Win Tickets ($70): Depression Sonora @ Mission Theater | w/ Deaf Dreamer, Spanish Hip Hop

We are giving away a pair of tickets to Depression Sonora @ Mission Theater on April 16. To win, comment below on this post why you’d like to attend. Winner will be drawn and emailed April 8.

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From our sponsors:
Depresión Sonora
Deaf Dreamer
April 16, 2024
7PM Doors, 8PM Show | $30 ADV, $35 Doors | All Ages
More info: mcmenamins.com

Mission Theater
1624 NW Glisan St, Portland, OR 97209

Marcos Crespo was born in Vallecas in 1997. The biographical note is not a whim: the themes of his songs explore the concerns of a twenty-something suburbanite as he navigates through the emotional turbulence of the life stagehe faces. In the musical aspect, he draws from post-punk originated in past decades, but his discourse radiates a present that is his own and of an entire generation, fatigued, anxious, and pushed without alternative towards hyperproductivity. His lyrics hold a documentary value, a testimony of his own time. If you haven’t grown up in this context of digital dominance and economic recessions, you might find it a bit more challenging to understand, but you can still enjoy it. “Depresión Sonora” processes the past and the present to sound contemporary and necessary.

The origins of the project date back to 2020, a fateful year in which Marcos, confined to his room, did everything while nothing was happening outside. The situation determined the marked introspective character of the five tracks that composed his already mythical EP of the same name. That debut, self-published at first and later released in physical format by Sonido Muchacho, revealed the virtues that he would later confirm in successive releases. The impact and melodic success of songs like “Ya no hay verano” showed that we were facing a diamond in the rough. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the world took notice. A little later, in 2021, “Historias tristes para dormir bien” arrived, a five-song EP that extended his compositional grace and confirmed Depresión Sonora as a sensation on both sides of the Atlantic. This work served to consolidate a lo-fi sound dominated by tough drum machines and pounding basslines. Hits like “Apocalipsis virtual,” “Tú no me tienes que salvar,” or “Gasolina y mechero” fueled the first tours in Latin America and Spain, with “sold out” signs wherever they went.

With the release of his debut album in 2022, the definitive consecration arrived. “El arte demorir muy despacio” can be understood as the nihilistic and sarcastic reverse of those self-help manuals to which Marcos and his peers have been overexposed. It is a conceptual album divided into three parts, addressing different life stages in each. “Part I: Introducción a la entropía” conveys a certain innocence not without a touch of malice. The second block of songs, led by “Parte II: la abrazo con fuerza (carta a la soledad),” has a more saturated and captivating sound. With the end of the work comes acceptance, “Parte III: muerte y resurrección.” This concludes a chronicle that, so personal, ends up addressing an entire generation.

Deaf Dreamer
“Starting out as an Indie Pop solo project, Deaf Dreamer has transformed into a multifaceted New Wave/Alternative band. Originally from the Bay Area, California Deaf Dreamer was influenced by Hip Hop, Punk, and Underground music culture. As the years went by, Deaf Dreamer found themselves immersed in Portland, Oregon’s Rock, Psych Rock, and Shoegaze scenes. This has helped cultivate Deaf Dreamer’s unique sonic footprint.

At the height of the Bedroom Pop/Vaporwave era (2016-2019), Sebastian Ruiz began releasing music under the moniker Deaf Dreamer. This would mark the start of his multi year process of bringing the project to life and forming a full band. Completely independent and DIY, Ruiz’s early demos gained natural traction across streaming platforms. Deaf Dreamer’s fanbase has continued to grow since gaining more devoted listeners.