#habitslyfe

Geoff Geis remixes Habits’ “Just a Ride”, and talks to us about taking a ride and turning it into a journey, photographed by Dalton Blanco. The latest buzz from Habits’ Unselves on Arrival album gets remixed by LA’s versatile and venerable Geoff Geis who premieres the redux of “The Ride” (Soft Sailors remix). Picking up on the key part of the song’s hook that features Dustin M Krapes reciting “I’m just along for the ride”, the lap bar lowers as the adventure takes on a new form, shape, and destination. Decked out in a four quarter beat, the mystery of Habits original is present in the fuzzy guitar parts that decorate the hard hitting new percussion patterns. Dipping down on sudden drops, barrel rolling, and speeding along the track — “The Ride” continues Dustin’s vision of long, strange, transformative trips where what happens along the way results in the changes and shifts in identity and head-spaces from the comedown landing of re-entry into the real, real world. Geoff gave us the following creative insights on how the Soft Sailors remix of the track was made: "I’m inspired by chance, and I like painting myself into corners I have to fight out of, so rather than listen to the stems I picked waveforms at random and said the rest of the song was off limits. This song is about a ride and I wanted to make it a journey. I think the repeating phrase gets more mysterious as the song goes, maybe even a little disconcerting, and I tried to highlight that with vocal harmonies and an non-resolutory key change at the end. I put four on the floor, since this shit is for the clubs, and I added guitar riffs because that’s the exact opposite of what Habits would do. In the end, Tyler Sabbag provided additional beats and made the whole thing sound bigger with sound design wizardry that I don’t understand."

The Friday before a holiday weekend is a serene time in LA. The noticeable decrease in population and cars allows for a calm normally made claustrophobic by ambition and industry. On my way to the venue, I briefly enjoyed a romantic notion that I was somehow closer to the spirit of the city… then quickly dismissed it as my own usual bullshit. Walking into Pehrspace there was already a loosely packed room to watch Mini-Bear (Lauren Kop) open the night with her brand of synth based space pop. Sporting a command station of gear, she managed synth, guitar, midi controller, and sang.

As Bür Gür took the stage you could feel the warmth and excitement of the crowd. Confidence, focus and joy radiated from the duo as they were supported by fans and close friends alike. For Bür Gür, the release of their full length album Alligator Cheesecake feels like a long time coming, and the night served as the culmination of success for two years of hard work. Corbin Clarke and Makan Negahban's voices meshed beautifully with their well crafted electronic infused-folk songs. The band's diverse influences and relentless touring schedule has led them to fans from all over Southern California. The songs take an introspective and existential look at finding a way to live and be authentic to yourself while navigating a confusing world of relationships, societal pressures, and economic limitations. It's no wonder the music has resonated with so many from different musical backgrounds.