and producer Pauline Anna Strom, who suddenly died in December, was released today. Read the latest tribute to Strom on Bandcamp Daily, featuring interviews with Nashville electronic artist Eve Maret and Matt Werth, founder of Brooklyn experimental music label RVNG Intl.
Wondering what a gangsta rap video looks like in the COVID era? Watch Andre Nickatina, Reign, and the crew donning masks and rolling up ganja in the new video for “Backwoods.”
Bad Kids Beach Club, a new project from Jesse Sizmo and Seb Hall of SF’s Lips & Rhythm Records, released Balearic-inspired single "45 Degrees" b/w "Del Arrecife" plus a remix by Ibiza-based producer Camilo Miranda. Listen on Bandcamp or order from Lobster Records.
Here’s one for fans of Bobby McFerrin's acapella experiments and innovations: Oakland artist Bryan Dyer released Power of One, a “collection of songs and arrangements designed to show the possibilities of the human voice.” Read more on Datebook.
SF hip hop producer Brycon opened up preorders for Music for Indoor Cats, a collaboration with Japanese beatmaker iLL Sugi.
J.Lately released “Out the Window”, a new single featuring LA rapper Gavlyn. This is the fourth single from the Sebastopol rapper’s album Winnebago, due in March.
Too $hort released a suitably ridiculous video for “Ain't Gone Do It” feat. E-40.
MAYBE MISSED
This past week I tuned into CONE ZONE 007, a recurring show on Oakland's Lower Grand Radio featuring stock from local shop Cone Shape Top. Hosted by Cat and honoring Black History Month, the latest mix features everything from 90s R&B and electro to new experimental music, plus tons of stuff from the Bay. One of my favorite tracks she dropped was “Democracy Is Hypocrisy”, a house/techno monster released by Black in Time (DJ Ra-Soul and Don Crisp) in 2019 on Oakland’s Crisp Recordings.
Earlier this month, Santa Cruz singer-songwriter Elliott Ok released his first single "Snap! (The End)”. Read more about the catchy, bittersweet song on the Bay Bridged.
Eli’s Mile High Club, a beloved Oakland dive bar and venue so far surviving the pandemic, is releasing virtual concerts every Monday. Subscribe on Patreon and read more on KQED.
CLASSICS
My high school bestie Adam sent along this video of Deltron 3030 performing a 45-min set on KEXP in 2013, complete with Del the Funky Homosapien, Dan the Automator, Kid Koala, and a big band. It’s a great performance, and a good reminder to revisit the supergroup’s dystopian self-titled album from 2000, an absolute classic in Bay Area hip hop.