It is our distinct pleasure to present Penrose, a new imprint poised to usher in a whole new era of soulful sounds. Founded by Daptone Records' own Bosco Mann after building a new recording studio in his hometown of Riverside, California, Penrose will showcase the most exciting acts emerging on the blossoming SoCal souldies scene today. For its inaugural release, the label offers up five singles by five exciting new artists: Thee Sacred Souls from San Diego; Jason Joshua from Miami; East L.A. mainstays Thee Sinseers, and The Altons; and Altadena veterans, Los Yesterdays.
Los Yesterdays originated in an Altadena garage when Gabriel Rowland teamed up with his old friend Victor Benavides. Rowland, a long time drummer and eccentric creator of multitudinous soulful things, took charge of recording as well as playing all the instruments, while Benavides wrote and cut vocals. The project pretty much stayed in their garage for a few years until a mutual connection brought them to the attention of Tom Brenneck and Gabe Roth, who both dug the songs and offered to join in on guitar and bass respectively so that the duo might be able to perform their music live. The four soon found a handful of gigs behind them and a Penrose recording date in front of them. The latter from which sprang the celestial reverie of “Tell Me I’m Dreaming,” a full-throated pop-souldie complete with orchestral percussion and co-ed chorus, as well as “Time,” a dark psychedelic meditation with a rawness that betrays the garage in which it was conceived. Though the production rings with the high-ceilinged echoes of the Penrose studio, the songs retain in whole the idiosyncratic architecture that could only have been hatched by two mad geniuses in a garage.
| A | Tell Me I'm Dreaming |
| B | Time |
