Salami Rose Joe Louis
Mejiwahn
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In 2008, platforms like Myspace and AIM messenger played a key role in bringing Mndsgn together with beatmakers Knxwledge, Suzi Analogue and devonwho to form a voltron of kindred musicality and sensibility. The collective, known at the time as Klipmode, played and released beat tapes through a then-budding platform, Bandcamp, and as the music gained a cult following, Ringgo relocated to Los Angeles in 2011. Inspired by the flourishing community of producers on the West Coast, he self released beat tapes as well as a few projects distributed by labels Leaving and Fresh Selects, and regularly performed at local hubs such as Low End Theory.
From early on, Ringgo has aimed to explore the human condition in his music. Taken as a whole, his body of work chronicles the evolution of self, asking throughout: how can we live in a way that is true to ourselves? How can we find beauty in the everyday and unfamiliar?
Mndsgn began exploring these questions on his Stones Throw debut Yawn Zen (2014), which he followed up with Body Wash (2016), an album that drew heavily on '80s R&B and boogie, approached from a psychedelic, cosmic angle. Raw, mixtape-style records Snax and Snaxx followed in 2018 and 2019, along with the self-released Gonna B OK.
In the fall of 2018, Ringgo began building on dreams and sketches of songs that would later form new record Rare Pleasure. Rare Pleasure brings together the music that has inspired Mndsgn over the years -- R&B, soundtrack music, psychedelia and jazz -- into a rich, expansive record. To bring his vision to life, Mndsgn assembled a cast of musicians: Kiefer Shackelford (piano), Swarvy (guitar, bass), Will Logan (drums), Carlos Niño (percussion), Fousheé, Devin Morrison and Anna Wise (vocals), Miguel Atwood Ferguson (strings) and many other master craft contemporaries. Ringgo says: "Although this record took two years to write and record the demos, it didn't reach something much closer to its final form until we were able to record the final sessions in the studio with all of the musicians, taking only a week to lay everyone's parts down. The process was quite natural and much more aligned with my approach to capturing the illusiveness of a moment in time as opposed to something more diary-esque."
Ringgo describes the concept of 'Rare Pleasure' as an appreciation of sharing life, inward reflection, and the gift of joyful catharsis. Threaded throughout the album is a 'Rare Pleasure' theme inspired by soundtrack music, specifically 70s/80s library and theme music, whose repetitions and variations, Ringgo says, "echo the recurring motifs we experience in life, sometimes being revisited by the same lessons in different shapes and forms."
Experiences in Ringgo's own life informed many of the songs' lyrics: 'Hope You're Doin' Better' was written while processing a loved one's struggle with mental health. "Although communication between each other was severed, it allowed the opportunity to truly acquaint myself with the concept of loving from afar," Ringgo explains.
'Medium Rare' and 'Colours of the Sunset' seek transcendence through simple acts of self-love and introspection. 'Abundance' continues on the same theme, gesturing towards "the journey of realizing the inner abundance that's always accessible whether we realize it or not." 'Slowdance' was written as a dedication to the vulnerability of growth in new relationships.
Though the message of Rare Pleasure feels especially relevant to the present moment, it has been a guiding principle throughout Mndsgn's life: "We are beings living this human life that's only going to happen once and only once, every moment infused with a magical impermanence, a rarity."
Salami Rose Joe Louis is a multi-instrumentalist female producer from California and a recent signee to Flying Lotus’s independent label Brainfeeder. Drawing influences from jazz, soul, hip-hop, Shuggie Otis, Captain Beefheart, Stereolab, and R. Stevie Moore, she creates a blend of experimental dreamy sounds with jazz influenced vocals and piano. She recently released her debut album on Brainfeeder “Zdenka 2080”, a conceptual sci-fi album that has been described as a “stunning interdimensional travel themed new album” by Gigwise. She also had the amazing honor of joining Flying Lotus’ 35 show, Flamagra Tour this summer and earlier in the year she joined Cinematic Orchestra’s European tour and Toro y Moi’s “Outer Peace Tour”. After a couple years of touring as a singer/instrumentalist with other bands and collabing with groups such as Bizarre Ride (Pharcyde), Dj Numark, and Starro, a bandmate gave her an MV8800, catalyzing a deep dive into the production world, self recording and mixing her albums on the MV, “Son of a Sauce”, “Zlaty Sauce Nephew”, and “Zdenka 2080”. Drawing from her studies in planetary sciences, she creates a celestial experience filled with space inspired sounds and galaxy chords:)
She is joined by three incredible musicians from the bay area whom she has had the honor of playing music with for the last three years. Bassist and vocalist, Cheflee, Oakland multi-instrumentalist beat maker and songwriter, creates intricate stories with song, soundscapes, and textures. His unique and warm voice guides the listener through subject matter that asks deep questions, while his melodic choices and innovative style oscillates the ear follicles just right. An avid music listener and record store curator, his vast knowledge and love of expansive and experimental music comes through in his compositions. He is a long time collaborator with Salami and their frequency chemistry is palpable in their performance. Saxophonist and Ewi player, Eli Maliwan, is a force to be reckoned with. He is an alumni of the Portland State Jazz program, Oberlin jazz conservatory, and the Cal Arts Masters program. His playing is extremely creative and unique and truly transports listeners into multiple dimensions. He is an instructor at Stanford Jazz and we also like to think he is an instructor of the Salami Rose band as he brings such a vast understanding of music theory to the group, we are consistently learning and growing. He brings energy and outer space to the band and inspires us to stretch. Multi instrumentalist Brandon Farmer is known in the San Francisco Bay Area as Drum Wisdom for a reason. His energetic and dynamic approach to the drums is what separates him into a league of his own. With a metronomic soul and polyrhythmic heartbeat, Drum wisdom adds unique flavor to the Salami band’s already unique sound. He grew up playing piano and drums in Church and has now added bass to his repertoire. His immense understanding and love of music will truly lift the hearts and souls of any listener!
