Deftune

Simple Pleasures

Curators Jessilisa Morretti and Matthewdavid hosted Simple Pleasures at Subliminal Projects last night and I was completely taken by surprise. I heard a few bits and pieces about what was going to be presented but it didn’t really hit me until I got there.

As I entered I was greeted by unexplainable sounds that operated through different dimensions, frequencies, and unspecified instances of existence that reverberated through the walls and through the bodies of hypnotized listeners that were creating collages, lying on the ground, or just staring blankly into space.

I wish I had a real explanation for what was taking place but check out this video and maybe you can kind of understand what I’m talking about. Sound vibrations are created from touching the metallic tree sculpture and the sounds are running through tape- that big machine with tubes on the right. It delivered rich, warm, and powerful tones that for some unexplainable reason I enjoyed every bit as much as I would listening to a well composed/played piece of music. The frequencies were definitely affecting everyone’s brainwave patterns…I began to feel like mine were as time progressed. (If someone can comment- elaborate more on this it would be much appreciated)

I then decided to check out the tape cassette players hanging up on the walls. Each player contained a looping cassette tape playing different recordings of layered atmospheric sounds. That’s when it finally hit me on how amazing this all was. I think it was my first time experiencing sound being the entire focal point of an art exhibit. Listening to each tape was like looking at a painting. You couldn’t help but try to pick out the different textures, colors, and emotions within each recording.

I wish I would’ve stayed longer. Fortunately I was able to catch a little bit of Ras G before I left.

You’ll definitely be seeing me at the next one….hopefully I’ll remember to bring a pillow to sit on next time around.

Check out Oddzoo’s gallery debut at the Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art in West Hollywood this Saturday Sept 6.

Oddzoo’s art is grafitti driven. He’s definitely an abstract cat. Here’s an interview he did with LA based web magazine 85Ways.

Hailing from Santa Ana, California, Free the Robots is bringing the heat. DJ and producer Chris Alfaro samples and manipulates sounds from an eclectic mix of genres to create instrumental bliss. Drawing from funk, electronica, jazz, world, rock, and psychedelic music, the Free the Robots EP serves hip hop with a definite twist.

Catch Free the Robots at the We The People Festival in Los Angeles on September 27, or chance an encounter at The Crosby in Santa Ana’s Arts District. Alfaro’s joint venture offers food, drinks, books, and of course, music.

Free the Robots “Jazzhole”

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I know, I know. Kanye West is not indie like most of the [indie] artists on this site. But aside from music, we do promote art, and Takashi Murakami is at the forefront of his craft. He recently had an exhibit at MOCA in LA and at the Brooklyn Museum in NY. He founded, Superflat, a style derived from popular Japanese animations anime and manga.

For those of you unable to attend the exhibit at either location, here’s an exclusive video that Murakami did for Kanye’s intro track to his album Graduation. It played in the video room, among other Murakami video creations.