Neo Tokyo: Elektron Digitakt Dubstep/Trip Hop Live Set

Описание: Short dubstep/ trip hop live set produced and performed entirely on the Elektron Digitakt (with sparse transitional reverb from the mx-1). Recorded in one take. Glue and Ozone in post.


The short: As the Digitakt is a sampler I, uh, sampled. Probably some “easter egg” sounds for fans of anime…

The long: When I created this set, and the last set on the DN, I found my mind drifting toward the visions of dystopia offered in so many future-retro works created during the second half of the 20th c. Sprawling dangerous metropolises, humanoid tech enhancements, sinister corporate monoliths etc. One aspect of these works that I find interesting is the overall absence of screens being the centerpiece of technological advancement. Yeah there were screens (or screen like devices); walls of televisions -Fahrenheit 451-, the empathy box (maybe) -Do Androids Dream…-, the tablet and zoom stuff -Bladerunner-, and even VR/hacking/cyberspace -Neuromancer-. Nonetheless, even William Gibson has pointed out that he dropped the crystal ball when neglecting to predict the rise of phones/tablets.

So why am I saying all this?

When I make music I picture myself as a denizen of one of the cities in which some of my favorite future retro works take place; hence the titles. Not a character, just a resident.

These visions of the future were super hardware oriented. Androids, body enhancements, automation, laser weapons etc. In a way, I feel like the Elektron machines could easily dimension shift to those realities. They are a weird hybrid of lo-tech/hi-tech. Somehow, soft synths and DAWs (maybe Amiga) don’t fit the vision. But Elektron? These boxes would fit perfectly in some sketchy, dingy, android club…

Thanks for a listen!