| Dome of Doom | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Wylie Cable |
| Distributors | |
| Genre | |
| Country of origin | U.S. |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Official website | www |
Dome of Doom Records (or simply Dome of Doom) is a Los Angeles-based independent record label founded in 2011 by musician and record producer Wylie Cable, that specializes in boutique physical media artifacts, producing and distributing vinyl, CD and cassette for artists globally. Dome of Doom also distributes music digitally via Alpha Pup, and has licensed music from the catalog to HBO, Adidas, Volcom, HUF Skateboards, Oakley and more via a partnership with the independent licensing firm Wav-Pool.
Dome of Doom Records has released music by Daedelus, Marcel Rodriguez (The Mars Volta), Huxley Anne, Linaforina, Kenny Segal, QRTR, Bleep Bloop, DMVU, Holly, Jon Casey, AHEE, Gothic Tropic, Dabow, DJ Ride and many more. Having just recently hit its 10-year-anniversary with the release of a celebratory compilation, Decade Of Doom.
In 2011, Dome of Doom Records was founded by Wylie Cable. Within the same year, [1] he also released his debut solo album "Water Under The Bridge", under the newly founded label. Dome of Doom Records partnered with Alpha Pup for worldwide digital distribution beginning in 2015. [2]
In 2015, they began to work more closely with Low End Theory resident and co-founder DJ Nobody. Together, they released a reissue of DJ Nobody's first album "Puzzles" from 1996, with a full B-Side of unreleased beats from that same era. The Label went on to release more tapes for Nobody over the coming years like "Prodigal Son". [3]
YUNG by Linafornia was released on January 22, 2016. Linafornia captured the LA Beat Scene's signature sound. [4]
2021 marked the 10 year anniversary of the label and the Decade of Doom compilation was released digitally and on a double LP vinyl. [5]
Over a decade in the making, Dome of Doom has remained a thriving label in the indie music community, nurturing uncompromising art from the center of Los Angeles and beyond. Deviating from a singular genre, scene, style, or culture, many forms of instrumental and non-instrumental music sustainably exist under the Dome of Doom roof. The connective tissue has become the boldness of each release year after year and the way these worlds collide in real-life terms. The souls behind those experiences are etched deeply into every release in Dome of Doom’s vaults. Their collective spirit amassed as one entity, reflecting various pockets of humanity. Celebrating the 10th anniversary, Dome of Doom presents Decade of Doom, a reflection of the catalog, its history, and all of the memories that define and shape the ethos of Dome of Doom. A physical representation reflective of the passion, dedication and raw human emotion fused into the music stored in the Dome of Doom archives. The artists included on this expansive collection of music are: Phedee, Space Gang, Kenny Segal, Dream Panther, Ahee, Eraserfase, Elusive, ELOS, Busdriverm milo, Gnome Beats, Daedelus, CLYDE, Shrimpnose, Wylie Cable, Rah Zen, DJ Nobody, NastyNasty, DMVU, Jon Casey, Dabow, DJ Ride, Holly, Woolymamoth, Huxley Anne, Gangus, thook, Bleep Bloop, Goon Des Garcons, Alphafox, Gangsta Boo, QRTR, Speak, Context Chameleon, Tomoki Sanders, and Odd Nosdam.
With the passing of a decade and cultural conduits now spreading all over the world, Dome of Doom has given life to a plethora of musical worlds that thrive between the freedom of DIY culture and the integrity of professionally run music label systems. Known mostly for strides made in the name of Los Angeles music and particularly the LA Beat scene, the sonic identity of Dome of Doom’s artist roster has continuously evolved over the years while the core principles of how and why these records are released remains the same. Digital and physical worldwide distribution, a robust and growing track record with breaking new artists, healthy ongoing relationships with press and radio, a full sync licensing department, and budgeted plans for each release; the internal components of Dome of Doom thrive best when the artistic integrity of each record is dictated by those in the creator chair and the rest is motored by Dome of Doom. The artist-centric approach of Dome of Doom has been facilitated by the mad scientist genius of its owner, and more importantly, recording artist, Wylie Cable.
