It’s been only six months since I sat down to write about Minnesota the last time he was in town.
That was a lucky night for me – the product of a last-minute struggle to make something out of nothing, snag an interview with an artist I like, and call it a night after a few Pabsts.
But now, six months later, I have already made contact with the publicists to, once again, hang out with Christian Bauhofer, the 24-year-old from Santa Cruz whose “psychedelic bass music” has only grown since my last experience with him.
One thing hasn’t changed, though: it’s still ridiculously hard to perform a successful Google search on him.
Not much has been written about him since my interview back in March, which leaves me wanting more as I find myself counting down the days until he makes his return to Reno on Friday, Oct. 25 for his Collective Identity tour at The Knitting Factory. With support like Brillz and G. Jones, the Halloween party is one to not be missed.
Notably, the biggest post during the last six months on his Soundcloud, which I stalk, period has been his “Mile High” EP. This leads me to think that he’s probably got an LP up his sleeves, and that we will (hopefully) get to hear some stuff he has been keeping safe on Friday night.
Scroll to the bottom of his Soundcloud stream and listen to the first thing he ever posted: a bitchin’ and dubbed out remix of “California Dreamin’.” Fast forward more than two years later, through his “Altered States” EP and to present day, it’s clear to hear that he has fundamentally stayed the same.
But change is a constant, and a trained and well-listened ear can hear the subtle changes that have elevated his music from simply dubbed out remixes of past and present classics, to a, dare I say, psychedelic journey through the entirety of his sets.
He has upped his BPMs slightly; no doubt probably an unconscious nod to the changing times of music (especially with the explosion of Trap). This affect helps the psychedllic element in his music, while you he still maintains heavy bass lines throughout. Listen to “California Dreamin’” remix, then check out his “Starry Eyed (REMIX VIP)” and tell me it doesn’t embody everything that is “psychedelic.”
Or his classic original “Yoga Pants,” which not only proved his worth as an original artist, but also showcased how close he stays to his roots. The tempo isn’t as fast as “Starry Eyed,” but, damn – the bass is there, and it takes you back to those good ol’ first few tracks of heavy bass, which is why he is here, after all.
I have had multiple days, now, to prepare for Friday and my first follow-up interview with Christian, and all I have for him currently is to tell him his buddy Grant (aka GRiZ) says hi and misses him (“Make SURE you tell him!” Grant said to me last week), and that I am dying to see what he has up his sleeves.
So it looks like I’ll be going in au natural again. What say you, fans? Any lingering questions for this musician on the up and up?
Feel free to email me at music.meganm@gmail.com if you want me to ask.
Otherwise, I expect to see you all there Friday night.[cs_message_box color=”#COLOR_CODE” background=”#COLOR_CODE” border_color=”#COLOR_CODE” title=”Message Title”]Message Content[/cs_message_box]