Since founding the expansive label back in July of 2022, Denni Longstocking Kindred, aka Longstocking, has been flying the flag as the face of her ascending Feral One Records imprint while growing as an exciting DJ/producer within the US’ rich house scene and establishing herself as a key figure within the Pacific North West nightlife landscape. But at the heart of her work is her adopted home city of Seattle, a place with a rich musical history and one that is now spotlighted once again as she showcases the many layers the city’s nightlife scene and its regulars have to offer. A highlight series in the label catalogue, the label’s VA compilation ‘Seattle’ dives straight to the point, harnessing, curating and showcasing what its inhabitants and natives have to offer, with the second instalment seeing Kindred joined by a host of talent, including Nark, Wolfstax, Rachel Vick, Arnaldo Messy and many more.
Spanning multiple genres and styles, the rich, in-depth compilation once again sees a mixture of emerging and established talent unite, building on Volume 1, which brought music from Tony H, Simon Houser, Snapdragon and many more. Heading up proceedings and setting the tone, Longstocking’s own ‘Skip’ is a trippy, wonky dive through late-hours house as twisting acid lines meet impactful and dramatic dub stabs for a hazy yet dynamic trip.
Party starter and label founder at Bottom Forty Records, Nark is known for chunky, acid-led, hypnotic anthems on internationally renowned imprints, including NEIN, Soul Clap, 2MR and MR Intl. Dramatic and unconventional, his sound will always have listeners guessing at every turn, and that is precisely what he brings here with the twisted and heady yet rich and deep sonics of ‘Love High’.
Returning to the label, Ehren Wolf, aka Wolfstax, is a name on the rise in the Pacific Northwest, combining quality productions on labels such as Fantastic Voyage with quirky and energetic live performances to set him apart from the crowd. His track ‘Glitchy Glam’ takes cues from its title as slinking percussion and playful melodies bubble in amongst stuttered vocal snippets.
Singer/songwriter turned electronic DJ/producer Rachel Vick is a Seattle favourite, previously linking with fellow city talents such as Tony H and Emuh while releasing a wealth of solo material showcasing her fresh take on house. Her productions fuse elements from the indie-electronic sounds of the 2000s and 2010s, while her live performances combine DJing with on-the-fly vocals. She’s in full control again here, bringing bumpy drums and resonant stabs beneath alluring vocals for a jacking-meets- deep house cut full of flavour.
The final artist featured on this sampler is Arnaldo Messy, a self-described ‘anonymous musical entity in search of the musical dimension going the hardest with one goal: to make you boogie at a cosmic level’. His track ‘As In The Mind’ builds with trippy vocals and soaring leads for an energetic cut build for the peak hours, rounding out the package with authority.
Feral One Records’ ‘Seattle Compilation Vol. 2’ drops on 25th August 2023.
PRE-ORDER ‘SEATTLE COMPILATION VOL.2’ HERE
Tracklist [VA Sampler]
1. Longstocking – Skip
2. Nark – Love High
3. Wolfstax – Glitchy Glam
4. Rachel Vick – Tough Love
5. Arnaldo Messy – As In The Mind
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