The legacy of Dome of Doom initially found great purpose in discovering the relatively unknown, committed to giving artists a platform to release their truest art and be accepted for who they are. Even with the signing of established and legacy artists, the ethos of unearthing hidden gems has remained the focal point of Dome of Doom to this day. “I started this label in the spirit of free creative expression and to help out my close friends do some of their first physical releases,” Dome of Doom owner Wylie Cable adds. “Since its DIY inception, the label has expanded to a place I had always dreamed of reaching but never quite knew if it was possible in reality. I feel like there is still so much more for me to learn and do and I can always improve on my understanding of the whole process and my communication skills with all the various personalities I interact with as the point of contact for pretty much everyone involved in the record release process. I definitely started out in music at a young age and always knew it was what I wanted to spend my life doing, but my early visions of that were all me as a performer in an orchestra or a band or something along those lines. It wasn't until I had spent a few years just trying things out and releasing mine and my friends’ music that I realized I could really make a concerted effort at running a label, and starting a business. As Ms Lauryn Hill said, "This is an old conflict between art and commerce..." [6] and I think that tension will always exist as long as we live on a capitalist planet, but art has been around longer than commerce, so I've made the conscious choice to focus on the ever-flowing well of human creativity and let that be my north star, so to speak, in all the serious decisions I've ever had to make about pursuing a life in the arts.”
Over the last decade, the Dome of Doom catalog has received over 50 million streams across DSPs, including notable platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and YouTube. Cassette sales have topped 30,000 copies and vinyl runs have surpassed 5,000 units. Avid supporters of the roster are found all over the globe, including continental US, Canada, South America, Mexico, United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Russia, Korea, and dozens of countries in Europe. The digital landscape of Dome of Doom’s catalog was initially controlled from within, utilizing Bandcamp during their infancy phase while simultaneously integrating across established platforms such as SoundCloud and YouTube. Alpha Pup’s distribution platform was the final tool in expanding the digital footprint into every region in the world. The printing side of Dome of Doom has worked in similar fashion, first initiated with hand-dubbed and DIY designed cassettes made in the handfuls. 10 years later and the label is now running large batches pressed with partners like National Audio and moving copies daily.
Dome of Doom has experienced several distinct phases over the last ten years, pouring foundations across a multitude of experimental genres and scenes, facilitating national tours across the United States, and expanding distribution chains with key outlets all over the globe. DOD was established in San Francisco and consisted of an insular circle of creators supporting one another through their debut albums and small-scale tours. The second phase is marked by a melding into the Los Angeles beat scene and particularly, the world of the weekly event Low End Theory. The third phase is represented by the introduction of international artists and an array of worldwide touring, merchandising, and sold-out releases month to month. The fourth, and current phase, marks the label’s full-circle moment, still shaped by the DIY ethos of its foundation while propelled by the addition of established artists from an endless array of genres and a cache of returning artists presenting their follow-up records.
The early HQ spaces of Dome of Doom played an integral role in how Dome of Doom transitioned between the first phases. In many ways, these spaces still influence the methods and structures that exist during daily operations and as the big picture continues to form. The first Dome of Doom HQ was built in what was referred to as the “Dublin House” in San Francisco. Cable had just graduated from CalArts in 2009 and relocated to the Bay Area with friends and bandmates, establishing the business over the next few years in a completely DIY context. This would help Cable facilitate the merch side for his group The DeathMedicine Band, giving way to simultaneously offer a platform for like-minded groups and solo artists. Cable was establishing himself in the Bay Area community by playing frequent shows with his band, selling tapes to Amoeba in Berkley and San Francisco — as well as other important local shops like 1234 GO Records in Oakland and Thrillhouse Records in San Francisco. He was also playing piano at the prestigious Lines Ballet Academy and recording with notable SF grunge artists like Ty Segall and Charles Gonzalez. His personal artistic path and the energy bubbling within during this era was an important catalyst for the energy that weaves through the DOD catalog.
