Deepblak’s Busy Fall Schedule

• Words: Tomas Palermo

Oakland, CA-based digital label Deepblak Recordings has a busy fall planned, with new EPs and albums by its growing roster. Since 2001, Deepblak has established itself as a home for broken-beat, future-techno, leftfield hip-hop, house, and other electronic genres by artists like L.A.’s Eric Rico, New York’s Black Jazz Consortium, and Oakland’s own Blaktroniks.

Label founder Aybee has expertly helmed the label and also made time for several of his own releases. He recently issued two volumes of the Undatow EP series by his 010 alias that highlights expressive hip-hop instrumentals. Aybee’s currently working on a self-titled album to drop later this fall, but the label’s current focus is on the just-released compilation Deepblak Presents Blaktropolis. The collection ties digital threads together between soulful techno, broken-beat, house, and eclectic electronic sounds normally associated with Detroit or London. The album has received early positive reactions from European tastemakers like Enrico (Isoul8), Martin Atjazz (Mantis Records) and BeyondJazz.net.

Drawing its talent pool both from Oakland and elsewhere in the U.S., Blaktropolis is a statement that the underground techno movement is alive and well in urban areas throughout America.

Blaktropolis
01 Xaphryn Follicle "Valentina"
02 Blaktroniks "Where"
03 Mattski "Something Called Love"
04 Dozie "Sensuality (AYBEE's Midnite Creep)"
05 Black Jazz Consortium "Forward Elevation"
06 Erik Rico "Faster"
07 Afrikan Sciences "A Decision"
08 AYBEE "Solaris"
09 Tangle Eyes "Out The Bag"
10 Trinidadian Deep "Track II"
11 o1o "Overcome"
12 AYBEE "Akiara"

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