ZION I

After delving into upbeat, electronic music on 2009's The Takeover, Oakland hip-hop stalwarts Zion I enter a new phase of their chameleonic career with Atomic Clock (November 9th, Gold Dust), a moody, emotional record inspired by the group's longtime admiration for reggae and dub.

While the group's roots are still firmly planted in hip-hop, Atomic Clock’s cavernous, atmospheric vibe recalls both the classic roots reggae of Max Romeo and The Congos and forward-thinking dub mixing of UK artists such as Adrian Sherwood. "The Takeover was a very external record and we wanted to focus on fun, party music," says emcee Zumbi AKA Zion. "This one is much more reflective and internal. We didn't want to just recreate what we did last album. Art is not about living in the past."

On "History," the group's most insightful and candid track, Zumbi recalls the duo's autobiography from prior to the group's formation until now. "We've been doing music a long time and sometimes you forget how long you’ve been at and how many places you've been," admits the emcee. "I think it's good to look back for a second before keeping it moving." Keeping it moving is something Zumbi and Amp Live have never had problems doing and Atomic Clock stands as another engaging expression of the group's mind, heart and soul.

TOKiMONSTA

Born and raised in the South Bay area of Los Angeles, TOKiMONSTA (Jennifer Lee) was an unfocused pupil of classical piano. However, she has come to use this background to understand and create vast soundscapes and textures through the usage of live instruments, percussion, digital manipulation, and dusty vinyl. Through the creation of beats, she is able to fuse the sounds of the past with her musical prowess into something avant garde. She is a Korean American. Her debut album, Midnight Menu, was released in 2010.

TOKiMONSTA has been featured on various large scale radio programs such as: BBC Radio1, NPR, BBC World Service, J Wave (JP), Studio Brussels (BE), Radio Nova (FR), KCRW (USA) to name a few. Subsequently, she has been featured in print by DJ Mag, Pitchfork, XLR8R, URB, Paper, LA Times, SPIN, and more. LA Weekly ranked her as 2010’s #1 female DJ in Los Angeles. Additionally, Resident Adviser did a full feature on her for their “Breaking Through,” an RA series which focuses on the next big artist.

“Toki” means “a rabbit” in korean.

Star Eyes

Star Eyes is the queen of Brooklyn bass, known for raw selections that range from the most upfront house, UK funky, grime, and dubstep stormers to underground classics from the worlds of Baltimore club, ghetto house, Miami bass, and old-skool hardcore.

This DJ veteran has always loved low-end—for 10 years, she was a well-known drum & bass DJ (part of San Francisco’s BASS Kru and the long-running Eklektic night) and is also khalf of the now-disbanded 2-step garage duo Syrup Girls (once called “New York’s best-kept secret” by New Yorker music critic Sasha Frere-Jones).

Star Eyes has played all over the world, from the Vans Warped Tour to London’s famed Fabric nightclub, from clubs in Cape Town to Berlin squat parties, and opened for such acts as Diplo, Moby, The XX, The Streets, and Girl Talk. Since 2006, she has been a part of the world famous Trouble & Bass crew, which also includes Drop the Lime, AC Slater, and The Captain, along with affiliates worldwide.

In June 2009, the Trouble & Bass label unleashed her first EP, Disappear, featuring a mix of goth and rave influences whipped into a style she calls “haunted house.” This lead to a storm of originals and remixes for the likes of Michna (Ghostly), Creep (Young Turks), Hussle Club (Mishka), Lil’ Tal (Loose Squares), and more. She is currently working on her own tracks as well as in collaboration with Grizzly’s 5kinandBone5 (as Dark Ages), UFO!, Zac Eno (as Dips), and Jess Jubilee. Her vocals also appear on tracks by John B (Beta Recordings) and Passions (Kitsuné), and she is the former editor-in-chief of the music magazine XLR8R.

Nanosaur

NanosauR is the moniker of 23 year-old artist/producer Michael Solorzano.

Hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, NanosauR (Lil B, Dev) is an artist who will command your attention in 2012.

With washed out sunsoaked reverberated vocals layered over uptempo electronic and chillwave sounds, NanosauR brings a much-needed freshness to the saturated world of electronic music and its popular indie subgenres.

He is already having a big year in 2012 highlighted by the release of his new album Afterglow with announced spring tour dates opening for national acts including Teams, Yalls, and performances at this year’s Noise Pop Festival.

Crafted over a 10-month period, Afterglow is 16-track electronic journey made in the vein of romance and late night parties with the people who mean the most. He has already released three videos from the new album for “Gold Coast,” “Move Your Feet,” and “This Can’t Be.”

2012 is shaping up to be the year NanosauR comes out of the bedroom and onto the national scene. Establishing himself as one of the top electronic artists coming out of the Bay Area, it is only a matter of time before he begins his conquering of the United States and beyond.

Do not sleep on NanosauR.