Dome of Doom would open its doors to the public in a wider and broader sense in 2011, transitioning from the local spaces where foundations were dug and carving out a wider trajectory for the immediate future. Wylie Cable’s Water Under The Bridge, Fractalline’s Infinite Entropy, and Steve Schmidt’s self-titled EP were all launched in this year, catapulting the imprint into an avant-garde space with a strong force behind it. These records offer a unique spectrum between folk, experimental metal, hardcore, hip-hop instrumentalism, and utimatley modern electronic music — which has become a core connective tissue across the wide array of genres and artforms presented by Dome of Doom in the past decade. Growth was imminent for Dome of Doom, especially as newcomers like Particle Kid, Space Gang, Ahee, The Blank Tapes, and Dream Panther joined the fold over the next few years, representing vastly different worlds that connected even deeper into California’s underground and indie scenes. Cassettes were pressed in extremely limited quantities, with locations like Amoeba, Fingerprints, Record Surplus, and Jackknife among the first to support in SoCal by carrying copies in small batches.
Between 2011 and 2013, Dome of Doom was a cyclone of creative energy, unconcerned with sales figure races, status, or any other element that deviated from the purity of artistic expression. It’s an ethos the first core group of artists shared during the momentum of DOD’s early stages and one that has remained a pillar to the label. Transitioning forward and we have Space Gang’s debut album, Forest Mirrors. A definitive record from SoundCloud’s boom-bap heavy producer phase and one that holds a special place in the history of Dome of Doom, it still resonates as a defining piece of art when looking at 21st century underground music from LA. Outside of the massive numbers the record pushed on streaming platforms, the music foreshadowed the kind of sonic density in sound Cable and his cohorts were looking to explore with each record launch. A sonic identity that stretches beyond genre definition and is reflective in the creative freedom allowed to the artists to tell their different stories. Ahee’s Xhals LP, his sophomore release on Dome of Doom, is decidedly experimental electronic music bordering on musique concrète. The entire record was made from manipulating found sounds from Ahee’s personal archive of home-made recordings numbered in the thousands. It was an important record for the imprint that pointed towards many of the electronic subworlds that would call the bustling imprint home in the years to come. Micah Nelson, aka Particle Kid, and his Shapes LP was another pivotal addition to one of the label’s early tape-only pressings, adding folk, electronic, and other unique elements for a one-of-a-kind concoction that has yet to be mirrored. As Willie Nelson’s son, Particle Kid brought forth the magic of his musical lineage and produced a poetic and beautiful record that stands as one of the most forward-thinking and unique releases in the Dome of Doom vaults. Dream Panther’s Beyonce's Child is another seminal release from this early phase, diving into yet another corridor of modern experimental music that would be followed by a series of releases that included Most Valuable Panther in 2015 and Speakpanther in 2017. This would ultimately set in motion a longstanding creative relationship with LA born, now Mexico-based rapper SPEAK that’s continued to this day.
2013-2014 was a testingly vital year, truncated in the context of albums released but critical because of the experience Cable received on the road with Strangeloop’s Teaching Machine crew. In the early stages, Strangeloop showed interest in the creative output of Dome of Doom, helping to establish key connections with artists like Particle Kid, as well as taking Cable under his wing and teaching him the ins and outs of VJing. Initially, Cable started by practicing his VJ chops at Low End Theory, providing visuals for scores of legendary artists who would perform at the weekly club night. Eventually, with support and guidance from Strangeloop and the help of his manager Lewis Kunstler, Cable embarked on his first real long stretch of touring nationally and internationally, working for artists like like RAC, Flosstradamus, Autolux, and Lauryn Hill as their touring VJ for festival and club shows. As a close friend and early mentor to Cable, Strangeloop has remained an important guiding star on the back side of the industry and someone with a deep sense of understanding of DOD’s ethos from the inception point forward. “Dome of Doom is a truly unique imprint,” reflects Strangeloop. “Over the years I have seen the uncompromising support of artists of many styles and approaches, but always forward thinking, authentic, outside the box. The tape releases always struck me as novel in a time where most everything has gone digital, and I know the label has attracted a lot of brilliant artists because of the DIY spirit involved in creating and promoting these releases, which truly is about the art and not about the perceived commercial efficacy. Dome of Doom is a label that cares about artists.” [7]
The nexus point of Dome of Doom took shape with full integration into the Los Angeles beat scene. Cable would become one of the chief visual orchestrators for each Wednesday’s Low End Theory proceedings, using the connective tissue of each event to scout talent and build into a community. Taking on the mantle of work established with Teaching Machine that created panoramic art monoliths behind living legends such as Thom Yorke, Mix Master Mike, Tyler The Creator, Flying Lotus, Cut Chemist, Four Tet, Earl Sweatshirt, and scores more, the visual techniques Teaching Machine brought to Low End Theory have remained an integral component of the scene’s history and lineage. After several years on VJ duties, Cable transformed his relationship with Low End Theory and began running a label merch booth every week, interacting directly with fans in a face to face manner and moving scores of Dome of Doom cassettes, shirts, and vinyl, along with other merch from touring artists performing at the club.
