simmerdown mix 08 is a transmission from @_ezri_dax_
Ship’s Log, Stardate 6969: ezri_dax selects compassionate speed to bring you into
transwarp; psychedelic rhythms to meld minds; high camp to tug the heartstrings; and
always keeps it spacey on the 1s & 2s.
—
About the mix: “This mix reflects a number of recent ambient sets that responded to the sauna (Bad
Sauna, PGH) and other venues that invited subtle moments of tension, release,
contemplation, or attention in the midst of deep winter. My desire is to prompt space and
joy for the intensity of a sweat, to sit with the darker melancholy of introspection that
accompanies the day-to-day, and to fold in some (at least personal) nostalgic souvenirs
to integrate past and present.”
Simmerdown is thrilled to announce the launch of our first annual zine, edited by @camilleconsidine + @ishfof , and designed by @butwhole.press .
A massive thank you to every contributor and a special shoutout to @lucaaa.santana for the gorgeous photos.
We can’t wait to sweat with you all this year, more on that soon.
What’s Inside?
The Deep Dives:
An intro from @bretmjohnson and in-depth interviews with @clubchow , @muirjake , and @nkmoss exploring the intersections of music, sensation, and bathhouse culture.
The Rituals:
A guide to the perfect White Tea & Plum Popsicles by @scttftchn
“CAMP” a sauna poem & performance by @ishfof at @hi.campette .
The Craft: Behind-the-scenes looks at our creative collaborations, featuring:
@aandd_bags the designer of the simmerdown sauna hat.
Stefan of @ruuts.studio on the organic art of natural dyeing.
@parfumslebrun distilling the sensory experience into signature sauna mists.
Slide into our DMs to purchase. Supplies are limited, so don’t let this one simmer for too long.
simmerdown mix 7: @hyeonje._
Hyeonje is a multidisciplinary artist creating out of Seattle, WA. They work with music, graphics, and writing to explore themes around identity, community, and spirituality. As a DJ, they use collective dancefloors and listening spaces as canvases upon which they translate old wisdoms, evoke familiar futures, and reconfigure present realities. They believe in the power of the Rave as a force for self-discovery, imagination, collective healing, and ancestral communication.
About the mix: “This is a 2 hr. recording of a set I played live for an intimate home gathering of friends and community members on the winter solstice this year. It is a special representation of some of the slower, ambient, orchestral, and abstract music that I love. During the set, I felt called to conjure disparate textures reflecting the contrasting feelings of grief, kinship, drama, and comedy that I perceived as being held by the room at the time. I think this mix is well suited for a deep listening sesh during a bath in a dark room lit by a single candle. Rest in peace to our dear beloved, Todd Hochradel.”
We are excited to present our sixth @simmerdown mix - a heartfelt transmission from Mx. Blaire. Huge thanks to @beets.bi.blaire for this lovely contribution to the series, @ivnatx for the dreamy artwork, and @clubchow for programming. Read about the artist below and the mix on Soundcloud. Link is in our bio - enjoy!! 🌀
Mx. Blaire:
A dazzling selectress, an embodiment of skill and craft, and a passionate community builder, Mx. Blaire (she/they) of Boston, MA has a singular ability to enchant dancers with stirring, sometimes otherworldly sounds. Her reverence for 90s house, hard-hitting techno, and mind-bending acid guarantees an active dance floor, kept enthralled by intentionally placed breaks and thrilling interplays of tempos and textures. As a result of their dedicated vinyl practice, Blaire’s sets are also technically engaging, with brilliant phrasing and thoughtful touches of turntablism. She uses these skills to transfer her energy to the dancers and share in sonic conversations, exploring concurrent themes of resistance & joy and existence & play. In addition to sharing their gifts through DJ sets, Blaire betters Boston’s underground through their organizing, for the queer dance music collective Boudoir and their new series Sheer Bliss. It’s hard to find parties frequented by a stronger community and filled with as much uninhibited delight. Furthering her commitment to community care, Blaire has created her spirit-comforting Sunday ambient and downtempo party called Sweetie Pie.
