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TestPressSF.01

Genre: Electronic
Release Date: Sep 21, 2007

TestPressSF.01 is a compilation of the finalists of all 2007 Test Press events, showcasing the talents of emerging electronic & dance artists in the San Francisco music community

Track List

Track Artist Title Sample
1 Bender "Weak in the Knees"
2 Return To Mono "Insult to Injury"
3 Frost-RAVEN "Desert Walker"
4 PolyGroovers "Desoulate"
5 Jason & Prudence "Found"
6 Sutro "Affected"
7 Blu Bizness "Not a Love Song"
8 DJ F & Hilary "LA Getaway (Dubjack Remix)"
9 Playdoughboy "I Need U"
10 In Between "Put Some Funk in Your Shoes"
11 Andrew Phelan & Origami "We Carry On"
12 Divasonic "Filled With Love (HSG Mix)"
13 Gravityterminal "Mendokusai"
14 Techture "Sun & Moon"
15 Beatropolis "Autumn Breeze (Bonus Track)"

Artist Info

Bender

Whether it's a crowd of 10 or 10,000, Bender aka Ben Collins is sure to fill the room with smiling faces and sweaty brows with his unique, unrelenting style of dance floor laser tag. Repping his Kansas City roots to the fullest, this Midwest-coaster brought his rebel assault of original production and handpicked beats to the Bay Area in 2002. Bender hasn't looked back since, watching his rep grow as he collaborates with other beatsmiths including Mochipet and Sleepyhead. His most recent mix, "Kinda Sloppy, Really Wet" (available at www.thebeatregister.blogspot.com) is a testament to Bender's chameleon-like ability to blend beats and create a genre The Beat Register dubbed, "DirtyBassHipGlitchDownHouseDubTempoHop." Easily his most defining mix to date, it is Bender's personal narrative told thru an 80-minute mélange of original production and turntable magic. Bender takes a lifetime of influences from The Cure all the way to Megasoid and puts it together in a package so enticing you can't help your curiosity. For Bender, DJing isn't just fun and games; it's a chance to make every night Christmas for his listeners as he serves up musical eggnog leaving the crowd reeking of vermouth and bass. Within the past year, it's been holiday season every day for Bender as he's shared bills with top-shelf artists including, Flying Lotus, Eliot Lipp, and a slew of others.

Return to Mono

Return To Mono is an electronic rock band from San Francisco featuring the electronics, keys, and beat-programming of Andy Sibylrud, the guitar and bass and JG Paulos, and the vocals of Tanya Kelleher former of Eeor (feat. Sigtryggur Baldursson of the Sugarcubes). "Insult to Injury merges progressive electronic beats and sound design with the organic purity and spirit of traditional songwriting. Return to Mono synthesizes sound waves through breakbeat, electro-clash, drum n bass, rock, trip hop, glitch-ambient, and beyond. Vocalist Tanya Kelleher captivates listeners with transcendent performances of evocative poetics, emoting playful and soulful imagery that spirals between emotional trajectories of the chaotic and divine.

Frost Raven

Frost Raven is the solo project of Dustin Musser making waves in the San Francisco Bay Area's whirling pool of talented electronic producers. In 2002 while in High School Dustin began experimenting and training with some of the software tools used in media production. Soon thereafter he used those tools to produce his own music material and form an album which he circulated among the underground scene. After some time he saw how his music was well received and in 2005 took up more formal training in advanced digital audio production. In the same year Frost Raven completed a full album called "Desert Walker" which includes a cross-style combination of psychill breakz and oldschool goa influenced psytrance. The album was released on the web through the digital label INgrooves. Then in early 2007 he released an Electro House EP called " Fire City " including the original track and 2 remixes by other producers. Towards the end of 2008 marked Frost Raven's second album titled "Star Muse" which was released on the Digital Drugs Coalition label. This new album contains a very unique take on the psychedelic trance style, mixing electro and progressive elements together. Frost Raven has other music projects going as well such as a down-tempo EP called "Into The Blue" which is set for a web release in the spring on Epiphyte Records.

