Tag: L.A. beat scene

Besto 2010: The L.A. Beat Scene for Dummies (Starring Teebs, Asura, Lorn, Shlohmo, Take)

That's a double helix by Teebs. Get yr DNA right.

Los Angeles. So much reason for so much pride right now. This city had an unbelievable year in music, and nothing’s slowing for 2011. Mark my words. Just as the noise scene grew up this year with more “mature” releases from No Age, Wavves, Abe Vigoda and others, the next two will be marked by increasingly sophisticated and beautiful releases from the local beat fam. But you don’t want to wait for Rolling fucking Stone or Paste to tell you that, do you? Nah. Get on the train now, and check out five future classics that came out this year, but which didn’t make it onto the A.V. Club’s year-end list (which is why Baths and Lotus are excluded).

Click here, then scroll down ’til you see:
THE L.A. BEAT SCENE, FOR DUMMIES (ya dummy!)

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Feature: From Russia with Fuzz, Moscow Gets its Own L.A.-Inspired Beat Scene

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Russia gets fly, thanks to Error Broadcast and Alpha Pup.

A testament to the wide reach of Los Angeles’ thriving instrumental hip-hop movement, a group of electronic artists based in Moscow has begun its own beat scene and, bringing things full circle, has found a friend in downtown L.A. label Alpha Pup. This is a quick read and a mere introduction to their world, by yours truly, published in L.A. Weekly.

Pitchfork did an in-depth followup (we assume), which you can and should read too, called “Beg, Steal, or Borrow.” Also, check the tunes.

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News: Music’s Worst Hats, Space Thump from Yuk, Origami On Vinyl, Baths Rmxes Brad Laner

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Jay Kay wasn't just kidding with his headgear.

Quick bloggy bits from around the L.A. underground (and up). Share ’em.

  1. FEATURED: The Ten Worst Hats in Modern Music History*
  2. MP3: Space Thump from Producer Yuk from My Hollow Drum
  3. Echo Park’s Origami Vinyl Hosts Album Making Seminar
  4. MP3: Beat Star Baths Remixes L.A. Legend Brad Laner

(all stories via West Coast Sound, via L.A. Weekly)

* “We’re pretty sure Empire of the Sun derives its power from the insane headdresses of frontman Luke Steele. Out of, erm, respect to that epiphany, we present to you the ten most hideous, god awful, what-in-the-funk-where-they-thinking hats in modern music history.”

Mayer Hawthorne Hooks Up with Virginia Beat-Maker Nottz, Drops Etched 12-Inch for ‘I Need You’

News: Dntel Rmx’s Baths, Dengue Fever on Jeopardy, Superhumanoids Vs. MMC, plus KCRW and Madame Wong’s

Dntel, producer for the Postal Service

Quick blog bits from around the L.A. underground (and up). Share ’em.

  1. FEATURED: MP3: Baths Remixed by Postal Service Producer*
  2. Dengue Fever Pick Up ‘Jeopardy’ and ‘True Blood’ Nods
  3. MP3: Superhumanoids Remix Meanest Man Contest
  4. MP3: KCRW DJ Jeremy Sole Drops Quantic Megamix
  5. Wavves Plays Madame Wong’s Before It Closes

(all stories via West Coast Sound, via L.A. Weekly)

* An atmospheric opening with a looming bass line eventually breaks into the kind of low-key four-on-the-floor while chopped horns, strings and vocals enhance the dueling dynamic of chill vs. hyped, in Dntel’s remix of Bath’s “Rain Smell.”

Mayer Hawthorne Hooks Up with Virginia Beat-Maker Nottz, Drops Etched 12-Inch for ‘I Need You’

Compton Hype HOPE, Hawthorne Joins Nottz, Lotus RMXs Some Soul, Sumsun RMXs McClure

Compton's buzzing on HOPE

Quick blog bits from around the L.A. underground (and up). Share ’em.

