RISING – TEAMS

Though still fairly new, LA’s Sean Bowie has been generating massive interest around blogs since he started dropping tracks as TEAMS in early 2010. It’s no wonder, as his sound is a distilled amalgamation of everything blog-friendly in the last few years: catchy, beach-friendly, lo-fi jams, music videos heavy with ’90s web animations and skewed pop culture, and an unswerving eye for perfect collaboration. Just listen to the beautiful album he did with Star Slinger, or watch his psychedelic video with Ra Cailum, the aptly-titled ‘Seven Daze A Weed’. Most startling, however, is a track entitled ‘Feel’, featuring none other than Rihanna. Whether this is an actual collab or just a sample is one of those sweet mysteries that make life so horny.

So what separates this dude from similar acts with a love for raw production, instrumentals and getting split on green? It’s not necessarily easy to define, but listening to his tracks you can sense a darker side lurking below the pop appeal, reminiscent of okkvlt-club pioneers like Pictureplane and Teengirl Fantasy. Others seem to think so as well, which may be why he’s touring across the US with dragged&drugged symbolist Zombelle and the infamous DISARO. Fog doesn’t stand a chance against Bowie’s blissed-out beats.

With several releases under his belt as well as his debut LP Dxys Xff set to drop on Amdiscs today, it’s clear this kid knows what he’s doing. All he needs is a push and he could make 2011 his.

Published May 25, 2011.