The Los Angeles band Space Cadets, comprised of Zachary Wexelman, Dan Creed, and John Cocco came together to create a sound that marries blues and hip hop with alt rock in recordings and live performances. Formed in 2012, Space Cadets rose by crafting a unique mix of chill urban vibes and grooving acoustic blues rock. Their style goes beyond their records into high energy performances first in their home market of LA and then across the country on tour. The smooth groove they perfected in their first single, “Way Too Loud” became the template for earworms rooted deeply in hip-hop but with a mix of acoustic and electric guitars and strong beats. A trademark is their ability to counter pose lyrics and music, playing with a bright and airy feel that belies the heavy handed lyrics about serious topics like power of hate. On their up-coming EP, “Let The Kids Play!” they dive deeper into their evolved sound with the help of CJ Blair to create music that’s both reminiscent and present at the same time.
The Simpkin Project is a Southern California band that plays a multi-faceted blend of reggae, blues, rock, and Americana, steeped in soulful harmonies in a sound has been described as “uncompromising…blending authentic roots reggae rhythms with a wall-of-sound production style.” Phil Simpkin and Shawn Taylor, co-lead vocalists, have been with the band since its inception, indulging their love of reggae and their skill in mixing it blues, rock and the roots of American music. The result is joyful, danceable and a whole lot of fun. They are releasing a new album Beam of Light September 30 and we will preview it this Friday.