  1. FEATURED: Is Rapper HOPE Compton’s Next Big Hype?*
  2. Mayer Hawthorne Hooks Up with Beat-Maker Nottz
  3. MP3: Soul Chanteuse Remixed by Flying Lotus, Mount Kimbie
  4. Beat-Waver Sumsun Remixes Alpha Pup’s Oscar McClure

(all stories via West Coast Sound, via L.A. Weekly)

* In the just-out music video for the new H.O.P.E. track, “Bliss,” our unlikely hero has his lights turned out as a result of insufficient funds. Still, he’s got the skills to pay the bills.

Mayer Hawthorne Hooks Up with Virginia Beat-Maker Nottz, Drops Etched 12-Inch for ‘I Need You’

News: DJ Kutmah Returns, Meet ASKA, a Beat Scene Megamix, ScarJo Covers Steel Train

Kutmah's much needed passport?

Quick blog bits from around the L.A. underground (and up). Share ’em.

  1. FEATURED: New Kutmah Podcast Ft. Fugees, Flying Lotus*
  2. Check Out ASKA’s Stunning ‘Love Trance,’ on Manimal Vinyl
  3. Proximal Drops L.A. Megamix Ft. Dâm-Funk, Daedelus, Baths
  4. Scarlett Johansson Covers ‘Bullet’ By Folk-Rockers Steel Train

(all stories via West Coast Sound, via L.A. Weekly)

* After being expelled from the U.S., DJ Kutmah delivers a fifty-minute mix featuring a ton of unreleased gems — including a Flying Lotus track and a Fugees remix by Jonwayne.

Feature: Valley Boredom Inspires Baths to Great Heights on His Anticon Debut, ‘Cerulean’

Baths contemplates a cerulean sky.

So we’ve really made no attempts to hide our enthusiasm for Chatsworth producer/musician/singer Baths, a.k.a. fresh Anticon signing Will Wiesenfeld. We’ve previewed his gigs, big-upped his ambient works as Geotic, talked about the young star on the radio, and basically become dude’s personal documentarian via news updates (a couple of those below).

Finally, things may cool down a bit.

This isn’t so much because anything’s cooling down for Wiesenfeld, a rising star in indie music, but because we were able to do a lengthy feature on Baths for L.A. Weekly, dubbed, “The Great Escape.” Wiesenfeld was kind enough to donate a few hours to the cause, which meant lunch at the estimable Islands, and hang-time with him and his mom at the family home in Chatsworth.

So if you haven’t already, go to L.A. Weekly to read that.

Further listening/reading:

(both stories via West Coast Sound, via L.A. Weekly)

News Roundup: Ryan Adams Sells Out, Tortoise Goes Gangsta, Lorn and Boys Like Us

Oh, indeed.

Quick bloggy bits from around the L.A. underground (and up). Share ’em.

  1. FEATURED: MP3: Black Beat Music from FlyLo Signee Lorn*
  2. Ryan Adams’ Sci-Fi Metal Concept Album Sells Out in a Day
  3. MP3: Tortoise Goes Gangsta with ‘Drums,’ Feat. Guilty Simpson
  4. V-Wknd Keyboardist to Debut New  Project in Highland Park

    5. (all stories via West Coast Sound, via LA Weekly)

* “Lorn is a beast on the beat machine — a former scratch DJ who clearly spent some time listening to the fathomless rap noir of D-Styles’ classic turntablist docuement, Phantazmagorea.”

All Things Considered: BATHS Rising

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Baths, on grass. (Hanna Dryland Shapiro)

It’s Baths day here at Funny Ha Ha, but can you blame us? Will Wiesenfeld’s music is as fascinating as it is infectious, and like L.A.’s current favorite son, the kid hails from the Valley. Chatsworth, to be exact, just a five-minute drive from that other ‘burb creative hotbed, Winnetka. Kudos to the beat scene for giving the SFV something to be proud of. Well, other than the seedier side of the So Cal film industry. But I digress.

Earlier in the week, KPCC’s Alex Cohen called me into the studio to talk about Baths for All Things Considered. Get hip to it already.