This month Dazed and B&O Play by Bang and Olufsen chose LA as the location to kickstart their partnership. Things got underway with a one-night-only gallery space, inviting the likes of Amalia Ulman, Arvida Byström and Ed Fornieles to display work. The city might seem a long way to come for the Danish audio experts, but behind the perfect, palm-lined boulevards and the gloss of the film industry, LA has always enjoyed a diverse and prolific relationship with music.

There are many chapters to the LA’s music history, from jazz pioneers to protopunk, hardcore and pop-punk, and everything in between. It can lay claim to its own scenes, from the Dr.Dre-powered G-Funk, to the Paisley Underground movement of the 80s, with psychedelic-ready bands like the Rain Parade re-purposing The Byrds’ seminal guitar jangle for a new generation.

Post-millennium, LA’s sonic heart continues to beat as strongly and as disparately as ever before. What’s the definitive LA sound? There isn’t one. Its musical landscape is as wide-open as the geographical character of the state of California, boasting a fervent DIY punk community, world-renowned hip-hop and forward-thinking, queer-focused club and bass music, among so much more. 

Off the back of this month’s event, Dazed and B&O Play by Bang and Olufsen are continuing their partnership. Working together to champion the idea of freedom of creative expression, they’re headed to Miami Art Basel where they’ll be celebrating New York based artist Daniel Arsham with an event showcasing his work.

Here are 15 tracks which capture the spirit of LA’s underground creative scene – past and present…

If you’re in LA pop into the The B&O Play House on Abbot Kinney in Venice. Follow #BeoPlayxDazed for more.