New generations of innovative yet unknown artists piled through the doors of Low End Theory and Dome of Doom was right there, serving as a platform for those looking to push beyond the weekly event and have their music heard around the world. Notable and career-launching releases across Dome of Doom were planted out of Low End by the likes of Huxley Anne, ELOS, Elusive, Eureka The Butcher, Woolymammoth, Linafornia, and Great Dane. Stalwarts and veterans of the emerging LA movement would also join Dome of Doom from this connection, including DJ Nobody, Daedelus, and Nocando. True to the deviation of singular genre and scene, Dome of Doom was also connecting previous energy into this new grid. Particle Kid would return with his next record on Dome of Doom and the introduction of Eraserfase occured, another strikingly original and soulful creator melding synths, samples, and live instrumentation. His Obsoletism and Analog Rituals albums have remained a high mark for the imprint to this day, bringing the essence of innovators such as Teebs and Ras G with an inclination towards hypnotic grooves and textures. He wasn’t only channeling, he was also laying down new tracks and foundations for the scene.
With less time on the road, Cable brought a laser level of focus to operational duties in 2015. A large run of debut albums would take Dome of Doom into a new phase and success really began to show with cassettes selling out, streaming numbers climbing, and a level of buzz never experienced prior. The calendar was now filled to the brim and Dome of Doom had become a new hub for artists seeking a reliable and creatively freeing platform. Working with DJ Nobody and launching the reissue of his ultra-rare Puzzles tape from 1996 was another critical chapter for Dome of Doom during this year. DJ Nobody’s legacy has thrived over the last two decades, imprinting some of the first beat music into the world in the early 2000s with his Soulmates LP and enacting one of the most exploratory stretches of music evolution among his contemporaries. Dome of Doom would later reissue Nobody's collaborative album with The Mystic Chords of Memory — titled Tree Colored Sea — as well as the tape pressing of Nobody's modern beat record, Prodigal Son, featuring Open Mike Eagle and Sathyre. DOD was moving at a rapid rate and ushering in returning artists and those adding their debuts. Many pivotal releases for the label’s expansion would drop this year, including records by Space Gang, Suntundra Moon, Eraserfase, The DeathMedicine Band, The Blank Tapes, Dream Panther, and Steve Schmidt. The army was building and a point of no return was crossed.
2016 was a year of even more expansion and one could argue one of the most critical transition points for Dome of Doom. With standout releases from the likes of Daedelus, Elusive, Gavian Gamboa, and ELOS, Dome of Doom was now consistently pushing the bar while organically melding into an emerging scene that in small ways, cradled the identity of the label and enriched the landscape of underground music out of LA and other pockets of the world. Integrating into a globally recognized music scene was one of the trajectory elements of the imprint that accumulated in natural form and one that was miles of road paved before the fruits of the labor were achieved. National and international magazines producing the highest level of creative music content in print started to take notice, with publications like The Wire, L.A. Weekly, and L.A. Record running bigger features in physical form this year.
As Dome of Doom had officially relocated to the heart of LA just prior, the integration of local talent expanded the direction of the label’s operation in immeasurable ways. Critical in the evolution from phase to phase, this was also the breeding ground for the relationship Dome of Doom forged with Alpha Pup Records, and it's co-founder, Daddy Kev. This would bring the catalog of the imprint to people all over the world through the robust digital distro system Alpha Pup has offered for over a decade. It would also give Dome of Doom the kind of behind the scenes access needed for proper album and tour campaigns. Daddy Kev explains how his relationship with Dome of Doom expanded into a label partnership inside of Alpha Pup's digital distribution system: “Wylie and I became friends from working together at Low End Theory. He was a part of the visual team with Strangeloop, then we started booking him for DJ sets. As his label expanded, it made perfect sense to bring Dome of Doom to Alpha Pup for distribution."
