By Will Rosario
This is the tape that started it all for me. I was the art director at Architects + Heroes Records. We released mostly experimental electronic music, IDM and ambient on digital and CD. I knew of the cassette culture, but I didn’t look too much into it. The only cassette collection I had was a few tapes that survived various moves in Southern California and Florida.
In late 2012, Stephen Ruiz, the head of A+H Records set up a meeting with The Koreatown Oddity, Dominique Purdy. The underground wolf mask wearing rapper / producer from Los Angeles. I was intrigued by his enthusiasm with the cassette format. Needless to say we were sold and we decided to schedule his release “Exit The Dragon’s Mouth” on cassette and digital. On release day alone, Exit The Dragon’s Mouth far exceeded the interest and sales of our previous releases.
In late 2013, I left A+H Records to form Bonding Tapes. You can say that this cassette is pretty much the precursor for the label and in many respects, Joyful Union Cassette Blog. It is my most prized cassette possession and I’ve had offers to try and pry it from my hands. But all I can offer them is the digital version and the artwork.
Since then, The Koreatown Oddity has continued to release beat tapes on Strictly Cassette, New Los Angeles, Leaving Records, Akashik Records and Tapes and Stones Throw Records. He released a couple of collaborations with Ras G (5 Chuckles) and MDSGN (Vivians). Be sure to check out his latest, “Finna Be Past Tense” and his vast discography.
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