TATE SEDAR has made a mark in electronic music, notably performing at the 2020 Insomniac Discovery Project: EDC Virtual Rave-a-Thon. Collaborations with industry heavyweights like Dada Life, Don Diablo, and more have cemented his status as an innovative artist. With over 5.7 million plays in 2023 and tracks like “Heaven” and “Find a Way” featured on massive publications, SEDAR’s global influence is undeniable. His remix of Empire’s Terrell Carter’s “Hero” and edit of Justin Bieber’s “Hold On” demonstrate his commitment to infusing electronic music with deeper themes.
Now he’s back with a bright new single “San Francisco” that we are thrilled to premiere. San Francisco holds profound personal significance in TATE SEDAR’s artistic evolution. As a city renowned for its musical heritage spanning rock, funk/soul, and hip-hop, it becomes the thematic nucleus of his latest release. “San Francisco” pays homage to the diverse sounds that influenced SEDAR’s formative years while also acting as a platform for his ventures into uncharted musical realms. The track exemplifies the transformative influence of revisiting one’s roots to chart new creative territories.
We had the chance to catch up with him to discuss the song and what’s ahead for him. Enjoy!
The Genesis of “San Francisco”: Can you describe the moment or experience that inspired you to create “San Francisco”? Was there a specific event in the city that sparked this artistic endeavor?
San Francisco was actually something I made by accident. I was playing around with lofi samples and I started to realize: “this sounds a lot like what I grew up with in SF.” Is there a specific event? Well, it’s my youth – my upbringing. And sometimes, you find yourself in other things. And I think that’s what happened with these samples and the production.
“San Francisco” represents a fusion of diverse genres. How did you approach the process of blending elements of progressive rock, funk, hip-hop, and post-EDM to create a cohesive sound?
I first started with the guitar melody and found out (while I didn’t even realize San Francisco was shining its way through) a sort of connection between rock and funk. The connection, of course, is where I’m from: rock and funk are part of the ‘San Francisco sound.’ And then…I kind of left the middle break alone for a bit. But when I started to hear SF, I thought: “I’m going to add hip-hop,” ‘cuz ‘cmon: the Bay Area – we’re known for that (laughs shortly). Post-EDM is the result of this track; it’s all these different sounds and genres in an electronic format, or at least what people consider, you know, EDM and electronic music now. I didn’t even realize at the time I was coming into the concept of post-EDM until after.
Beyond its musical influence, how has the city of San Francisco shaped you personally and artistically? Are there any landmarks, cultural aspects, or personal memories that directly influenced the track?
You know what’s kind of funny is: I was raised in San Francisco but have not spent all my life there. I lived there until I was about seven, moved around with family to the [US] East Coast, then London, went to school in [central] NY – and finally made it back to SF (now in LA). My mom always believed she made “SF part of my…identity” and I think it’s very true because, even though we didn’t live there full-time, we visited every summer and winter. It became important still in adolescence: those high school summers when you’re 16, 17, 18 are crucial in everybody’s upbringing.
San Francisco has shaped me in terms of my outlook on life, social dynamics & experiences with people and some of my beliefs: I kind of am somebody who believes in and hopes for a world without judgment or discrimination – a world where everyone can be who they are or want to be, regardless of what people think. There is a warmth and care that San Francisco breeds, or at least used to (a story for another day) – but I think I’m still part of that [earlier] generation.
I really only discovered what is glam or early progressive rock – Journey – when I lived in London and researched music from SF. Motown and R&B were always part of my youth. I think San Francisco is very much a “melting pot,” like New York City – and that is what this song is: a fondue of music (laughs). Those memories of finding this music is what made this. Some music might be inspired by what’s current now or trends, but this track is about what made me. It’s kind of a retrospective, but also a style and concept I haven’t encountered yet.
Your career has now ventured into the realm of what is labeled ‘post-EDM,’ a genre that signifies progression from traditional EDM sounds. How do you define post-EDM, and what makes “San Francisco” a standout piece within this genre?
The definition (or my interpretation) of post-EDM is: a progressive style of electronic music that incorporates sounds of what some may consider “the Golden Age of EDM” (2010-2014) and afterward as well as music from the past – really, it’s an amalgamation, a refinement of digital and analog sounds. And I realized this made the most sense, in terms of my career, because I felt limited with synthesized sounds. Yeah, sound design is great: it’s something fresh, people love novelty. But there’s something about what we know – what we’re familiar with – that engages people. You can’t deny that guitars, pianos or even an old vocal style each evoke a certain emotion and I feel like just staying with synthetic music is devoid of that [emotion].
“San Francisco” is the introduction to this sound because it incorporates the three most well-known genres of SF, all of which are pre-electronic music (rock, r&b and hip-hop) and its natural form exhibits the definition of post-EDM. Some people might say “it’s a funk-inspired” or “disco house.” track, and that’s ok. There’s a little more there though, and for those that really wanna take it apart and hear that – I think they’ll get the message.
You’ve emphasized storytelling through your music. What story does “San Francisco” tell, and how do you use the different musical elements to convey this narrative?
I would say this is more a story of sound than necessarily a narrative. Yeah, I have love songs and songs about finding yourself – but this is the story of San Francisco through music. And sure, it might feel like a history piece, but some people like history. And also, it just hits a lot of spots emotionally when you think of the different analog sounds that inspire it.
What’s your plans for the future – how are you feeling about 2024 and where you are headed within the year?
I am ready for 2024. I have a lot slated; I have so much music over the past couple of years that basically fit this sound and became the foundations of my rebrand. But also…feeling a little anxious. I committed to trying to put out [1] original and [1] remix a month. That’s a lot of work!
I think there is something to offer for people to hear, but I just need to have a year where I get it all out and see what happens. I didn’t put out a lot of music last year and need to expand the catalog. And if it doesn’t stick, we try again! But I’m confident that some of this will connect with people because there is an audience who doesn’t even know they like electronic music – because they don’t know that these sounds that are familiar could also be part of electronic music. And that’s what I’m hoping to do – is to be able to bridge a gap.