Pop & Hiss premiere: Local art and sound collective My Hollow Drum debut new imprint, Co. Fee

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Co. Fee - Kali [2011] from thedespondentsarise on Vimeo.

From the outside, the Los Angeles beat scene seems monolithic. To casual fans, Flying Lotus exists as its avatar, with his Brainfeeder umbrella label often employed as a synecdoche for the entire sound. But more than a half-dozen labels operate within the deep constellation. With top dogs Alpha Pup and Brainfeeder and others Leaving Records, Friends of Friends, Hellfyre Club, Non Projects and Daedelus’ Magical Properties, if it seems as though almost everyone has a label, it’s because they do.

The latest is My Hollow Drum, an art and sound crew who started in Orange County but have made their presence felt particularly strongly at the Low End Theory. The collective’s most prominent member might be Brainfeeder-signed Teebs, (he of the ethereal skyscraping beats,) but Co. Fee’s ‘Easy Listening’ should allow him to comfortably take second.

Directed by Brendan Sinnott, the video for ‘Kali’ interweaves psychedelic visuals, a Bollywood actor in a bow tie and belly dancers. Looping a hypnotic subcontinental sample over and over, the beat has been called ‘carnival dubstep,’ but it might be better described as what Enid from ‘Ghost World’ would be listening to if she eventually got tired of Mohammed Rafi.

In Hindu lore, Kali is the goddess associated with ‘eternal energy.’ Not to say that this will obviate your need for morning coffee, but it’s a lovely accompaniment.

Download:
MP3: Co. Fee-’Kali’

-- Jeff Weiss