It certainly feels like San Francisco is experiencing a resurgence of house and techno music lately, but let’s face it: the City has been a hotbed of dance music innovation for decades.
Consider, for example, the legacy of Patrick Cowley, whose experimental, synth-driven dance music from the ’70s and ’80s is now finding broader audiences through a series of joint releases by local labels Dark Entries and Honey Soundsystem Records. Cowley’s work wouldn’t sound out of place among many of today’s house and techno producers, and the track that concludes this mix — from Honey Soundsystem’s Jackie House and Jacktone Records’ Dr. Sleep — features a sample of the pioneering artist’s “Primordial Landscape.”
There are plenty of production collectives represented in this mix, but few, if any, have grown the following of San Francisco’s Dirtybird. The label/event production house led by Claude Von Stroke was founded a decade ago, establishing a reputation for being both forward-thinking and fun-loving. We’ve included a track in this mix from Dirtybird’s J. Phlip; Jessica Phillippe is a renowned touring DJ, but “Growl” is a masterfully bass-heavy tune. Similarly dance floor-friendly melodic deep house tracks come from local duos Bells & Whistles and GLSS. Check out the GLSS song, then do a deep dive into Popgang Records‘ varied and engaging catalog.
Of the artists included here, indie music fans might be most familiar with Matrixxman. Charles Duff released Homesick on electronic pop heavyweight label Ghostly International over the summer, and the long-simmering talent’s debut album is a thoroughly compelling work. Inspired by the intersection between scientific developments and humanity, is it any surprise that Homesick is a great headphone record? Another recent local release that we’re really enjoying is Depth Charge, the new EP from Oakland’s Worker/Parasite. In a world of infinite digital-editing capability, it’s impressive that Depth Charge was recorded straight to tape.
Enjoy the mix!
