Now based in Milan, Andrea Gamba aka Daykoda releases his most recent project the five track project Lucid Dreams. As the name dictates it’s a slightly surreal, electro infused down-tempo to mid-tempo offering that leans heavily to something akin to a film score. It’s an expansive and immersive experience as tracks like Indian and connect on a satisfying cerebral level.
Daykoda you are only twenty-two but it seems you have been about a while. How have things changed for you since you put out your debut project Sleeping Awake (2016).
Well, things have changed a lot since I put out my first project on the Insight Music label. I feel more confident about music and my musical tastes have changed and matured. With the help of Beat Machine Records I developed my consciousness and knowledge in music industry dynamics and I feel in a good place right now.
You are based in Milan now.
Yes, and it has helped me to discover fresh new sounds and meet people who make different types of music-I’m very happy about my moving there.
Electronica and hip-hop you make them work together. Do they have a natural synergy?
You create the synergy. It’s not about hip-hop, techno, house or reggae. It’s how you approach music and how your brain works with the music.
Talk to us about your label Kindly Rewind.
I think of my label as a social and cultural movement. I want to give ears to people who deserve it. There’s a lot of artists who people have not heard who should have a platform. This is my mission as an independent label.
Talk about the technical aspects of your work in brief- field recording, acoustic, stratification, arp sounds, shaker and loop grooves.
Well, I don’t have a clear and defined way to produce music. Everything changes from track to track. I like to range over with my music. But I also do some field-recordings and loop music of course. I often play my guitar, work on drum patterns with ableton and controllers. I love to discover new sounds searching for them in vinyl or from digital archives – that’s the right way to use internet I suppose, knowledge and discovery. Then I put everything together and that’s it.
Lucid Dreams you released also as a cassette explain that choice (very retro).
Beat Machine and Orikami Records wanted to give my music (for the first time) a physical dimension. They decided to work on cassette because they felt it was a better solution for my “jazzy / chill / beats” sounds – and not forgetting that Groundislava 80’s remix too. It was a cool idea for me.
In talking about Lucid Dreams you state-“We often focus too much on “sound” like someone or something and learn techniques that has already been seen. With this record I just tried to be myself” elaborate more on that.
I think a lot of people try to make music which is over inspired by their musical influences and I think this shackles an artist because it doesn’t allow an artist to reach his/her personal sound.
And talk about how the dreams you had helped the creation of Lucid Dreams?
I was particularly haunted by dreams during this year (maybe because I don’t dream much). I liked the idea of recreating dreams through music and words. In essence allowing people to dream with their eyes open, like I do. Every track is a trip through my brain.
Han’s vocals are so hypnotic-how did the collabo happen and what was it specifically you felt would be added with the HAN vocal?
That was pretty easy, she’s my girlfriend. We were just sitting in the room listening to the Dream Yoga instrumental and I said “sing something for me”, and that’s how it happened. She has a great vocal and I knew that it would take the track to the next level.
Love that 80’s electronica sound in Groundislava Remix elaborate on that track?
I love that too! I personally loved Groundislava’s work. He gave a different taste to the album and I liked it very much.
Minimalism is a feature of your production particularly seen in the track Tokyo Pagoda. How challenging is it to approach music with a “less is more” attitude?
Well, it’s my way to live music. I think if music comes naturally from your ideas, your concepts, your way or mood, then it makes for a better production. The mood of Tokyo Pagoda is beautiful because it represents my mood in that moment. I don’t find it challenging because the track is merely a portrait of what I was feeling in that day or week.
Talk about translating your music to a live forum-we saw you are working with Baransu.
Yeah I want to become more acoustic in my live sets so we are playing together with guitar and drums. We made our first live show at ELEVA Festival in Reggio Emilia (IT) this past May.
We heard your set at Le Mellotron give us two tracks to add to our monthly playlist?