TATE SEDAR has made a mark in electronic music, most notably performing at the Insomniac Discovery Project 2020: EDC Virtual Rave-a-Thon. Collaborations with industry heavyweights like Dada Life, Don Diablo and more have cemented his status as a groundbreaking artist. With over 5.7 million streams in 2023 and tracks along with remixes from artists like Empire's Terrell Carter's “Hero” and an edit of Justin Bieber's “Hold On” have helped him gain a global fan base.
We are delighted to release their latest single “San Francisco” for you to listen to. San Francisco has a deep personal meaning in the artistic evolution of TATE SEDAR. As a city renowned for its musical heritage spanning rock, funk/soul and hip-hop, it becomes the thematic core of their latest release. “San Francisco” pays homage to the diverse sounds that influenced SEDAR's formative years while also acting as a platform for their adventures into unexplored musical realms. The song exemplifies the transformative influence of revisiting one's roots to chart new creative territories.
We had the chance to catch up with TATE SEDAR and discuss the single and what's to come. Watch it below!
The Genesis of “San Francisco”: Can you describe the moment or experience that inspired you to create “San Francisco”? Was there a specific event in the city that sparked this artistic endeavor?
San Francisco was actually something I did by accident. I was playing around with lofi samples and started realizing, “this sounds a lot like what I grew up in SF.” Is there a specific event? Well, it's my youth, my education. And sometimes you find yourself in other things. And I think that's what happened with these samples and the production.
“San Francisco” represents a fusion of various genres. How did you approach the process of combining elements of progressive rock, funk, hip-hop and post-EDM to create a cohesive sound?
I first started with the guitar melody and discovered (although I didn't even realize that San Francisco was shining) a kind of connection between rock and funk. The connection, of course, comes from where I come from: rock and funk are part of the 'San Francisco sound.' And then… I left the middle pause alone for a moment. But when I started listening to SF, I thought, “I'm going to add hip-hop,” because, come on: the Bay Area, we're known for that (short laughs). Post-EDM is the result of this track; It's all these different sounds and genres in an electronic format, or at least what people think of as, you know, EDM and electronic music now. At the time I didn't even realize I was getting into the concept of post-EDM until later.
Beyond its musical influence, how has the city of San Francisco shaped you on a personal and artistic level? Are there any reference points, cultural aspects or personal memories that directly influenced the track?
You know, what's funny is that I grew up in San Francisco but I haven't spent my entire life there. I lived there until I was seven years old, I moved with my family to [US] East Coast, then London, went to school in [central] NY – and eventually returned to SF (now in Los Angeles). My mom always believed that she made “SF part of my… identity” and I think that is very true because, although we did not live there full time, we visited her every summer and winter. She became important even in adolescence: those summers in high school, when you are 16, 17, 18 years old, are crucial in everyone's education.
San Francisco has shaped me in terms of my outlook on life, social dynamics and experiences with people and some of my beliefs: I am someone who believes in and hopes for a world without judgment or discrimination, a world where everyone can be who they are. or want to be, regardless of what people think. There's a warmth and care that San Francisco engenders, or at least used to (a story for another day), but I think I'm still a part of that. [earlier] generation.
I only really discovered what glam or early progressive rock – Journey – is when I lived in London and researched SF music. Motown and R&B were always a part of my youth. I think San Francisco is very much a “melting pot,” like New York City, and that's what this song is: a fondue of music (laughs). Those memories of finding this music are what made this. Some of the music may be inspired by current events or trends, but this song is about what made me. It's a kind of retrospective, but also a style and concept that I haven't found yet.
Your career has now ventured into the realm of what is called 'post-EDM', a genre that means progression of traditional EDM sounds. How do you define post-EDM and what makes “San Francisco” a standout piece within this genre?
The definition (or my interpretation) of post-EDM is: a progressive style of electronic music that incorporates sounds from what some might consider “the Golden Age of EDM” (2010-2014) and later, as well as music from the past – Really, it is a fusion, a refinement of digital and analog sounds. And I realized that this made more sense, in terms of my career, because I felt limited with synthesized sounds. Yes, the sound design is great: it's something new, people love novelty. But there is something that we know – that we are familiar with – that attracts people. There's no denying that guitars, pianos or even an older vocal style each evoke a certain emotion and I feel like sticking with synthetic music lacks that. [emotion].
“San Francisco” is the introduction to this sound because it incorporates the three most well-known genres of science fiction, all of them pre-electronic music (rock, r&b and hip-hop) and its natural form exhibits the definition of post-EMD. Some people might say “it's a funk style” or “disco house.” track, and that's fine. However, there's a bit more there, and for those who really want to pick it apart and listen to it, I think you'll get the message.
You have emphasized storytelling through your music. What story does “San Francisco” tell and how do you use different musical elements to convey this narrative?
I would say that this is more of a sound story than necessarily a narrative. Yes, I have love songs and songs about finding yourself, but this is the story of San Francisco through music. And sure, it may seem like a piece of history, but some people like history. And also, it hits a lot of emotional points when you think about the different analog sounds that inspire it.
What are your plans for the future? How do you feel about 2024 and where you are heading within the year?
I'm ready for 2024. I have a lot of things lined up; I've had so much music over the last few years that basically fits this sound and became the basis for my rebrand. But also…feeling a little anxious. I promised to try to put out [1] original and [1] remix a month. That's a lot of work!
I think there's something to offer for people to listen to, but I just need to have a year to get it all out and see what happens. I didn't release much music last year and I need to expand the catalog. And if it doesn't work, we try again! But I'm sure some of this will connect with people because there is an audience that doesn't even know that they like electronic music, because they don't know that these familiar sounds could also be part of electronic music. And that's what I hope to do: be able to close a gap.
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