Daedelus: Local Artist We Love

Daedelus has become a master of musical patchworking.

I heard his work for the first time in 2008. It was the song “Fairweather Friends” which was the title track of an EP and the lead single from the full length “Love to Make Music To”. That song was one of the most unique and vibrant things I had ever heard. It started with a drum roll, followed by a snappy beat, a great synthesizer line, and a coy girl group sample. The lyric was “You know, when the weather gets warm we get the same things on our minds as you boys do…”

It was a controlled explosion of sound, and it ended in the most abrupt contrast to it’s dramatic intro. It was to be the song of that summer, and every summer that would follow.

It didn’t quite play out that way, although you can still slip that song into any DJ set to achieve instant smiles and movement.

Daedelus still remains, shockingly, somewhat in the shadows. Perhaps that’s because he always informs his work with some sense of oddity and mystery.

That said, his most current release, “Bespoke”, is his most cohesive and inviting to date. Opening track “Tailor-Made” comes close to approaching “Fair Weather Friends” in its summer anthem readiness.

Daedelus – Tailor-Made feat. Milosh (TOKiMONSTA Remix) by Ninja Tune

However, instead of being the clear standout, it sets the tone for an album chock full of incredible moments with each one building upon the last. Inara George (of the Bird and the Bee) lends her etheral voice to a nifty little mind warp of a track called “Penny Loafers.” Notable underground rapper Busdriver also makes an appearance for the very strong jazz influenced number, “What Can You Do for Me?” Slower and stranger songs abound until the album closes with the relatively straightforward beauty of “Nightcap,” which is 41 seconds of Beach Boys-esque harmonies over the barely audible strum of an acoustic guitar.

I noticed while doing research for my radio show this past weekend that Daedelus is part of the line-up of this year’s Lollapalooza festival. This puts him amongst the likes of stadium rock heavy hitters such as Coldplay and Muse.

No surprise there, talent wise, but I still can’t help but marvel at how cool it is to see such a daring and essential local artist able to share his work with more and more diverse audiences. Thus ensuring that Daedelus is a name that you will hear more and more with each passing year.

— Marion Hodges

Editor’s Note: Check out his live set on MBE last year!