Between 2016-2017, the influence of the imprint continued to expand even more. Dome of Doom artists began to perform regularly at the original Amoeba Hollywood location and artists both old and new continued to sell out runs of cassette pressings. A new level of reach in radio recognition across the globe started to pile in while tours were mapping out from different artists. This was an important factor in Dome of Doom reaching new ears outside of the underground and becoming the indie label it has become. Despite the new roads paved and the navigation elements enhanced with access to more resources, the underground ethos never changed and the desire to support artistic expression and creative freedom continues to be the guiding principle. Love for art has always remained the fuel. Cable would personally expand the physical distribution network of the releases across Dome of Doom year by year, visiting record shops around the globe and building with owners and staff in person. Rough Trade, All City Dublin, Underground Solution, and other important independent record shops across the UK and Europe were some of the first to support the physical output of Dome of Doom outside of the states, providing an international footprint that remains to this day.
Daedelus, an LA beat legend and now professor for the prestigious Berklee College of Music, forever changed the trajectory and identity of Dome of Doom when they joined in October of 2016. One could even say an effect so powerful, there’s a feeling of before Daedelus joined the ranks of the label and the state of affairs of Dome of Doom after they took a seat at the table. Launching the cassette version of their Labyrinths LP in tandem with the digital release on their own Magical Properties imprint, Daedelus was two decades into their recording career and still pushing the boundaries of sound far and beyond. While continuing to release music with revered platforms like Brainfeeder and Ninja Tune, Daedelus has remained a core artist of Dome of Doom since they signed a half-decade back. They recently launched the critically acclaimed LP What Wands Won’t Break in 2020. Daedelus adds further perspective on their view of the label: "It's a passion project; an oasis in an industry hellbent on commercially viable pap. Wylie has enabled so many of us misfits to redefine what Dome of Doom can mean. That's a generous creator confident in their creation!"
Another very organic and fruitful relationship that formed during this era of DOD was with veteran multi-instrumentalist and producer Kenny Segal. Kenny was first introduced to DOD with the second volume in his illustrious Kenstrumentals series. His work with Busdriver, Freestyle Fellowship, milo/R.A.P. Ferreira, and many other 21st-century hip-hop legends solidified his place in the pantheon of important producers of this age. His inclusion into DOD was an ingredient the label had been brewing over for years prior. Connections that formed back to Cable’s initial days exploring visuals and sound in the Teaching Machine crew and his love for working with eclectic LA artists. The 3rd and 4th volumes in the Kenstrumentals series followed shortly after, further solidifying Segal’s place as not only an integral piece to the identity of Dome of Doom but also an icon among current hip-hop producers. Piecing together instrumentals from hip-hop projects in his extensive legacy, beats on Kenstrumentals are pulled from releases by some of the most well known and respected avant-garde hip-hop artists: milo, Busdriver, Serengeti, Hemlock Ernst, Self-Jupiter, R.A.P. Ferreira, billy woods, and more. The lineage and story behind this series is truly one-of-a-kind. Kenny Segal adds, “From the early days of slanging tapes at the merch table of low end theory to the present Wylie has managed to amass quite the impressive catalog of forward thinking releases.”
