Los Angeles: Critical Mass

Los Angeles: Critical Mass [the emerging electric underground]
Label: Mindspore Records – MSP-0004-2
Format:
CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1998
Genre: Electronic
Style: Drum n Bass, Downtempo, Future Jazz, Trip Hop

“Erupting from the project studios of los angeles is the work of a group of fresh young artists, producers, djs and old friends. Building their scene on the foundations of drum&bass;, ambient-dub and breaks&beats;, these Angelinos are mapping the new frontiers of electronic music. In a place teetering on the edge of the continent... they have achieved critical mass." Mindspore.com, 1998

Tracklist:
00:00 1. Dove (29) & Mr. Soon - Quay-Czar (Cavestar Remix)
Programmed By – David Bianchi, Joseph Jakob*, Joseph Nugent, Kevin Crosslin
Remix – Cavestar
Mr. Soon aka Joe Jakob, helped produce peyote singers Primeaux and Mike on “Sacred Path” for Canyon records. Jacob teams up with undiscovered producer (until now), Dove aka Dave Bianchi, and Cavestar for an analog bigbeat 70’s flashback.

05:12 2. Trinity (19) – Lost Cities
Keyboards [Wurlitzer] – Roberto Antonio Chavez
Sampler, Programmed By, Keyboards, Bass – Steve Snow
Saxophone – Juss Renard
Vocals [Drum & Bass Section] – Lisa Woodward
Vocals [Dub Section] – Ia Kamandalu
Written By – Woodward, Kamandalu, Chavez & Snow
Written-By – Kamandalu*, Woodward*, Chavez*, Snow*
Ex-Quango producer/engineer Steve Snow joins keyboardist Roberto Chavez (ex Duncan Sheik, Monkey Meet) and friends to stir up this mix, a mysterious cocktail of breakbeat drum&bass.;

10:28 3. T.H.C.– Unsaid Warning
Music By, Programmed By – George Sarah
Vocals, Lyrics By – Sarah Folkman
George Sarah and Sarah Folkman bring us their ethereal trip-pop anthem. Radio includes 91X, KROQ’s Jed the Fish’s Catch of the Day, KCRW, Groove Radio 103, KXLU, KBLT, and KUCI. THC has releases out on Intelligent Records, Hypnotic, and Full Contact/Fifth Colvmn.

15:53 4. Cavestar & Moore*– Say The Word
Music By, Programmed By – Kevin Crosslin
Vocals, Lyrics By – Mona Moore
Cavestar & Moore team up again to delicately fuse drum&bass; with ambient-soul. Mona Moore’s alter ego sings with Oversoul 7. Cavestar’s self-titled CD on Mindspore Records is currently charting throughout the USA and Canada on CFBU, CITR, CKUT, KBGA, KCBL, KCRB/KRCB, KDUR, KKFI, KUSP, KZSC, WEFT, WFHB, WICR, WIUS, WKNC, WORT, WRTC, WUMR, WWUH, and WYEP to name only a few. Cavestar, s/t, appeared on the top 20 College 500 electronic chart throughout the fall of ‘97.

21:14 5. Mr. Soon – You Are The Dream
Written-By, Producer – Joseph Jakob*
Mr. Soon returns with this digital tribal trance journey.

25:05 6. Zimar – Energy
Other [Words Of Energy] – Tom Hopkins
Producer – Zimar
Zimar downloads his computer cut-and-paste soundscapes for this funky trip-hop/ambient cut. Look for “Ghia” on his own Abstrakt Reality Records.

30:05 7. Aldebaran (12) – L'Orque Epaulard
Written-By, Producer – Charles Askell, Jeff Hogan
Alerbaran is Charles Askell, who now resides in Paris. Recorded and produced in LA by KCRW engineer Jeff Hogan, this track is a mingling of West Coast electronica and Euro-ambient styles resulting in a distinct cosmopolitan sound.

35:34 8. Twist Top - Jangle
Written-By – Carlos Vasquez
A celebration of urban rhythmic diversity unfolds in the oscillations of this high energy bpm techno-rollercoaster. Twist Top has recordings out on Industrial Strength Records, Fast Food, Tribal America, and Yoshi Toshi Records.

41:00 9. Oversoul 7 – I Sing Loud
Written-By – Oversoul 7
Los Angeles electronic pioneers OS7 offer up this single, showcasing their signature cutting edge trip-hop expertly welded to catchy pop hooks. OS7 has tracks available on MCA Records in Japan, and on “Acid Jazz Test Part 4” and “Trip Hop Test Part 3” on Moonshine Music.

44:21 10. TM – Kiss (DJ Hive Remix)
Remix – DJ Hive*
TM maintains their strict anti-publicity policy. Hive remixes Kiss.