In the five years that Solos Records has been an independent Bay area label, the artists have gone from the simple desire to have a sounding board to a full-throttle business operation. Initially funded on student loans and sleeping on people couches to save money, Solos has blossomed into one of the most exciting new electronic music communities on the west coast.
The co-op started out throwing parties where these like-minded artists met and quickly became a tight-knit community. Bookworms met Roche and DJ Enso at one these events and presented them with a demo that later was put out as "The Hidden Staircase EP". Since the release of his first project Bookworms has made a name for himself remixing (for Mi Ami, Finest Dearest and others) and playing shows in his own unique fashion.
CB Radio officially became part of the Solos crew with the release of "Blue Skies" on "Solos In Stereo" compilation released in 2004. Now a huge part of the label, they help in the office, coordinate shows, all the while making some of freshest synth disco around. Two of DJ Enso's good friends and schoolmates, Yao and Jovian, joined the label soon after it was founded. Jovian had been making beats since his highschool days and Yao's love of music and djing earne d him the initial duty of Solos Record's "Voice Of Reason", from working and spending endless hours in record stores, to sitting at home with his own extensive record collection, being schooled on the histories, tales, and evolution of good music. Solos put out Yao's "Plantain Is Public" in 2007. It's a musical excursion around the world, into space, and back on this project.
With countless shows and eight official releases behind them the Solos Records crew move forward with the swagger of seasoned vets. Nonetheless they remain "hungry and humble". This summer, Solos Records releases its second full-length compilation, "Solos in Stereo II," a showcase of the label's artists with guest artist appearances from around the world. From Bookworms' futuristic, sample-based beats, and CB Radio's ethereal dance tracks, to Yao's soul-inspired vignettes and Roche's forward-thinking approach to hip-hop.
In addition to original tracks by the seven artists currently signed to Solos Records, "Solos in Stereo II" includes guest appearances by Rhode Island's up and coming duo Javelin, with rock anthem-style dancefloor jams ("I'm a Kidputer") and heavy hip-hop beats ("Susie Cues"). Pugslee Atomz and Wes Restless drop verses and bring the soul of Chicago's hip-hop scene with them. Jonesy shamelessly represents the South Bay, dropping lyrical treats on Bookworms' "One Mo Gin'."
More educated on what it truly takes to operate a successful label, they still haven't forgotten what inspired them to create Solos in the first place. DJ Enso explains simply, "The label is a symptom of a scene. We were surrounded by people making hot shit--visual art and music--and we wanted to give them an outlet."