Expansions into the culture of Low End Theory’s gravitational pull would continue with the signing of underground beat legend Elusive. Between 2016 and 2020, Elusive released seven full-length albums with Dome of Doom, proving to be the most prolific artist on the label since the inception. Each new release has slowly integrated Elusive’s melding of jazz, electronic, and hip-hop instrumentalism, putting him into a category very few have achieved. As the incubation of more minds began to spring forth from the original template set forth by the LA beat scene innovators such as Flying Lotus, Samiyam, and Ras G, more depth and leaps in musical scope would find its way to the Dome of Dome camp. Sound design artist Huxley Anne represented the re-emergence of bass music back into the perceptual lens of the LA beat scene, while The Mars Volta’s Eureka The Butcher realigned it with its roots in intricate instrumentalism and conceptual derivative power. With artists like Shrimpnose to NastyNasty, you had incantations of deeply soulful mutation where musical ownership flourish through every release. The Dome of Doom mission to integrate adventurous and challenging sounds under one roof was accelerating at a fast rate during this phase, pushed further by a positive growing narrative fomenting with integral press and radio outlets such as The Wire [8] , XLR8R [9] , BBC, L.A. Record, KCRW, Mixmag [10] , Resident Advisor, Pitchfork, KEXP, Stereogum, Dancing Astronaut [11] , Exclaim!, Okayplayer, and many more. Los Angeles-native Max Bell — Bandcamp Daily column editor for the “Best Beat Tapes” — provides further perspective over the label: “Dome of Doom is the bridge and the path forward. The label connects the beat scene that orbited peak Low End Theory and the beat scene that persists in the void left by Low End Theory's dissolution. Like that famed club night, Dome of Doom is physically rooted in Los Angeles but sonically international. Locally sourced talent, a persistent citywide presence at every beat events, and independent hand-to-hand sales in LA county zip codes garnered rightful recognition across continents. Agnostic to rigid genre classifications, DOD is devoutly reverential to beats and musicians that refuse to acknowledge the existence of any sonic limitations. Beat scene veterans and relative newcomers, Angeleno producers and those across state lines and intercontinental oceans — their roster is unimpeachable and always ahead of the curve. DOD has succeeded for a decade for all of these reasons. [12]
Rah Zen joined forces with Dome of Doom in 2017, releasing his debut album Midnight Satori and setting the stage for his own beat night in Boston, Nightworks. Heavily built on the foundation of Low End Theory and many connected families, Rah Zen is in many ways a personification of what Dome of Doom added to the evolving story of the beat scene and the music world at large. Having been introduced to DOD by Max Bell, Rah Zen started as a new member of the Dome of Doom family of artists, and through sheer determination and will, went on to create a whole new beat scene locally in Boston. One where his musical peers were directly inspired by the experiences of working with Dome of Doom, performing at Low End Theory, and absorbing the many sides of the LA music grid. During this stretch, Mexico-based artist Speak was fully ushered into the fold, releasing the critically acclaimed A Man + His Plants LP. Speak adds further insight into Dome of Doom’s ethos and what it meant for his own sense of independence and creativity: "Collaborating with Dome of Doom has been amazing. Being able to work with a label that encourages their artist to indulge in their creativity without compromise or restraint has allowed us all to push our music forward and reach new listeners across the world. To be heard and to give the people something tangible to hold and feel...this is what creating culture is about."
With multiple lineages now tracing over one another, Dome of Doom sought another important expansion during the third phase: international representation on the artist side. The United Kingdom’s CLYDE was the first international artist to join the label family, paving a path for what would eventually include creators from South Africa, China, Japan, Europe, Turkey, Canada, and South America. Artists in far flung corners of the world began to reach out to Cable directly or would simply have an awareness of the catalog when they met, organically weaving a web that’s proven supportive with every successive release. Artists like Jon Casey (South Africa), Thook (Canada), Dabow (Argentina), CLYDE (United Kingdom), Badmixday (Turkey), Maru (Japan), and Saka (China) are all bursting with creative energy from their own respective pockets around the globe, yet all have found a commonality in the music released from a small independent label thousands of miles away in Los Angeles.
Through the essence of Dome of Doom’s referential look into the past and a launching point into the future, the label would take the experiences gathered through tours, international and national, and the lineage of Low End Theory, for its very own label night. Birthed at the historic York Manor in Los Angeles during 2019, Dome of Doom’s first bill brought together local heavyweights billy woods, Kenny Segal, and Elusive, performing spirited sets and tearing the roof off in the process. The night sold out and was filled to the brim with passionate fans consumed by the energy in the room, the next event would carry a similar torch and sonic power. Daedelus, Salva, Baseck, Bell Curve, and SnakeFoot all turned out mind-bending performances to another sold-out crowd, showcasing some of the strongest experimental music talent around. From Homeboy Sandman & Quelle Chris to Ceschi, Eevee, Mike Haze, and Gnome Beats, the energy of Dome of Doom’s shows at the York Manor has always been magnetic, reflective of the spirit, drive, and purpose the imprint has brought to the world.
