This is the album that DJ Shadow should have made after The Private Press. It’s a throwaway comment sure but it helps go some way to explaining just what Alfred Darlington aka Daedelus has accomplished with, what looks like his tenth major release. The producer has finally made good on his long-evident promise with one of the best releases of the year. An electronica album at its core, Daedelus channels hip-hop, R&B rhythms and dubstep basslines to superb effect. The result is 15 tracks of polychromatic genius which bears plenty of repeated listens (which was the major problem with his previous releases). There are audio detours aplenty with some great use of archaic samples. The album is so good I had problems picking out which songs would accurately represent the work.
I choose ‘Touchtone’ as it features Paperboy and Taz on rap duties while simultaneously representing the dubstep influence. ‘Hrs:Mins:Secs’ (which was released as a free download so you may have heard it) qualifies my DJ Shadow comparison as it parallels the instrumental workouts that Shadow was and is so prone to making. It stands up on its own however. The excellent ‘Fairweather Friends’ from last year’s EP is below in video format as is the new single ‘Make It So’.
Buy this album – Daedelus – Love to Make Music To. You should also check out Live at Low End Theory mix from earlier in the year.
Daedelus will be playing this year’s Mantua festival.
Videos after the jump.
‘Make It So’ featuring Michael Johnson
‘Fairweather Friends’
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
He is amazing. Lovely guy too, was really sweet to myself and friends at his gig in Whealans. Roll on Mantua! Flying Lotus and himself at the one gig!
Don’t want to wreck your buzz but I think I heard Flying Lotus cancelled.
His sister married my girlfriend’s brother last week. Seriously.
His name is Alfred and he likes to dress in the style of the Elizabethan era. Ye gotta love that…
Great album, think ‘Fair Weather Friends’ is still the standout track
Tenaka, Those other tracks are starting to get played a lot more than Fairweather friends.
Cian, that was an interesting statement. Funny stuff.
Two great tracks alright
I have a weak spot for Assembly Lines aswell
yeah K fly lo ain’t playing mantua.. but the fecker is playing the big chill and the bugs album launch that weekend so me wonders was there a cockup with the booking rather the excuse mantua gave us
picked up the album last week.. haven’t got a chance to have a proper listen to it yet but on a fly though it sounded really good.. great to see he has gone on a totally different direction to denies the days demise, which was defo one of the best albums of 06
just saw him w/ Nosaj Thing in boulder !!
ridiculous. and it was such a small venue
Cracking stuff alright sir. The video for “Fairweather Friends” is almost as lovely as the track. Almost. Gonna pick up my Mantua ticket this weekend as it happens. It shall be quite the lark me thinks.
check out this Daedelus mix
http://files.for-robots.com/blair/DaedelusCandiedAssortment.mp3
Lovin the third song, Twist the kids, I think its called. Starts off like the T2 theme!!
My beau reminds me a bit of Dry County too 🙂
Mr Jelly