KCRW Exclusive: Download Groundislava Mixtape for Check Yo’ Ponytail

Written by

On December 4, LA’s unique monthly Check Yo’ Ponytail party will be hosting one of best live line-ups of the year, presenting How To Dress Well, Born Gold, Beacon, and LA’s very own Groundislava.

All the artists specialize in a woozy, sensual brand of electronic beatmaking that is rooted in dance music but is so exquisitely produced so as to offer particularly great rewards in headphones.

Good thing then that Groundislava has offered up a fantastic digital mixtape for our collective aural pleasure.

The artist’s recent full length, Feel Me, on local label Friends of Friends brilliantly combines the 80’s synthpop with early electro/hip-hop percussion to warm analog effect. Less overtly poppy thanWashed Out but less cold and cheeky than Ford & Lopatin, Groundislava is definitely mining a nostalgic era of VHS rental shops and neon that is en vogue, but he does it REALLY well and with absolute sincerity.

On this mix, he runs the spectrum from Boards of Canada to Simian Mobile Disco to Trey Songz to some of his own original work. It’s an act of derring do that he pulls off without a hitch and is a strong introduction to not only his sound but what moves him. Hopefully, a good primer for what viewers can expect at the Echoplex.

For more info and tickets click HERE.

Groundislava Mixtape for Check Yo’ Ponytail – Tracklist

Boards of Canada – Bocuma

SImian Mobile Disco – Seraphim

Groundislava – Jasper’s Song II

Trey Songz – Can’t Help But Wait

The Tuss – Shiz Ko E

Boards of Canada – Pete Standing Alone

Groundislava – Untitled Rough Demo

Groundislava – Final Impasse (Version 2)

Bigbang – Bad Boy

Groundislava – Night