Buzz on October 10th, 2012

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A year ago Culprit released its initial “Above The City” compilation, featuring eight tracks from the young label’s stable of artists. An exhaustive process, Culprit aimed to embody the glamor and enchantment of their famed series of rooftop DJ parties presented by Droog (the trio of Brett Griffin, Andrei Osyka and Justin Sloe, pictured, who are responsible for running Culprit). A quintessentially Los Angeles experience, the Culprit Sessions at the Standard Hotel have been a showcase for emerging talent, not to mention earning a best Rooftop Parties nod LA Weekly’s Best of LA. As another summer party season draws to a close, Culprit has dropped a second compilation celebrating the latest in modern house and deep electronic music, enjoyed while floating high above DTLA. “Above The City 2,” like the original, has been arranged to mimic the progression of a rooftop party, from sunny daytime disco, to sexy, dark dance music with a Balearic twist. Both compilations feature artists from around the world, yet track after track is designed to bring you closer to the Standard on a Sunday, the library tower peering over your shoulder, the 110 conspicuously void of traffic, and System of Survival’s “Baby, Don’t Stop” to mirror the city’s regal tranquility. Label compilations are common, but the concept of “Above The City 2” is unique in that the album itself is designed to bring you to an actual time and place, where the music’s beauty is matched only by the scenery.

||| Stream: System of Survival, “Baby Don’t Stop”

||| Also: Stream more of “Above the City 2” here.

||| Live: The final Culprits session of the season, featuring Guy Gerber, is Oct. 14 at the Standard.