Tag Archives: Taleen Kali

Happening in L.A.

Exotikon, L.A. Pride, Turnstile in Theaters and More Happening in L.A. Between June 5 and June 11

Swimming Bell live at Oblivion in Highland Park, Los Angeles on Friday, May 23, 2025 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Swimming Bell plays Permanent Records Roadhouse on Thursday, June 5

I’ll be in Phoenix on Friday night with Klub Nocturno to play new wave and darkwave at Crescent Ballroom. Last time I played Phoenix with Nocturno was a blast and I’m excited to be heading back. If you’re in the area, get yourself tickets and join us on the dance floor. 

Here in Los Angeles, there are a handful of events that I want to put on your radar. Swimming Bell, who were featured on Beatique just last week, opens for Sebastian Schub at Permanent Records Roadhouse on Thursday, June 5. Tickets are available on Eventbrite for this 21+ show. 

Read: Swimming Bell Dives Into Oceanic Vibes on Somnia

Continue reading Exotikon, L.A. Pride, Turnstile in Theaters and More Happening in L.A. Between June 5 and June 11 →
Interview

Taleen Kali: “Sometimes, I think it’s easy to lose touch with the point of DIY”

Taleen Kali - photo credit Sophie Prettyman Beauchamp
photo credit Sophie Prettyman Beauchamp

In early February, in a small L.A. venue called Love Song, Taleen Kali debuted her EP, Covered, a few days before its Valentine’s Day release. Every detail reflected the holiday theme. The EP, which includes versions of songs like “Ava Adore” and “#1 Crush,” was available on heart-shaped flashdrives at a merch booth decorated with cupids. The listening party was followed by a live set where Taleen Kali, the person, morphed into Taleen Kali, the band, as more and more musicians joined the singer/guitarist on stage for a set that included live rarities and music from Covered. 

It was a killer night, and I’m not just saying that because I happened to be the DJ for the show or because Taleen and I have been pals for a few years. I mean, it was a very well-planned and well-executed show.

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Beatique Mix

The Beatique Mix 2/25 feat. Chromatics, FKA Twigs, Mareux, Optometry and More

On Sunday night, when I was DJing at The Mermaid for Splash! I mixed together “Cherry” from Chromatics with “Drums of Death,” from FKA Twigs’ latest album, and Mareux’s songs “DTLA.” It was one of those impromptu things that I really liked and I made a mental note to keep that in mind for future sets. 

The following morning, I woke up with the Dinner In America song still stuck in my head. I had to do something to get it out, so I pulled those three songs and built a set around it, opening and closing the set with two other frequent earworms. It did the trick, at least for now, and I liked it enough to post it for this month’s Beatique Mix. Also included in this set are Taleen Kali’s cover of My Bloody Valentine’s song “Cupid Come,” from her new EP, and “Bon Voyage,” from Optometry’s new album, Lemuria. Track list is below. Enjoy!

Continue reading The Beatique Mix 2/25 feat. Chromatics, FKA Twigs, Mareux, Optometry and More →
Live Music, The Playlist

Taleen Kali Covers Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine at EP Release Show in L.A.

(left to right) Genevieve, Taleen Kali and Josephine playing Covered EP release party at Love Song Bar DTLA on February 8, 2025
(left to right) Genevieve, Miles (back of pic on drums) Taleen Kali and Josephine playing Covered EP release party at Love Song Bar DTLA on February 8, 2025 (Pic: Liz O.)

Taleen Kali has a new EP out on Valentine’s Day. Covered features the band’s versions of songs by Smashing Pumpkins, My Bloody Valentine, The Supremes, Garbage and Depeche Mode. Last night, at the appropriately-named Love Song in downtown Los Angeles, was the listening party, which included a live performance. This isn’t a review, which would be unfair on account of the fact that I was the DJ for the event. It’s more of a recap. 

The Love Song is a tiny bar— like, really tiny— at the front of The Regent, a 110-year-old former movie theater-turned-concert venue. Bands typically play in a patch of open space right next to the bar’s entrance, in front a window that faces Main Street and that was the setup last night. All this makes for a very intimate performance. If you’re up at the front, which I was on account of the CDJs being set up right next to the band, you’re really face-to-face with the performers. 

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Happening in L.A.

Taleen Kali Album Release Party and More Happening in L.A. February 6 – February 12

Taleen Kali Covered album release party at Love Song Bar in DTLA DJ Liz O.

This Saturday night, February 8, Taleen Kali celebrates the release of new EP, Covered, at The Love Song Bar, right under the Regent Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. Taleen Kali will play an unplugged set with cover songs, rarities and more. Plus, I’ll be DJing throughout the night. Tickets are available now, so click this link to pick up yours as soon as possible. Covered is out on Valentine’s Day and features covers of songs by Smashing Pumpkins, My Bloody Valentine, The Supremes, Garbage and Depeche Mode. You can pre-order a copy of Covered now on Bandcamp. 

