Play in popout

Who: Deadelus
What: interview
Where: Casbah, 306 King St. West, Hamilton
When: Tuesday June 16th, 2009

Los Angeles native Alfred Darlington, aka Daedelus has a sound that eludes common categories. His Influences are equally as bizarre ranging from film scores of the 1950s, 60s & 70s crafted by Elmer Bernstein, John Barry, Michelle LeGrand;  Bebop & Jazz from the 50's & 60's and rave music from the early 90s. He was introduced to electronic music from a trip to London, England. While tuning into London's local pirate radio stations and tapping into their underground rave scene, he decided that's a world he wanted to explore. Currently touring Europe hitting France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Republic, Spain & Switzerland and then back to North America performing with his remarkable instrument of choice called the "Monome".

How were you introduced to the Monome & what's your approach to using it?
It's out in the world a little bit now. It's been in the hands of certain people, like myself, who've been desiring other options for an electronic performance. Early in its development I met the fellow who created it, Brian Crabtree. Him along with his friends, were doing programming for this open source interface idea. That's all it really is, is a collection of buttons. But it's open source all the way through. It's fantastic, in that it's really a blank canvas. The way I employ it is I take tiny slices of samples and I glue them with other things, you know? Be it drum beats or basslines or my own melodies or other (artists) melodies. Depending on how you play the samples, you can get all kinds of ranges of moods, feelings and rhythms. It fully allows to get to the nitty gritty down and dirty.

There's currently a lot of debate in the electronic scene what constitutes as a "live" electronic performance. Do you consider yourself a "live" artist?
Yes, but wish sometimes I wish it wasn't as live as it is. It's really me pressing all the buttons and making everything happen. It can be quite frustration that way because there isn't easy routines. There isn't just a button press and run off to get a drink. I have to be present the whole time and actually making it happen.

 Where do you get your samples from?
I'm a big fan of found sounds and also making samples too. I like the combination. I definitely feel like I'm able to make a certain amount of sounds on pianos or guitars or other weird instruments too, but there's something amazing about being able to borrow into other sound spaces. If you sample these jazz records from the 50's, for instance, they're using the best equipment ever. We're all in agreement old analog equipment from the 50s and 60s is incredible. As a producer, I can't get access to crazy compressors and all this crazy gear. So this (sampling) is my way to do it as a producer.

How much has your formal musical education influenced your music?
It's a big influence, but it's not always good haha! Because you learn rules in school, you know? You learn things most people don't think about and really don't think about consciously, but it's in there. The real truth of it is, whatever sounds good is good.

 

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

DAEDELUS
http://www.daedelusmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/daedelusdarling

Handsome Sultan - http://www.myspace.com/handsomesultan
Donna Lovejoy
The Rubdown

 

@ The Casbah
306 King St.W
Hamilton - 905.521.4441
9PM -- LIC/AA :: $10 adv

 

 

• ADAM K at Sizzle Nightclub - August 27th
  Events & Tickets
• Hamilton Program for Schizophrenia’s annual HPS Idol
  Events & Tickets
• MARK OLIVER at Sizzle Nightclub
  Events & Tickets
• Steve Aoki
  Interviews & Articles
• dj Stretch Armstrong
  Interviews & Articles