The new project of Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell’s only son Jakob Nowell, Jakobs Castle is the sound of two worlds colliding in perfect union – the insouciant sounds of California’s past with the fresh mystery of internet underground culture.

Recording under Epitaph Records, Jakobs Castle is old meets new. Beach meets the internet. 90’s Underground does Hyperpop. Imagine laying face up on the beach as waves of retro synth melodies wash over you like static, your body slowly dried by the heat of the emerging sun and skank guitars. It’s both pretty and gritty.

Active since 2022, Jakobs Castle has toured the country with emerging young artists like Sitting on Stacy, legacy musicians Jason Devore and Slightly Stoopid, as well as G. Love & Special Sauce, Common Kings and Long Beach Allstars. Standout tracks from ENTER: THE CASTLE include “Time Traveler” and “Catch Me”.

With the burden of purpose and expectation held proudly, Jakobs Castle and its enigmatic frontman seek to break all convention and usher in a new era of California music.

STRAWBERRY FUZZ

Carrying on a lineage that stretches from The Doors to FIDLAR, indie punk band Strawberry Fuzz document the wildlife in and around their Venice Beach turf. Channeling stories of parties, junkies, sex, violence and camaraderie through a keenly observant lens, they meticulously capture the smell, sound, taste and feel of life on the streets, in the bars, bedrooms and basements of the bleary side of Los Angeles.

Inspired by artists like The Cramps, Black Flag and The Germs as well as Elvis, RL Burnside and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Strawberry Fuzz’s manic live show was perfectly captured on their debut collection of demos Fuzztapes Vol. 1. Now back with a full-length record releasing this winter, they continue to rip up stages and whip up pits all along the West Coast. See them at bit.ly/fuzzshows

Strange Case

A SOUND SELF DESCRIBED AS “SURF AND TURF”, STRANGE CASE COOKS UP A JUICY BLEND OF HOOKS AND HARMONIES, FINISHED IN A SAVORY SAUCE OF REVERB-LATENT GUITAR. CHEF’S FAVORITE, SURE TO PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE. Based in Los Angeles, Strange Case has garnered a solid following in SoCal. From raging backyard shows, to clubs all over the West Coast, the group has played hundreds of gigs in the last 8 years. The groups top track “27 Club” has spun on KROQ’S Locals Only show multiple times and has now amassed over 1.5 million streams on Spotify. Strange Case played a Jam in the Van set in 2020 and had their debut festival appearance at Shabang SLO in May 2022, alongside TV Girl, STRFKR, Post Animal, and Neil Frances. The group had their Netflix Debut in July of 2023, when The Lincoln Lawyer featured the track “SUPERFLY”. Strange Case puts their own spin on the California Beach-Pop sound and has no intentions of slowing down.