The movement that’s taking shape in Northern California is one to keep an eye on. It’s been no surprise that film has seen a Bay Area injection of creativity thanks to minds like Boots Riley, Ryan Coogler, Daveed Diggs, and others. But quietly, there’s a shift happening in music, where west coast beats and proper vernacular are creeping their way into the mainstream. Enter Damey.
Damian “Damey” Satele is a Bay Area rapper/producer with a sound all his own. With his authentic Bay Area visuals and outside-the-box creativity, it’s no surprise that we heard his work on the “Blindspotting” soundtrack last year. After two projects, Good Kid Gone Bad and ARE YOU Still Down, he’s back with his new single “Nothings Free.”
West Coast rap veteran Ras Kass is back with a new single F.L.Y. “‘F.L.Y.’ is actually my ode to Prince’s ‘1999,’” says Ras Kass. “It’s a hip-hop New Years song. The triple entendre being it’s an acronym for F*** Last Year and FLY, as in ‘time flies when you’re having fun.’ Also, in the HipHop lifestyle, you want to dress & act ‘fly’! It’s wavy.”
“The track is produced by my bro Green Lantern (Nas’ DJ) who I met over 20 years ago,” continues Ras. “I’ve been loving what he’s been cooking up for Griselda records so we bodied this record for my 25th Anniversary, but we are looking ahead to the future. F*** Last Year!”
Edgy rock musician Troi Irons’ new music video “Lost Angels” is out now. Troi says, “The Lost Angels video is me creating images and tropes I couldn’t find anywhere else. You know when you google “black model,” you get all these tropical colors, girls in jungles and leaves and orange… it’s so one-dimensional. I directed this video, hoping the images I make end up on someone’s mood board. Steal my shit – I don’t care. This is what it’s like to be black and coming of age in the city of angels, in the middle of the shady entertainment industry, and going to school making decisions that will change the rest of your life.”
“Lost Angels” is the second single that Troi has released this year. Her first single “Strangers” is out now as well and has received praises from multiple outlets.
Out of the ashes of beloved Australian metalcore outfit Capture The Crown, comes a rebirth with the formation of Capture, which brings together original CTC frontman Jeff Wellfare, drummer Manny Dominick (Ghost Town, Kid Cudi, Wiz Khalifa) and bassist Erik Vaughn Weatherford (Oh, Manhattan), for a completely new creative force that represents the union of three singular talents whose own roads twisted and turned to reach this point.
Propelled by the promise and potential of a clean slate together, Capture is now set to release their debut effort ‘Lost Control’ on August 16th via Artery Recordings.
Alt-Pop band, Saint Slumber’s new music video for the single “SLEEPTALK” is out now. “SLEEPTALK” is the second single off their new EP and the last chapter of their trilogy, YOUTH//3, to be released August 16th. YOUTH//3 will continue to tell the trilogy’s story of the trials, tribulations, growth, and celebrations of the youth coming into their own. The EP also features the first single “Mantra” out now as well.
The band says, “We wanted to create a visual that mirrors the surreal feeling of being in a dream: hazy textures, otherworldly imagery, the jarring creepiness of seeing things where they aren’t supposed to be, the gentle ghosts of your past as they continue to tiptoe around in your mind,” the band say. “The ‘SLEEPTALK’ music video is particularly ambitious for us because we use characters, scenery, and footage from past music videos to create an almost extended universe for all of the visuals in our YOUTH//Trilogy.”
‘Mueve’ sees Vacchi team up with MC Fioti, Becky G and Nacho to concoct one of this summer’s feistiest cuts. Doing away with the excessive bells and whistles of many of his contemporaries, Vacchi and his assembled crew do the damage with stripped-down tribal rhythms, hard-hitting, sensual bass tones and only the smallest flashes of instrumentation to keep things spicy.
Becky G’s dulcet tones curate the infectious hook, while MC Fioti provides energetic raps to keep the energy rolling. Nacho tops things off with his powerful voice reaching all the right places. Teases of salsa piano and rhythm cut into the mix with horn blasts here and there, and infectious percussive sounds aplenty.
The Above & Beyond and Seven Lions story has now come full circle. A humble remix competition in 2011 launched the juggernaut we all know as Seven Lions. A surprising and distinctive rework of ‘You Got To Go’ (feat. Zoë Johnston) caught the ear of Jono, Tony, and Paavo – a.k.a. Above & Beyond – beginning a meteoric rise from bedroom dreamer to a mainstage headliner.
This unwavering commitment to the craft of songwriting has seen Seven Lions tapped to remix Above & Beyond and perform alongside them at marquee venues including The Gorge, Red Rocks and Miami’s RC Cola Plant. The pairing of Above & Beyond and Seven Lions demonstrably works: his recent take on ’Sahara Love’ (feat. Zoë Johnston) spent 14 weeks in Spotify’s flagship dance playlist Mint, while 2016’s ‘Higher Love’ (a collaboration with Anjunabeats hotshot Jason Ross and vocalist Jason Meany of Mutemath) not only became a favorite in the trio’s sets but is one of the biggest selling tracks in the Anjuna catalog.
Doctor P x CRaymak combine with devastating results, the incendiary “Overheater” is out now on the one and only Circus Records. Bass practitioner Doctor P returns after his sinister single “Death Anxiety” which saw support from Zeds Dead, Zomboy, Borgore, Snails, and was even dropped by Bro Safari at this year’s Ultra Music Festival in Miami. A veteran of the genre, and a master of the sub frequencies, he’s got more drops than Niagara Falls.
Sweetheart of Circus Records, CRaymak isn’t making his first appearance with one of its co-founders. Featuring on Flux Pavilion’s “Saviour” earlier this year, the bass youngling found himself on New Music Friday UK, Bass Arcade, and Friday Cratediggers to name a few of the prestigious playlist placements.