It’s not all sunshine here in the Bay Area, and our music scene isn’t limited to upbeat indie pop and garage rock. On the darker end of the spectrum, there are plenty of bands more influenced by Siouxsie and Bauhaus than by surfing and beaches. For local musicians in the related constellations of post-punk, darkwave, and industrial music, a sharp sense of mood and atmosphere adds an emotionally powerful layer to compelling songwriting. There’s a feeling to each of these songs that is raw, often visceral.
That’s not to say that the bands and artists in this mix are merely aping the styles innovated by these genres’ pioneers. Instead, this mix surveys bands taking those forms into new and unpredictable directions, from the comparatively spare tracks of SF singer-songwriter Jealousy and the minimalist electronic compositions of Ssleeping DesiresS to the mutating noise-punk of Oakland’s S.B.S.M. and V.E.X.’s warped bombast.
This mix features 10 local artists — all of them, in their own unique ways, projecting a certain intensity, and all offering excellent music worth checking out.
About the Bands:
Jealousy – “Sentenced To Life” (starts at 0:03)
Mark Treise of local noise-rockers CCR Headcleaner explores starker territory in his solo work as Jealousy. Paid For It is Jealousy’s second album, out in March on Moniker Records.