In the strange wake of music's digital rebirth, vinyl has experienced a modest boom in popularity, seen by many as a replacement for the awkward middleman that is the compact disc. INCHES reviews the output of L.A.'s healthy vinyl community (artists and labels, indie or other), believing that good music deserves much more than a handful of ones and zeros.

This week we're taking a break from our usual programming to honor the output of our West Coast brethren to the north -- all of our entries come from artists who call the San Francisco Bay Area home.

Check out past installments here. Submissions or suggestions? Email INCHES.

Chris Martins

​Artist: Lazer Sword
Title: "Gucci Sweatshirt"
Label: Innovative Leisure (Mt. Washington)
Format: 12-inch single, 500 pressed

The evil geniuses that comprise Lazer Sword -- San Francisco's Low Limit and New York's Lando Kal -- should be given some kind of award. Okay, so they have (last month they took home the best dance/electronic prize in SF Weekly's annual Music Awards), but "Gucci Sweatshirt" is something else -- never has something so presumably warm and fluffy been rendered in such cold, dark and spiky terms. The single -- originally recorded in 2007 but unavailable on vinyl until now -- weaves its nasty, dubby electronics through a soundscape that resembles a Nine Inch Nails instrumental mapped to a fritzy circuit board. It's then significantly reimagined by Lazer Sword itself (in a chopped-up four-on-the-floor electro remix) and Neon Black, who turns the track into an acid house playground. A new bass-damaged banger "Jet Black," wraps up the B-side, making this an essential platter for the duo's quickly growing fan base. Too bad there were only 500 made. Stream "Jet Black" after watching the Lunice pay his unique form of tribute to "Gucci Sweatshirt" (while wearing one!).

Purchase now via Turntable Lab.

Chris Martins

​Artist: Young Prisms
Title: Young Prisms
Label: Mexican Summer
Format: LP (+ download), 500 pressed

According to Mexican Summer, "Young Prisms is a San Francisco psychedelic/garage/beach-pop band, influenced by the California coast, Charlton Heston, and late night spiritual pow wows." The Heston may be hard to hear, but the rest ain't. Young Prisms is another fine entry in the surf-wose garage-punk revival Southern California (and beyond, evidently) is currently experiencing. This five-piece has roots in Detroit, which may account for the group's undeniable grit, but all else points to time spent where the ocean meets the barbecue pit. Or, as the title of the MP3 linked below implies to those who've visited the titular bod of water, where the houseboat meets the gently lapping wake of the occasional Sea-Doo rider.

Young Prisms - "Gone To Clearlake" (MP3)
Sold out via the Mexican Summer web store. Check your local record shop.

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