Under the glow of moonlight, Zak Damundo has arrived on the Cold Busted label scene with his fantastic debut album 3am. The alias of San Francisco DJ / producer Zach DeVincent, Zak Damundo presents eighteen original and sampled beats that are mixed continuously in the physical realm (CD and vinyl), but also available digitally as individual cuts. An underground dance music veteran, DeVincent is the host of SWIM on Digitally Imported Radio, an affiliate of the Bay Area’s independent hip hop TV program Distortion 2 Static, and has released tunes for the likes of 5 and Dime Recordings, Acryl Music, Looq Records, and Open Bar Music.
3am is aptly titled as the tracks transmit a dead-of-night vibe, with loose rhythms, spacey samples, and lush melodic constructions. The continuously mixed version shows Zak and the album in their element, as a solitary evening journey motoring through city streets is sonically intimated. Individually, the album’s cuts are prime movers for the crafty selector, perfectly elevating the after-hours lounge DJ set. 3am opens with “Soul” which draws from ‘quiet storm’ ’80s funk in the low end and dreamy, ambient ’90s electronica through its swirling pads. The stylistic combination is infectious and continues throughout this evocative album. Other highlights include the echoed guitar chops and rising pads of “Comedown”, “Drift”’s pristine, laid-back jazz-funk textures, the dramatic strings and piano over a boom-bap beat in “Say Goodnight”, and the lovely, immersive hip hop soundscape of “Venice”. Zak Damundo is on point, and 3am is recommended for any nocturnal hour.
released June 2, 2017
Produced and continuously mixed by Zak Damundo
Mixed by Adam Haggar and Zak Damundo
Mastered by Adam Haggar at ATOM Mastering
Photo Courtesy of Zak Damundo
Design by Vitamin D
Executive Producer, Derrick Daisey
All works registered with Some Cutz Up (ASCAP)
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Jamie Topham (CD Pool UK | JT MusicMedia | Summer Soulstice): Cool, kicked beats as expected.
Rory Hoy (Howlin' Records / Super Hi-Fi / BigBeatTastic Radio Show): Incredible release - Definitely gets my support! Rory Hoy
Zac Love (Belmar Sol) (Belmar Sol / Cold Busted): Comedown is where it is at. Nice work homie.
Alejandro Ramirez (Stereo 77) (Plimsoll Records): Love it!
Aja Allsop (Ketch A Vibe Radio Show - Impact Radio, Cruise FM, The Jazz UK, others): Tunes for those deep dark moments,when you want to let your soulful side take a chill !
Double-D (Funky Fresh Radio Show / Radio X / Play.FM / Soulsender.de): Nice and easy ... good vibrations
Belabouche (Midnight Riot / DiscoDat / FKR Records / Spare Change Disco / Magic Wand / JDP Disco / Paper Disco): Comedown is the bomb!
Tim (Tummy Touch / East Village Radio NYC): classic sound. dig it.
Andreas Kinzl (Aromabar / INFRACom! / Play.FM): Slomo Masterpiece
Apostolos Argyris (The Zuzu Club): nice trip hop
Rusty (All Good Funk Alliance) (Funk Weapons / Super Hi-Fi): dope stuff, digging those "Soul" vibes for shanky. But all the songs are good, thanks for sending over will support for sure.
DJ Nova (Rodon FM 95 / Nova Planet Radio Show): Awesome! Love it! The most lounge moment of the label since Boris Blenn's release on label's early period. Night time jazzed and chilled vibes full of classic downtempo reminiscent of the past which is sounding perfectly refreshed and well shaped.
Sunshine Jones (Dubtribe / Treehouse Muzique): Beautiful. Thank you.
Quincy Jointz (Timewarp Music Radio Show / Radio
42.com /
netmusique.com / Ibiza Global Radio): solid
Martin Welzer (DJ Friction) (Bodymovin / Four Music / Complex): nice vibe going on here. Soul and Say Goodnight are my favs
Dave Warner (Dave's Lounge Podcast): Downloading Soul for Dave's Lounge. Thanks!
JEF DAM aka Jeff Fellows (DJ / Music Director Old Man's Bali): digging the laidback vibes. Reminds me of the early Nightmares on wax and K&D, Tosca releases which is a good thing!!
Stickybuds (Goodgroove Records / Baffin Island Beat Brigade / Big M Bootie / Pop N' Lock): Soul is sounding good!
Jorge Gonzalez (Smoking Yorks) (CoolMusicRadio 97.8 FM): super tracks, thanks!!!!
Black Mighty Wax (Irma Records / weekly radio shows on Gru Radio 93.3 FM + Radio Città Fujiko 103.1 FM): Solid sounds, epic grooves, great work Zak!!