Taking notice of the mileage accumulated in the beat scene over the last decade, Dome of Doom focused a portion of its energy into the excavation of art from pillars of the community. Building on the reissue of the ultra-rare collaboration between DJ Nobody and Mystic Chords of Memory, and also other rarities in DJ Nobody’s vaults, Dome of Doom signed cLOUDDEAD legend Odd Nosdam in 2019 for the release of his Plan 9... Meat Your Hypnotis tape. Originally self-released in 1999, Plan 9... Meat Your Hypnotis is an integral foundation point for the entire experimental beat scene and its re-entry point 20 years later was a celebrated affair. A reflection point as important as early works from Dilla, Madlib, DJ Shadow, and all of the other first pioneers in the beat world. Since 2019, Dome of Doom has welcomed an even wider range of artists to the family in the last two years, including worlds as disparate as Bleep Bloop, PENNYWILD, QRTR, DJ Ride, and AlphaFox. “As someone who always had trouble placing myself within a specific genre or scene,” QRTR adds, “it’s been a source of nourishment for me as an artist to work with a label that methodically offers support as it’s needed and lets a project flourish naturally otherwise. It’s obvious Wylie genuinely believes in the creative process and it results in the kind of eclectic, genre-bending catalogue that only a label like Dome of Doom is capable of cultivating.” 2020 would also bring in a new wave of young bass music producers with the release of "Bubblegum," a collaborative single by Eazybaked, sfam, and G-Space that charted in the top 10 most streamed songs of all time on the newly launched Audius streaming platform. This single would inspire a five track remix EP featuring Dirt Monkey, Kll Smth, Ahee, Hovxnes, Snuggles, and Thew.
When looking back at the last ten years, Dome of Doom has been driven by the mission of providing artists with the support and freedom they need to share their work with the world at large. Every release attempts to continue the story of creators from decades past who ushered in groundbreaking music without restriction or creative limitations based on marketing codes or arbitrary metrics of one's possible success. The fruition of endless hours spent soul searching, simply fueled by a love for music and a passion to see it thrive in a powerful and lasting way. The Decade of Doom compilation is a collection of truly honest art, songs birthed from waves of unguarded emotion that contain the spirit of the artists who have entrusted their music to the imprint over the past 10 years. Decade of Doom is also a reflection of you, the listener. The living and breathing intake system of the art that exists across these works that’s just as important as every note and rhythm within.
An ending note from Dome of Doom’s founder Wylie Cable:
The name "Dome of Doom" came from a longstanding inside joke from my old band Grapes & Nuts, a 7-12 piece Experimental Jazz ensemble (depending on how many horn players we could get to show up) that I was one of the bandleaders for during my late teens and early twenties. The Dome of Doom was an imagined mobile studio, fortress/venue that we would tour in. Fully equipped with all the gear we could ever need to record, a giant PA speaker system with plenty of extra subwoofers for mobile concerts, and a sick balcony for lunch/smoke breaks, etc. So really it started as a jovial idea between friends in a band, and then after Grapes & Nuts inevitably imploded, like is the fate of all 12 piece experimental jazz bands, I thought it would be cool to use the name for a label project, sort of symbolically carrying on the creative mission of making a badass mobile music fortress for me and all my homies to hang out and make tunes in. Thus, Dome of Doom Records.
During the first years of the label I was still performing and recording in multiple bands, the most prominent of those being The DeathMedicine Band. We self-released our first album "Auto-Entheogenic Cannibalism" as a DIY cassette that we recorded and pressed ourselves on a tape dubbing machine, and did all the sticker artwork ourselves with printed labels. The DeathMedicine Band also recorded a 7' vinyl with Ty Segal engineering one of the tracks that was self-released using Kickstarter to fundraise the money. These weren't technically Dome of Doom releases at the time but when I got a digital distro deal with Alpha Pup, they hit DSPs along with a bunch of our early back catalog. We also released for bands like Fractalline, a technical Death Metal band from India, The Blank Tapes, an amazing Folk music and Americana outfit fronted by Matt Adams, 100 Onces, hardcore math rock duo from the early 2000s and The Opaque, a now broken up hardcore metal band. These were all friends bands that I played with during the time of my life when I was still doing tons of live shows and simultaneously starting to produce my first solo beat tapes. "Water Under The Bridge" for example, my first solo release on Dome of Doom and the label's first official release (DOD_001) was recorded in the same garage where The DeathMedicine Band would practice. At the 'Dublin House' in the excelsior district of San Francisco where we all lived and rehearsed together.