Localized Appreesh is our weekly thank-you column to the musicians that make the Bay. To be considered, contact emilysavage@sfbg.com.
On the new seven-inch, Crimes, the persistent flow of Seatraffic feels like it’s washing over you like warm bath water. The San Francisco electronic pop duo takes a page out of the 1980s synth playbook, and executes it with a shiny modern gleam, incorporating dreamy reverb, and heavy, shoe-gazing beats.
If you climb over some sandy rocks at Corona Del Mar State Beach down in Southern California, you can jet down to Little Corona, a more secluded plot of warm sand and water with craggy little caves surrounding it. And if you should ever visit, I suggest playing Seatraffic’s Crimes on your portable record player, and bringing along edibles.
This is because vocalist Mark Zannad and drummer Brandon Harrison created cavernous atmospheres pressed on small white vinyl, just the right speed for a languid dip. It’s Seatraffic’s first physical release, and limited to 300 copies.
The band will perform live from the new release at a DJ-studded Project One gathering this week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPOMr-u15q0
Year and location of origin: We formed in summer of 2010, in San Francisco. It was more or less an agreement that one day we’d start making music, we actually didn’t get serious until about six months later. I (Mark) had been working out a few songs and when Brandon heard them he thought it would be really unique to bring live drums into synthy music. We gave it a shot and the first time we made music together it just felt right. Despite having very different musical backgrounds we meshed really well and most of the songs came a long with little stress.
Band name origin: The word Seatraffic, is suppose to be like Air Traffic, but we like boats better than planes. We had hundreds of names written down, most of them very bad. Seatraffic just sounded right to us, later our writer friend suggested we make it into one word.
Band motto: Never really thought of having a band motto, but if we had one it would be “Stay different, know your Identity”
Description of sound in 10 words or less: Dreamy blend of whirling synthesizers, organs, bass, and heavy drums.
Instrumentation: Mark Zannad: Vocals, Organs, Synthesizers; Brandon Harrison: Drums, Percussion
Most recent release: Crimes 7-inch (2012).
Best part about life as a Bay Area band: The best part of being a band in the Bay Area is how open minded and diverse music enthusiasts are here.
Worst part about life as a Bay Area band: The worst thing about being a band in the Bay Area is that it is a very saturated place for music, it can be difficult to be heard locally.
First album ever purchased: Mark: Lion King soundtrack on Cassette; Brandon: Astro Lounge by Smashmouth
Most recent album purchased/downloaded: Mark: Ariel Pink’s Mature Themes; Brandon: Ty Segall Band’s Slaughterhouse.
Favorite local eatery and dish: This may be the most difficult question we have ever been asked because the food in SF is just so good. Mark: a mini-burger (don’t let the name deceive you) from Super Duper Burger; Brandon: Carne Asada Burrito from Farolito.
Seatraffic
With DJs Boyfren, YR Skull, Shaky Premise, and Epicsauce DJs
Thu/2, 9pm, $3 (free beer before 11pm)
Project One
251 Rhode Island, SF
(415) 938-7173
p1sf.com