DJ San Gabriel (HipHop Don't Stop / liveDEMO / Jam FM / YAAM / Data MC): nice
Robert Lochmann (The Jazzmadass Radio Show on Radio X / soulsender.de): wow, another supercool chill album on cb
Marco (Radio 105 "In Da Klub" / Tendenzia Radio Network / Gold Paradise Milano): fantastic i olve this beats and soul and whole production in my sets for sure
Jon Fugler (XLNT radio show (Radio Pays de Guéret 96.5 FM) / Fluke): Lovely in the extreme and barely putting a foot wrong with every track. I am sure my favorite will change the more I listen, great stuff. many thanks, x
DJ Krimi / Radio Krimi (Radio Krimi / Le Cabanon (Pub Dancefloor @ Chamonix)): Beautiful !
Jon Wesley (Music Goes On Radio Show (weekly on KNSJ FM) / Insomniac / Machine Friends): Excellent downtempo! Every track is good and Soul is definitely a standout.
Frank Foreal (Expedition Radio Show - weekly on Dash Radio Network): Diggin this!
Sasha Perera (Marketing Melodies (music licensing)): Cool sounds
Hober Mallow (Mighty Reel (weekly on 2SER 107.3 FM, Sydney)): So spot on. Loving the whole sampler, very groovy and atmospheric stuff, complete support here. Would love to hear the full release. Killer sampling too.
Sound Fusion Radio (Sound Fusion Radio): :)
Ket Shah (Mucho Soul) (Mucho Soul / weekly radio show on Likwid.London): This is really Cool!!!!
Linos Pascal (Linos On Canvas radio show - weekly on Republic 100.3 FM (Thessaloniki)): support
Danny Massure (Spring Strut / Ticklejunk / Podcasts): so chill
: Proper music from proper label. Great and important debut on the scene!
Aroto (Aroto - Instrumental Hip-Hop Radio 24/7): Great beats and very good production. It lack a bit of direction. Sometimes, it wants to go a bit more funk but doesn't.
Kiss FM Ukraine (Kiss FM Ukraine): Thanks, will support!
Clairvo (Tilos Radio FM90.3 / Freelance Reviewer): wow, all tracks are cathcy, head noddin' quality songs! no exceptation, big up's!!
Sven Thomschke (Dr. Best) (Radio Z ('Headz' & 'Limbo Rhythm' shows) / Club: 'Rockit!'): Nice downtempo choons, ""Say Goodnight" and "Venice" are my faves.
DJ Rahdu (BamaLoveSoul / AB+L Radio / Hot107.7 FM (Birmingham, AL)): Crushin! xx
Thomas Pudell (Black Alley) (In Control Radioshow (DeepVibes Radio / Push FM)// Soulplate Timelapse (SSRadio)): sweaty and sexy like a hot summer night!
Raoul Lambert (FikFak / Swirl People): Certainly some nice cuts in there. Really chilled out vibes. A pleasure to listen at home. I love the mixdown of the tracks also, sounding really crisp & clear.
Cyprien Rose (Houz-Motik (music blog) / Lui Magazine / Sounds Like You (SLY)): Deep and warm !
Tonio Epstein (RPM Director) (WGDR 91.1 FM / WGDH 91.7 FM (Vermont)): Cool.
Wazac Martin (The Waz Experience / FM4): really smoove downbeat !!!
DJ Firefly (WRCT 88.3 FM (Pittsburgh, PA)): I LOVE this!! Groovy dreamy downtempo... Zak has some great talent and is an excellent addition to the Cold Busted roster. Looking forward to hearing more from him!
Coers (Armada Music (compilation A&R) / Fresh FM): Chillin!
Matt Sonzala (Radio KAOS (Pushermania's Playlist Radio Show)): Aw man this is dope I will def play it/
Eric Tchaikovsky (Night Light Sound System): Perfecto!!!
DJ Massivefunk (Pig Balls Records / 4MidiLoop Traktor Controller / Funky Bombs): NIce stuff again from Cold Busted, but for me I would not play this record at 3am... more for a Lounge or beach warm up set and for this it works perfect ;-) THANKS 8dpromo!
DJ T-Bird (Los Chicos Altos / Something Else! on Barcelona City FM / WTNR Radio): Lush soundscapes, chunky beats--great stuff!
Michael Elves (Program Director - CJUM-FM - UMFM 101.5 FM - Winnipeg, MB): THIS IS THE ONE.
misterG (Green Arrow Radio Show (weekly on 91.7fm WSUM, Madison WI)): This groove can be felt from head down to the ground and back UP aGain....
Mountain Chill Radio / KRKQ (Mountain Chill Radio -KRKQ- 95.5 FM - Telluride, CO): Superb middle of the night vibes. Great debut.
Marc Lacasse (sHIFT Radio on UMFM 101.5 / Urbnet (Jackhouse Reviewer)): a sombre delightful walk into atmospheres mixed with some deep jazzy notes