V.A. Various Squirrels Volume 1

Giallo soundtracks, drag queens, psychotropic cacti, back patches, Hi-NRG, sunglasses at night, tape echo, jack o' lanterns, rave rain: these are just a few of your favorite things that you might find in SQUIRRELS ON FILM, the new record label from San Francisco veterans Solar and Brian Hock, aka C.L.A.W.S. What you'll hear isn't quite techno, house, disco, or dub, but a syrupy melange of all of the above — and then some. It's dance music for those who don't fit in — and for DJs who regard genre as a suggestion, not a rule.
For more than twenty years, Solar has been a mainstay of the San Francisco Bay Area's rave scene, hosting world-class DJs in parks, on boats, and amongst redwood trees as part of Sunset Sound System; these days, he can be found DJing all over the globe. Squirrels On Film 01 features his debut solo productions, including "Five Seconds," long a mainstay in his DJ sets. Full of rollicking hi-hats, thick basslines, and ghastly chimes, it sounds like a lost gem from 1988 — but it's unmistakably contemporary, primed to ignite dancefloors worldwide. Afterwards, "Depth Charge" goes all-in on the hazy afterhours vibe as dubbed-out drums drift to and fro beneath a darkly melodic wash of synthesizers.