Friday, June 14th, 2024– LA
Woooossssh. The fog machine reinforces the synthetic haze in the air of Catch One’s Jewel room. On stage, Yama Uba (whose name is derived from a Japanese myth about a mountain witch/spirit who sometimes consumes human children) delivers a soulful saxophone solo over a distorted guitar and electronic drums. Many contemporary artists implement 1980s elements into their music, but few are willing to go as far as whipping out a saxophone on stage in 2024. Bravo.
Check out Yama Uba’s debut LP Silhouettes (2024).
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California post-punk project Topographies was a match made in heaven for a co-headlining tour with Secret Attraction. Topographies, while demure and monochrome on the surface, command attention through their thoughtful subtlety. The crowd didn’t even seem to notice their feet moving as they slowly gathered closer to the stage. I watched the bartender absently polish a glass for a few seconds too long, mesmerized, as Topographies’ sound filled the dark room.
Photography by Teia Ciornei (@teiatoast)
Listen to Topographies latest LP, Interior Spring .
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Phoenix-based dark dreampop duo Secret Attraction’s sound is difficult to describe if you haven’t heard their music before. Droning LFOs and guitar arpeggios over delayed, distant vocals blur the lines between analog and digital, between reality and dreams.
Photography by Teia Ciornei (@teiatoast)
Following the success of their 2023 LP3, Secret Attraction got right back in the studio to work on their 4th album. Their newest Fantasy Limited EP, the tour’s namesake, provides a glimpse into their upcoming music. The singer & guitar player Derek says, “we wanted to go back to a familiar sound that we somewhat miss. Something somewhat dark and gloomy. Similar to what I had recorded on the Replica album”.
The duo’s DIY creative process is centered around creatively blending analog and digital sounds. Derek explains, “we used a Prophet Rev2 for synth mainly. That’s been our go-to synth these last couple of years for basically everything. Then, of course, there’s guitar and bass. Everything is mixed on the computer either through Ableton or Reason software. As for how we start a track…. It all depends. I mostly start with guitar and work around that”.
Secret Attraction hopes to release their 4th LP later this year. Stay tuned for upcoming singles and tour date announcements.
Photography by Teia Ciornei (@teiatoast)
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Stay connected with the artists here:
Secret Attraction:
https://linktr.ee/secretattractionmusic
Topographies:
https://linktr.ee/topographies
Yama Uba: