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Okapi Sun

RIYL

God Lives Underwater

Inception

San Diego , 2013

Influences

Art of Noise, Kraftwerk

Discography

Ex-Band Members

Gabriela Sanchez:
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The Okapi is a rare mammal with of traits of both the zebra and the giraffe found exclusively in the Ituri Forest of The Congo. Like the Okapi, the world is a mixture of races and beliefs unified as one on Earth under the sun. This is what fuels the concepts behind the tribal sound of dance-electronic pop duo Okapi Sun.

The band originally featured guitarist Leo (Maren Parusel) and keyboardist Dallas (Gabriela Sanchez), who played in Parusel's self-named band (which won Best Pop Album for Artificial Gardens at the 2011 SDMAs). They describe their music as “a cut-and-paste of our past, our now, our culture, our soul. We decorate ourselves with sounds and let them form into songs.” Both Dallas (vocals, synth, bass, drums) and Leo (vocals, synth, guitar, drums) come from unique backgrounds. Dallas is an army brat and classically trained violinist, while Leo a gifted pianist and multi-medium artist from Germany.

Since playing their first show in January 2013, the band has been staying true its motto, “We bring the tribe to the city.”

A four-song demo was released in May 2013 by Mario Escovedo's Requiemme Mgmt and Music label. That was followed in April 2014 by their full-length Techno Prisoners (Phaedra Records), preceded by the single “Johnny Kiss.” At its core, the record was tracked live at their rehearsal space. They then took those tracks to the artsy Los Angeles community of Silverlake where they recorded with Ethan Allen of Gram Rabbit at Royal Triton Studios, with additional production from Grammy winner Neal H. Pogue (Janelle Monae, Snoop Dog, Outcast, Pink, TLC, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A., Franz Ferdinand) in Atlanta.

After playing SXSW, a support tour hit the Casbah on April 25, 2013, after which they were nominated Best Pop at the San Diego Music Awards. Late in 2014, however, Sanchez left the band, reportedly to live on an organic farm in Napa Valley. Parusel announced via Facebook her intention to keep the band extant.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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