“Time of the Season” is a conglomeration of my favorite electronic elements; atmospheric vocals chopped up and repeated, an ethereal bridge, and an absolutely grimy bass-line for an ultra-deep drop. Yet for a track that I’ll be repeatedly revisiting, the most interesting element might not even be its sound. I find myself truly intrigued by the concept by its creators, [esq] ape – I initially assumed it was a rising producer, but it seems there’s a much more communal approach to the moniker. Behind [esq] ape’s music is a collective of Los Angeles based producers who craft sounds to complement a forward-thinking clothing line.
Whereas PC Music hinted at the intersection of music and product as a capitalist nightmare on “Hey QT”, [esq] ape feels like its egalitarian foil as the collective’s apparel delivers a cosmic aesthetic that oozes authenticity. From the excess amount of heart emojis <3_<3, uNconvEntiOnaL tYpeFacE, and bright imagery abound, I can sense something here that goes beyond a traditional marketing ploy. And forgive me for sounding like I’m part of the bourgeoisie, but even the prices of their clothing speak to a genuine approach as they provide pieces associated with high-fashion at an accessible price-point – all the while, “Time of the Season” plays in the background. If this is the dystopian peak of enterprise that we’ve been warned of, then sign me up.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euOWtg2VMyE]