As for the rest of the week, here’s what’s happening in L.A., including David Lynch movie screenings, Whammy! Analog’s third anniversary, Stuart Murdoch’s Nobody’s Empire book tour and more. 

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New Music

Pet Shop Boys, A Certain Ratio, Brainstory and More April 2024 Music

I’m home on a Thursday night trying to finish a story that I need to turn in tomorrow. Since it’s already tomorrow in the U.K., the new Pet Shop Boys album, Nonetheless, is up on Spotify. So, I listen as I write and I listen again after I decide that 700 words is enough words for now and I can finish that article in the morning, when my eyelids aren’t quite as heavy and the chocolate mini Easter eggs I popped into my mouth one after the other aren’t weighing me down. 

To recap: I flipped over “Loneliness,” the first single and opening track from Nonetheless, when it was released earlier this year. It’s been doing really well in my sets too. It’s a classic Pet Shop Boys club track, the kind of that reminds you that life is sad, but you’re happy on the dance floor. They followed up “Loneliness” with the single “Dancing Star,” which I haven’t played yet, but I do quite like. It’s slightly reminiscent of “Domino Dancing,” which is probably why I picked up that vintage 12” at Rubycon last weekend. 

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The Playlist

Here Are My Top 10 Albums of 2023

Composite of album covers for top 10 albums of 2023 from DJ Liz O. Includes cover images for Taleen Kali Flower of Life, Grey Factor, 1979-1980 A.D., Optometry After-Image, Decisive Pink Ticket to Fame
Included in my top 10 albums of 2023 are (top row) Taleen Kali “Flower of Life,” Grey Factor “1979-1980 A.D.” (bottom row) Optometry “After-Image,” Decisive Pink “Ticket to Fame”

I don’t know if the annual “best of” lists are necessarily fair. There is still a virtual pile of 2023 albums on my Bandcamp wishlist and running list in my head of albums that I need to hear. There are likely new albums from bands I follow that I don’t know about because, well, you know how social media works these days. Then there are the albums and bands who aren’t even on my radar, but will be next year, or the year after that, or maybe a half-decade down the line. Still, I made a list of my top 10 albums of 2023 that include music you may have heard in my DJ sets IRL, on Mixcloud or a few of the radio appearances I’ve done this year.

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Dum Dum Records 2 Year Anniversary Party at Gold Diggers

Photo of Taleen Kali live at Gold Diggers in Hollywood for Dum Dum Records 2 year anniversary party on November 9, 2023. (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Taleen Kali live.

Last night was the first time I played Gold Diggers, which is a small music venue/hotel/recording studio on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood that’s filled with disco balls and good vibes. It was Dum Dum Records Second Anniversary party and Taleen Kali had asked me to DJ alongside Ann Eliza for the night. So, this was also the third event with Taleen that I’ve played this year. (I DJed for shoegaze night at the band’s Harvard and Stone residency and at the Flowers of Life album release afterparty back in April. However, it was, Taleen noted late in the night, the first where we both ended up on the dance floor at the same time. It was also initially going to be the first time Ann Eliza and I DJed together, but we both ended up playing Vidéothèque’s reopening party last month. 

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DJ Gigs

This Week, Head to Dum Dum Records’ Anniversary Party at Gold Diggers and Interpol Nite at Club Underground

Dum Dum Records 2 Year Anniversary Party at Gold Diggers Los Angeles with Taleen Kali, Bysts, DJ Liz O., DJ Ann Eliza Thursday November 9, 2023

Thanks to everyone who started off this week at Disco Matinee with Jus’ B, Jen Rock and me. I have two more gigs this week– Dum Dum Records Anniversary Party and Underground’s Interpol Nite– and hope you can make it out to one or both of them.

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DJ Gigs, The Playlist

Here’s What I Played for Taleen Kali’s Shoegaze Night at Harvard and Stone

Taleen Kali Flower of Life vinyl at Harvard and Stone for shoegaze night of Taleen Kali residency September 20, 2023 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Taleen Kali’s latest album, Flower of Life, on vinyl. (pic: Liz O.)

While eating a 1 a.m. Del Taco dinner, I thought about how amazing an opportunity it is to be able to DJ in the L.A. music scenes in which I’ve played for so long. Getting to connect with fantastic bands, DJs and other people through this world is a constant source of inspiration. So, I’m incredibly grateful that Taleen Kali asked me to DJ on Wednesday night for the shoegaze installment of the band’s September residency at Harvard and Stone. 

Taleen Kali, Izzy Outerspace and Lux Lawless all played fantastic live sets. Given the theme of the night, I put together sets that included some classic and contemporary shoegaze, psychedelic and indie rock. Check out the set list here. 

Continue reading Here’s What I Played for Taleen Kali’s Shoegaze Night at Harvard and Stone →