While music has given us Beatles buffs and true Beliebers, I am part of neither group. My allegiances lie with Los Angeles-based club collective Fade to Mind. the bass-heavy brainchild of progressive electronic royalty Prince William and Kingdom (Will Boston and Ezra Rubin, respectively). Since releasing its inaugural title, Nguzunguzu's Timesup EP in 2011, Fade to Mind has ignited a once-deflated American club scene by creating a nexus of masterfully architected global sounds, from OC Mixtape alum Rizzla's Carribean-influenced kunq sets to Fatima al Qadiri's audio-visual take on the war-torn Kuwait of her childhood. Instead of billing itself simply as a label or series of parties, Fade to Mind presents a totalizing experience, with the development of a unique visual aesthetic serving to complement its prolific sonic efforts.
A new crop of Fade merch drops at OCNY and OCLA today, with the collective's logo emblazoned across T-shirts, lanyards, and snapbacks. I sought to uncover the artist behind the ominously futuristic album covers, party posters, and merchandise capsule collection, and it turns out that visual creative control rests primarily with label boss Kingdom. After briefly discussing our shared Bay State roots and the deep-seeded Dunkin Donuts addictions they planted, I caught up with Kingdom about all things aesthetic: from Fade’s foundations to Nike Foamposites.
Shop all Fade to Mind HERE.
Emily Manning: What was your motivation for starting Fade to Mind?
Ezra Rubin: I started Fade to Mind because I had a lot of friends that I'd been putting in my mixes and remixing since I started DJ'ing back in 2006 or so—people like Nguzunguzu, TOTAL FREEDOM, and MIKEQ—making music that wasn't getting promoted, signed, or released. The climate in the electronic music world at the time meant there wasn't an alternative, really. Our collective existed before Fade to Mind existed. We were all friends making music and DJ'ing together and it just really needed a name, some organization, and some promotion. My longtime friend, Prince Will, is kind of like the motivational guru behind it all in a way; he was the one to suggest it, he's the one who actually named the label "Fade to Mind." He and I came up with the concept together and he really pushed it forward.
Do you understand the sonic and visual experiences as connected? Is Fade to Mind an aesthetic?
Yea
A new crop of Fade merch drops at OCNY and OCLA today, with the collective's logo emblazoned across T-shirts, lanyards, and snapbacks. I sought to uncover the artist behind the ominously futuristic album covers, party posters, and merchandise capsule collection, and it turns out that visual creative control rests primarily with label boss Kingdom. After briefly discussing our shared Bay State roots and the deep-seeded Dunkin Donuts addictions they planted, I caught up with Kingdom about all things aesthetic: from Fade’s foundations to Nike Foamposites.
Shop all Fade to Mind HERE.
Emily Manning: What was your motivation for starting Fade to Mind?
Ezra Rubin: I started Fade to Mind because I had a lot of friends that I'd been putting in my mixes and remixing since I started DJ'ing back in 2006 or so—people like Nguzunguzu, TOTAL FREEDOM, and MIKEQ—making music that wasn't getting promoted, signed, or released. The climate in the electronic music world at the time meant there wasn't an alternative, really. Our collective existed before Fade to Mind existed. We were all friends making music and DJ'ing together and it just really needed a name, some organization, and some promotion. My longtime friend, Prince Will, is kind of like the motivational guru behind it all in a way; he was the one to suggest it, he's the one who actually named the label "Fade to Mind." He and I came up with the concept together and he really pushed it forward.
Do you understand the sonic and visual experiences as connected? Is Fade to Mind an aesthetic?
Yea