PolyGroovers

PolyGroovers is an electronica/downtempo duo consisting of Konstantin Gredeskoul and Telene Johnston, a couple living and working in San Francisco. Passionate about music, the pair is continuously fascinated with the possibilities offered by modern software synthesis and composition tools. PolyGroovers' work strives to create warmth, fluidity, and a smooth sound with their music, submerging listeners into the deep atmosphere of hypnotic beats and jazzy harmonies. "Desoulate", taken from their second downtempo album Moods for Take Out, is now widely available online. Polygroovers is currently recording their next LP.

Jason & Prudence

Prudence Ferreira's prior career as a professional dancer eventually led her to her career in music. She has been singing and producing music on and off for 10 years in both the States and abroad as well as working the local DJ circuit since 2003. Prior credits include the store to "In Petrouchka's Room", a solo piece that debuted in Brussels in 1999, "Goodbyes", a collaboration with Steven Lori, and "Furrow", an unreleased solo track produced in 2004. "Found" artistically combines elements of dance, techno, and downtempo. More of Jason & Prudence's music can be heard at www.auracleresonance.com.

Sutro

Sutro, led by renowned Producer/Remixer Tyler Stone, along with Patrick Hinds and Keenan Wayne - “…manage to balance cool, piercing beats, torch piano, sludgy synths and jazzy turns [that] set the stakes in [a] rapturous act” (download.com). iTunes has featured “How Things Transpire” as a main page Staff Favorite. Sutro have been embraced by broadcast and internet radio stations SOMA FM, 92.7 (Below Zero), KZSU (2 Electronica, 17 Top 30), KSCU and Groovera.com. Globally, podcasts Giant Step, Tom Thump's “The Enthusiast's Hour,” Dave's Lounge, Well Made Music (UK) and Electrical Lounge (UK) have featured Sutro’s music. As the word spreads, "dance music's mellower, more sophisticated cousin" (Bill Picture, Popbeat, SF Chronicle) is becoming de rigueur for those in the know.

Blu Bizness

Blu Bizness is composed of three native Californians, all sharing a genuine love for music. Original members Trefford Marien and Curt Barlage met while working at Off Beat, a record shop in Redondo Beach. As the primary vinyl buyer for the shop, Trefford was able to learn about new music. Both he and Curt picked up on innovative sounds, while developing similar tastes based on what passed through the shop. Eventually, the duo attempted production and found that in the studio, they clicked. Trefford brought the hip hop influence and I brought the in the old, rootsy type soul stuff, says Curt. But, we both had a love for jazz and we tried to incorporate many of the instruments used in that type of music. We combined those three elements hip hop, soul, jazz to create what we do now. In addition to Curt and Trefford, there was another mind behind the production of this initial track and all after; that man is Bobby Matus. His love for reggae, dancehall and other rooted music inevitably carried those sounds into Blu Bizness. Though their combined efforts in the studio have constructed encouraging results that are continuously evolving, the components of Blu Bizness have other artistic outlets, which only seem to add to their creatively diverse sound.

DJ F & Hilary

DJ F & Hilary are a married duo whose talents showcase a broad range of production styles ranging from dark dancefloor breakbeats to lush jazzy grooves. In "LA Getaway", multi-instrumentalist DJ F produces an atmosphere of sound over which Hilary lays down her stunning vocals. DJ F has recently released downtempo remixes for Hawke (aka Gavin Hardkiss) and Romanowski and Sutro, as well as breakbeat remixes for Girls on Film and Artemis. DJ F & Hilary's music has been featured on such compilations as Journeys By DJ, Ley Lines 2 (mixed by Journeyman), Kinkysweet's Frequent Flyer Digital Collection, and Dance To This. Together the couple has created Breakshop Studios and are currently working on their new EP.

Playdoughboy

Producer, remixer and DJ. Started his career as a producer in 1996 in Kharkov (Ukraine) as a member of the duo Asylum Group. Right away the first track of the duo got into heavy rotation of the local radio stations in 1997. In 1998 Playdoughboy started his career as a DJ at the DNK club in Kharkov. After moving to San Francisco in early 2000 Playdoughboy started a solo project as a producer concentrating on dirty electro house and minimal techno. He also started working with the biggest promoters in San Francisco and Seattle. Playdoughboy’s collaborations include works with Aier Sauft, John Bourke, Protection, Audio Angel and Rachel Car. Currently Playdoughboy is a resident at Avalon nightclub (Santa Clara) and Ink Couture event series (San Francisco). Playdoughboy runs the Electro Connect net-label and is a DJ at Novoe Radio and KSJS 90.5 FM.

