I remember guarding my Fisher-Price tape deck like it way the Holy Grail. The eraser on a No. 2 Ticonderoga was less about erasing my horrible math and more about making sure I could listen to Oingo Boingo’s “Dead Man’s Party” just one more time before the sea of brown ribbon took over my room. And who doesn’t remember a good mix tape before the days of our smartlist iTunes playlists? For all of us who loved and love our boxes of beautifully cumbersome albums, here comes round two: Apes Tapes.
“The goal of the label is not groundbreaking, but essential to the Portland music scene: we want to support local music that we love by putting out tapes which we see as a more permanent media than CDs and more affordable than vinyl. This way we can support as many artists as we believe in.”
This August will reveal the first wave of Apes Tapes releases, starting with a sparkling compilation of bands from the label’s current roster, Mixed Ape, as well as split tapes from Radiation City / Your Canvas and Onuinu / Tony Bambino.
Holocene will be hosting the Apes Tapes Launch party on Wednesday, August 18th, starting at 8:30. Just $5 gets you into a midweek playground that will let you rewind the loose ends back into something you can feel! Onuinu, Soap Collectors, Your Canvas and Adventures! With Might are the perfect mixtape of smiling synthesizers, guitars waltzing with fast-forward foxtrotting keyboards, and dancing to the beat of all your friends singing! Not to mention the madglad tangling of tapes from DJ Hostile Tapeover! The button to push is PLAY, so let’s all play together!
Teddy Ruxpin would be proud. Check back soon for a first look at the Mixed Ape!
