This Label Made in Indie
944: Local and Indie Promoters Share Insight on Good Beats

By Sarah McClure
Photography by Jeffery Van Fox

The urge to head nod in rhythm to Beyoncé’s single, “Suga Mama,” comes likely from the song’s catchy background drum buildup and funky guitar riffs. The beat is actually a sample from a track called, “Searching for Soul Pt. 1” by Jade Wade & the Soul Searchers, a Detroit-based band that toured in the 1970s.

And the same usually happens while listening to the breakbeats of a Gorillaz song, but most people are unaware that the group sampled from musician Shawn Lee’s “Ape Breaks” and “Planet of the Breaks” series.

The indie genre has a long-held reputation for being a forefront influence in evolving music – offering unheard of harmonies and made-from-scratch sounds that don’t always surface in mainstream music. Today, West Coast indie record labels and DJs, while hosting the hippest local shows, are stepping up as frequent contributors on major labels as well as for global audiences.

And it just so happens Orange County is making its own contribution with Ubiquity Records. A worldwide brand, indie label Ubiquity Records in Costa Mesa, and its two subsidiaries, Luv N Haight and Cubop, boast more than 300 releases. Artists from the 17-year-old label have showcased in films such as Ocean 13, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and on TV with Grey’s Anatomy and The Sopranos. BBC Radio 1 with host Gilles Peterson and Nick Harcourt’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic” on KCRW also frequently play their music.

This season Ubiquity will release nearly a dozen albums, including the arresting compilation, Rewind! 5, featuring its artists performing covers of favorite tracks, from Fleetwood Mac to The Beach Boys to Frank Zappa.

“People know what’s up in Orange County,” says Andrew Meza, head of publicity at Ubiquity Records. “They just don’t always know it’s an Orange County-based label behind a song on the radio or artist at a show.”

One such example is Nino Moschella, who will launch his second LP, performing deep percussion with saxophone, bass and conga. He was also nominated by BBC Radio for “Album of the Year.” Or check the debut albums of Eric Lau, Connie Price and The Keystones, The Lions and Clutchy Hopkins.

Clutchy Hopkins’ music, to be released in early 2008, was found from unreleased tape reels at a swap meet in the Mojave Desert. Hopkins, preferring anonymity more than celebrity, opted for a pseudonym or no name at all on past recordings.

Since broadcasting such uber-rare music requires taking quality over quantity, indie promoters like Ubiquity are constantly at the grind, looking for different artists. “The label is strong because it’s not only about the music we release,” Meza says. “The popularity the label receives comes back down to being true to ourselves and not following trends or whatever the flavor of the month is musically.”

Take, for instance, the frenzied drum ‘n’ bass of Radio Citizen’s album Berlin Serengeti, that includes Portishead-inspired vocals to songs as “Everything” and “The Hop,” a single that boosted sales of the album.

Another artist to check out is Darondo, who is dubbed as the “street-wise Al Green” and who also opened for James Brown. His music is infused with soul, felt by blues influences on his album, Let My People Go. Six original tracks from his 1970s recordings, including three unreleased songs discovered off an old demo reel are heard.

Amid abundance, smaller musical recordings remain a force to hear. The raw and revived qualities intrinsic to the music world would be unattainable without the indie. “It’s music for open-minded people,” Meza says. “It’s simple, people just want something fresh … every release we put out has its own story,” he adds.

And where to find such amazing acts?

Venues such as Temple Bar (in Los Angeles), Detroit Bar and Memphis Café (Ohmega Watts regularly spins) showcase many indie artists. A poor performance by these acts is simply not an option … they’re made in OC.

Track down indie beat makers at www.ubiquityrecords.com