Frite Nite's Vision for American Bass Music with Surreal Estate
Salva and the Frite Nite crew bring a new face to American bass music with the recent release of the Frite Nite compilation, Surreal Estate, mixed by local upcoming DJ talent, Ana Sia. Much like the music scene San Francisco has cultivated over the years, this compilation touches on a wide variety of styles while managing to maintain a cohesive sound.
Depending on your needs, Surreal Estate is available as a continuous mix or set of tracks that can easily be taken apart and used by DJs in their own sets. Tracks like Sepalcure’s “Deep City Insects,” Comma’s “Vacancy,” Nastynasty’s “Suffocating,” Distal’s “Mamanimal,” and Cosmic Revenge’s “Frostbite” have a smooth finish to them, drawing on the latest trend for softened bass music. Kissed by R&B vocals and warbled 80’s synths, soulful elements inspired by UK dupstep and funky are fair game for experimentation—and so far, it’s working.
Sepalcure – Deep City Insects by abeano
Still, there is plenty to hold on to in terms of an American sound from prominent underlying styles like hip hop and beat music with choppier melodies, thick basslines and sharp percussion such as in Eprom’s “Twerkul8,” Quitter’s “Street Codes” and the title track from Starky & Epcot. In particular, tracks such as Kuru & UFO!’s “Aoki” and DJG’s “Rites” are filled with future funk and jungle influence that have solid results from experimentation. This is a good indicator that there will be a greater shift away from the watered-down, wobbling dubstep that has been caught up in mainstream music in recent years.
Kuru & UFO! – Aoki [FTNT013] – Free Download! by Kuru
Some artists play on anticipation, like B. Bravo & Teeko’s flaring synths in “Drop It!” and the long, atmospheric build up in “Video Void” from recent RBMA selected attendee and Icee Hot resident, Ghosts on Tape. Labelhead Salva’s contribution has intricate production for one of the liveliest, beat-driven tracks that appears on this album before it’s wrapped up by the sped up vocals and warm piano melody in Wheez-ie’s “As I Watch It Unravel.”
Salva – Policy **Oct. 4th on Frite Nite’s Surreal Estate Compilation** by SALVA
The Frite Nite crew almost bit off more than they can chew on this one, but it’s this sort of eclecticism that observers of the SF music scenes have come to expect. On this compilation, there are certainly tracks that may quickly be tossed and others treasured, but one thing’s for sure, the Frite Nite crew are at the front of the lines for new sounds in American bass music.
Want more? Get the compilation here, then catch the Frite Nite crew this Saturday at Mezzanine with Ana Sia, Eprom, DJG, Salva, Chrissy Murderbot and many more. Tickets are $10 – $15 and can be purchased here.
