we recently got a bunch of great reviews!!
"Yet another reason to believe in the burgeoning Oakland scene: Boats‘ new EP for the freshly-minted Dollops label (also an Oakland institution). Bleaving marks the debut outing of Boats, complete with nine tracks of subtly funky, crisply crafted, and utterly irresistible beat work. Although the namesake may be new on the scene, the man behind it is not, having done time as Bazooka Joint and contributed to two of our very own Mapzzz EPs, first as half of the Liquorice Ginsberg duo and later under his given name, Aaron Ferguson. All this to say, the man is talented." ~mapzzz.com
MAPZZ is talking about him. WhatAboutTheBeats is talking about him. Fresh off my alma mater’s Sweet Sixteen birth (Ohio Bobcats baby!) I’m still looking for some dancing music. BOATS, a.k.a. Aaron Ferguson, gets funky, soulful and makes music that you’d expect fellow Californian Dam-Funk to produce. Bleaving is West Coast banger, funk infused, get-down-and boogie fun sounds. If you’re looking for 808s, claps, phasers and bass lines that never sit still, this release is likely to intensify your March Madness dance fever. Press play and don’t stop Bleaving. - Marinate Media
"We are excited to present some new tuneage to you today from a brand-new Oakland-based collective named Dollops, who were kind enough to send us a very courteous message the other day that was packing some very inviting music.
Their homie BOATS is a multi-instrumentalist in the collective that has gone through a few name changes but is gaining a reputation within Oakland’s beat scene. We can see why — his debut release Bleaving is a solid piece of work that is chock-full of understated soul and grooves that stretch for lightyears. We could probably come up with our own description of the heady collection, but we’ll concede that Dollops did a good job at summing it up: “the perfect soundtrack for a trek to the stars in any candy painted space whip!” Not everyone has a candy painted space whip, but that day, my friends, is coming closer and closer." - Unified Funk Option
"Let us introduce this new formed collective/label from Oakland California that goes by the name of Dollops - who just dropped a debut EP from one talented beat-maker that goes by the name of BOATS . If you’re looking for something funky, unique, smooth and with chilly Cali vibes – this is a treat for you! In this set, he effortlessly weaves together syrupy analog synth sounds with organic, beat-driven rhythms, all played with a solid musicianship that is mature yet playful. The music here is laid back with a west coast g-funk appeal, emitting cosmic head nod vibes all around.
Though this is his official debut ep, he has had several releases on other labels under different monikers, including a collaboration with producer & friend Elephant&Castle, another emerging Oakland talent who has been getting a lot of love for his recent release with indie Oakland darling tUne-Yards". ~ Applejuicebreak