John Tejada: The Predicting Machine

-- By Raul Campos, KCRW DJ

Besides being one of my favorite electronic music producers and DJs, John Tejada is also a hometown hero who has been contributing to the dance music scene for quite some time. I take great honor in being able to call him a friend and I always look forward to hearing new material. Tejada's music is deep, dark and moody. It's perfect for dancing at a crazy underground warehouse party, but can also provide the perfect ambiance at home on a relaxing night just chillin' with a glass of wine in hand. I guess that's why his music is so accessible to many of the DJs here at the station.

Kompakt Records will be releasing his latest, The Predicting Machine, a musical journey that goes in many different directions, vibes and tempos, while always maintining John's unique sensibility. It reflects the sound he's championed for the last couple decades, but in true John Tejada fashion, the music pushes the boundaries sonically, emotionally and artistically. The album segues flawlessly from bleepy broken beats in "Orbiter,” to peak time night club energy pumper "A Familiar Mood,” back to a lush ambient cut "Radio Channel" that is beautifully spacey without the use of any drums. This is the kind of album that you can just listen to over and over, catching new elements each time that you missed on the previous listen. It is this kind of complex layering in his music that is extremely rare in electronic music producers. The Predicting Machine is an absolutely gorgeous release!

The Predicting Machine will be available to stream on demand from Monday, September 17 through September 24, 2012.