In Between

"Put Some Funk In Your Shoes", featuring vocals by world-renowned singers Jeanie Tracy and Larry Batiste, was recently charted by Billboard Magazine at number 18. Original music by Ernestsonny "ESP" Padilla, lyrics by Padilla, produced and arranged by Padilla, co-produced by Dennis Piper. "The Best of In Between", an album soon to be released, also includes In Between artists Cynthia Johnson and Debbie Duncan, to name a few.

Andrew Phelan & Origami

After first meeting in 2003, Andrew Phelan & Origami quickly found a flow in the studio and haven't looked back since. Working out of SF's famed Moulton Studios complex, the duo have crafted a sound all their own, combining underground sounds with a heavy dose of vocals and live instrumentation. "We Carry On" features the likes of Sen-Sei and RFM on keys, DJ F on the saxophone, Origami himself on bass and guitar, and vocalists that include Brown, Audio Angel, and Camilla. Look for previous and upcoming releases on labels such as Drop Music, Amenti, So Sound, Lingo, Greenhouse, Eight-Tracks, Turnaround-Sound, and Olive Records, as well as Andrew's two labels Prismatic and Dusted Roots./td>

Divasonic

Lynda Arnold is a jack of all trades in the music business, simultaneously operating as a multi-instrumentalist, producer, engineer, performer and educator. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lynda performs and produces as 'Divasonic' molding her own sound of downtempo, house and d-n-b mixed with ethereal vocals and jazz flute improvisations.

Her label credits include EMI, Clubstar ( Germany ), Cyberset (SF), Epiphyte (SF) and her own label, Digital Bliss. Lynda's extensive performance schedule has included a variety of projects, from performing with electronic and live bands to putting on shows with renowned DJs. When she's not on stage, she is recording with an assortment of Bay Area artists and producers or composing music for herself or other projects, such as the acclaimed multimedia dance troupe Capacitor.

Her company, Digital Bliss Productions (digitalblissproductions.com), brings more attention to women producers in the male-dominated field of electronic music. through women-centric events and compilations like Digital Bliss Vol. 1. Digital Bliss Vol. 2 will be released this year in collaboration with Boutique Electronique Records and NextAid.org. Digital Bliss Productions serves as a vehicle to connect different communities together to bring awareness to what's next.

Gravity Terminal

As a unique landscape of experimental beats, Gravity Terminal's Timo Preece creates innovative sounds that haunt and seduce the listener. After obtaining his ethnomusicology degree at UCLA, Gravity Terminal relocated to Tokyo, where his music found home in variety of media. He has since relocated to San Francisco where he continues to perform live, freelance at Current TV, and instruct students at Pyramind and Expressions College for Digital Arts. "Mendokusai" showcases Gravity Terminal's deep understanding of multiple genres of music.

Techture

Techture's sound combines analog and digital soundscapes that pulsate to a driving beat. Whether it's trip hop, breaks, or a traveling drum n bass track, Techture devotes his skills to energizing an unforgettable mix of music sure to captivate the listener. Singing on Sun & Moon is Diana Luna, the voice of many faces. Her songs began in the womb of creation and continue to blossom wildly like jungle flowers. This gypsy songstress was born in Tokyo, raised in Hawaii, and continues to travel the world spreading her haunting voice through musical collaboration. "Sun and Moon" is her first creative project with Techture. She describes it as, "the rebirth of song's soul." Techture is currently working on his next upcoming releases.

Beatropolis

Beatropolis' heady mix of deep bass lines, edgy hooks, and chopped-up beats drives a concoction of original drum n bass, downtempo, and jazz. A live band and music collective, Beatropolis' sound is built by combining DJ-centric styles with tight arrangements, polished musicianship, and meaningful lyrics to create ecstatic musical experiences. Since 2003 the crew has created a niche in the SF scene for themselves, most recently being joined by collaborators Audio Angel and MC Ax!om.