Easy like Sunday Sounds

What might have been a quiet Sunday sounded a little louder on March 26. Lincoln Heights is where music connoisseurs celebrated the ninth edition of Sunday Sounds. The music festival was put on by Anabelle Kline-Zilles and her independent music curation company, That Good Sh*t, in collaboration with Green Tea Studios, an independent recording studio in West Los Angeles. It’s safe to say it’s only a matter of time before Sunday Sounds becomes a right of passage for any and all talented musicians on their way to fame. 

“That Good Sh*t is just all about good music regardless of genre,” said Kline-Zilles in an interview with the Daily Trojan. 

The playlist-curating company takes on many roles, from hosting live performances and events to album reviews. Sunday Sounds is best described as “in real-life experience” of a classic That Good Sh*t playlist, Kline-Zilles said. With the festival’s main focus on promoting creators and their art, evidently it was a success. Anabelle explained that Sunday Sounds is “about building a community around good music,” and on Sunday it seemed that her goal was perfectly executed.

The music festival shared the same vibe as every artist on the lineup: lowkey. A long narrow passage to the center point of the venue encouraged people to introduce themselves. Then, having made acquaintances, they reached the center stage where DJs Selfish IRV and Anastazja were putting on the performances of a lifetime. 

The crowd’s head bobs turned into a choreographed groove. Selfish IRV and Anastazja needed no other help to get the crowd right. Playing anything from pop to Los Angeles underground rap, the consistently good sets from Selfish IRV and Anastazja led to a successful event. 

Hosting a total of nine performers, Sunday Sounds definitely ran on a tight schedule. While a few technical issues delayed the first performance, That Good Sh*t quickly took no time to troubleshoot and carried  on with the show.

The festival began with a performance by L.A.-based rapper Trip Rexx. Carrying on the momentum provided by Selfish IRV and Anastazja, Trip Rexx was able to get the crowd jumping in no time. His rap/rock fusion caused a mosh pit to form among those already jumping to his autotune melodies. Trip Rexx’s performance of his hit song “Me & My Bimmer,” which has more than 1 million streams on Spotify, set the tone for the rest of the performance. 

After Trip Rexx, Sunday Sounds presented DAMAG3 and Sughn. Both performers carried on the energy presented by Trip Rexx and yet another set by Selfish IRV and Anastazja that didn’t disappoint. Despite all artists having unique styles and forms of music, all benefited from the warm, welcoming and supportive crowd. 

Another aspect worth highlighting was the vendor list. As Sunday Sounds’ mission is to shed light on all creatives and their art, the vendors were undoubtedly just as talented as the performers. Overall, the festival hosted many vendors, ranging from jewelry to fashion. 

One vendor specifically stood out and established dominance among the crowd. The company “Humo” is a Salinas-based cannabis supplier that is Mexico-based and Mexican-ran. The company aims to “eliminate the stigma surrounding cannabis in the Latino community by celebrating our rich cultural history with the plant and normalizing its daily use.” Everything from its “Fresas Con Crema” hybrid pre-roll to its “Arroz Con Leche” sativa-dominant strain screams Latine culture. 

Johnny Santiago, a field marketing manager at Humo, explained that the company “loves to inspire and support other people.” 

For that reason, it was essential that Humo take part in a festival that aligns with the cannabis company’s vision. 

“They are doing it for people who are up and coming,” Santiago said.

Humo, only being around for one year, has seen much success, ranking in the “top 50 in California,” Santiago said.  Much like the artists performing, companies like Humo benefit from the exposure the Sunday Sounds festival generates. The cannabis company currently sells in several dispensaries over L.A. including LaLaLand, which is within a mile of campus. 

From the vendors to the performers, Sunday Sounds is for the people. It’s truly refreshing to see the welcoming world of underground music, especially hip-hop/rap-based music, in the L.A. It’s safe to say that Sunday Sounds and the creative mind of Anabelle Kline-Zilles will have much success in creating a welcoming, warm and popular space in the music industry.