San Francisco producerDave Aju's music has always marched to a different drum machine. His style encompasses so many genres, it's no wonder he's appeared on labels like Hypercolour, Compost, Oslo, Lazy Days, Souevenir, and his usual home, France's prolific Circus Company. His first full length album was "Open Wide" in 2008, and apart from being an amazing collection of music, it was also groundbreaking by only using recorded sounds from the mouth.
Dave's back with his second album "Heirlooms", and this time it's very personal, as it was created after the passing of his father and weaved his dad's record collection to make new works of art. Dave talks more about the album and pairs each track of the LP to a the proper setting to be enjoyed, like a fine wine.
Stompy - When did you decide to start the new album, and what was the first thing you did to get it going?
Dave - I'd been waiting for the right moment and inspiration to do a second album for awhile. Since the first one, I had come up with and tried out a few ideas among the various collaboration and remix work I was doing, but none really felt right. After my brothers and I split up my dad's record collection and belongings, I realized that was where I wanted to go with it, and started digging through various records and recordings of his to get it going.
Stompy - How has the album's final cut differ from your initial vision?
Dave - It changed direction and focus several times since my initial vision of the project. At first I really wasn't sure how I wanted to combine what I do with what my father did, but I knew I didn't want it to be so direct - like just a collection of edits of his recordings, but also knew I wanted to share as much of the original spirit and flavor of his musical style as possible. After a long process of trying to sort it all out, it came to the final stage, which is a pretty good balance all in all I think.
Stompy - How do you think the LP reflects you and your personality?
Dave - Well, since it's a basically a tribute to where I'm from via where I'm going in music today, I think the album reflects my beliefs and personality pretty strongly. There's depth and earnest emotion, but also some odd characteristics and humor, mixed in with some party-oriented funk and of course an appetite for tequila!
Stompy - Describe the perfect setting, time, method and place where this album should be listened to.
Dave - That's a good one, and very tough to say as music for me is highly subjective and varies from person-to-person. But to not cop out, I'll give you a quick recommendation per track, food-to-wine pairing menu-style, of places or situations (besides open-minded dance floors) for best effect:
"Rise" - At the start of a bike ride or any similar solo effort/travel
"All Together Now "- During a 3-4pm afternoon slump or any time a pick-me-up is needed
"To Be Free" - During or after a session, cruising around (like Travolta in Pulp Fiction w/ herb instead of junk)
"Away Away" - After a fight or argument with your girl/man/boss/friend/co-worker/etc.
"Until Then" - Either during a road trip or deep sea dive w/ a water and pressure-proof ipod
"Ms Reposado" - Mid-happy hour, between your first and fourth (preferably tequila) cocktail
"Caller # 7" - With friends, sunshine, and/or rollerskates
"You Gotta Know" - At a BBQ, especially if dudes are trying to mack on girls to no avail
"Brown & Blue" - During a sunset, after said rollerskating or BBQ above
"Revealing" - In your bedroom/comfort zone, eyes closed, or looking at old pictures of family/loved ones
Stompy - How do you hope people will react after listening to it?
Dave - The same as always, if not more so this time: I hope they can relate it to something within themselves and feel like they know me a little bit better... and for fellow DJs and producers, to feel somewhat encouraged to try different things in their sets and productions and not follow the rulebook so strictly.
Stompy - Did you have a specific type of production process you felt was important to the album, or were you just interested in the end product no matter how you got there?
Dave - I just wanted to be sure it met somewhere in the middle for that balance between my father's musical perspective and mine...I mean, in the end it's my album so it's Dave Aju through and through, but maintaining the softer, warmer vintage appeal of his era was important to me so there was a certain lo-fi angle to the production process to ensure that.
San Francisco producer Dave Aju's music has always marched to a different drum machine. His style encompasses so many genres, it's no wonder he's appeared on labels like Hypercolour, Compost, Oslo, Lazy Days, Souevenir, and his usual home, France's prolific Circus Company. His first full length album was "Open Wide" in 2008, and apart from being an amazing collection of music, it was also groundbreaking by only using recorded sounds from the mouth.
Dave's back with his second album "Heirlooms", and this time it's very personal, as it was created after the passing of his father and weaved his dad's record collection to make new works of art. Dave talks more about the album and pairs each track of the LP to a the proper setting to be enjoyed, like a fine wine.
Stompy - Are there any tracks that have a special meaning to you?
Dave - They are all quite special to me of course, but if I really had to break it down I'd say "Until Then" and "Revealing" may mean the most to me because the emotion in them directly touches on what I went through in dealing with my father's passing, a very heavy and life-changing period.
Stompy - Now that the album is out, what is the next thing you want to accomplish musically?
Dave - This album was a major milestone for me in that it helped re-center myself as an artist in a way and really lit a fire under my ass. Its release is the first of many more new projects I have coming up, including some much anticipated work for Herbert's label, a couple new band projects, and some fun EPs under another alias that are really exciting; And of course, a third album to come much sooner next time!
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