Pssst… we’re ecstatic to have sound ran by the brilliant minds of Envelope Soundsystem. We have danced (and puddled) countless hours in front of this incredible hand built sound system.
Envelope Soundsystem is a transsexual soundsystem collective based in Oakland, CA. Their underground events center the wheel of the year—ēostre, samhain—and are labored over to encourage intentionality, mutualism, and life-saving self-becoming. From the ground up, Envelope Soundsystem has been assembled by transexual hands; from loudspeaker design and construction to the meticulous altars fashioned from clay and foliage. Envelope exists to show queers that we do not have to rely on the institutions which oppress us— we can create the infrastructure and ritual of the world we want to live in.
Simmer down, nosh up.
A sweaty hello to Brenden Darby.
Brenden is a chef, artist, and land steward whose work bridges fine dining, regenerative farming, and large-scale immersive art. They’ve cooked at some of the world’s most celebrated kitchens—including Noma in Copenhagen, Martín Berasategui in San Sebastián, and Love Apple Farms in California—where they cultivated a deep respect for seasonal ingredients and culinary storytelling.
In San Francisco, Brenden founded Fare Play, a six-month queer-owned pop-up restaurant that combined food, performance, and mutual aid.
Reserve your food now via the link on our profile.
Food is only available for pre order. Orders close on Friday
Lean into Fall with four hours of sweat, friends, and frequencies brought to you by our special guests and dear friends: Coatshek and Baptisms.
Simmerdown is back for its second takeover of the Good Hot bayfront sauna village on Saturday, October 11th from 4-8pm.
🌀link in bio to purchase tickets.
Flyer: @ivnalvarado
We’re back for the fifth Simmerdown mix and honored that it’s from our buddy ole pal Nick Moss. He is such an incredible artist and does so much for our community and scene. Whether it’s a club, yurt, open air or sauna he will always bring da heat! Link in bio, nicks statement, bio and track list below. Enjoy!
From Nick: I put together this mix for @simmerdown with the hope that it captures some of the same feelings that come with bathing and heat—spacious, grounding, and sometimes slightly otherworldly. This meandering flow of tracks drifts between feelings of lightness while occasionally submerging into some deeper, murkier passages. I wanted to include a few points of tension to echo that alert, almost disorienting state when your body hits peak temperature in the sauna. Some tracks dissolve softly into the next, while others stretch and blend into longer sonic stories. Intended to take you on a wandering, dreamlike journey meant to open up the more contemplative corners of the mind.
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California born and based DJ, Nick Moss, is an integral member of San Francisco based collective, Quiche. The collective produces semi-regularly occurring DIY open-air dance parties that made their debut on the San Francisco scene in 2021.
Nick crafts an enigmatic dance floor experience, guiding listeners through a captivating journey that seamlessly weaves genres and ventures into unexpected sonic realms. His unconventional blending of experimental and left-field genres lends an intriguing, almost mysterious quality to his unique and esoteric sound. From the pulsating dance floors of San Francisco to venues worldwide, Nick’s music demands attention, leaving an indelible impression that lingers in the shadows of the mind.
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1. Dot Dot Dot - K Wata
2. Pioggia - Pittori Locali
3. Shagwize Dub - Ura
4. Braindance - Coletivo Vandalismo
5. Merides - Davis Galvin
6. Pistol Shrimp - Cousin
7. Savar - Saphileaum
8. Softest - Coatshek
9. Antic Swoops - Davis Galvin
10. Towa Towa (Adhémars Fractal Vision) - Doltz
11. Chambercore - Bot1500
12. Who Broke This?! - Beats Unlimited
13. Higher State Of Consciousness - Jah Wari
14. Joanna - Saâda Bonaire
We love @hi.campette ! Thanks for having @simmerdown at this year's campout. So many talented friends made this and all the beautiful art happen for the gathering. Special shout-out to @mendo.sauna for hooking us up with such the perfect wood fire sauna for the festivities. See you next year 🔥