2 October 2015 - EMPAC
vhvl + Daedelus + Ikonika
From three stylistically distinct corners of the global beat scene, a trifecta of dance-music heavyweights descend on Troy for a late-night concoction of hip-hop, house, and techno.
Harlem-based sample queen vhvl builds dark, knotty collages from source material that can be both elemental and intimate at turns. Hers is a brand of hip-hop steeped as much in the rivers and forest of the Hudson Valley as in the concrete hustle of the city. Her 2013 debut myrrh drew comparisons to early Flying Lotus, and in 2014 she released a split cassette with Ras G on Stones Throw Records.
LA beat-scene veteran Daedelus is one of the most inventive and prolific figures to have emerged from the legendary weekly showcase Low End Theory at LA club the Airliner. Taking a decidedly baroque approach to his craft, the tech-savvy maestro conducts bottomless banks of sound from his preferred device—the gestural Monome. He's released 15 records with taste-making labels such as Brainfeeder and Ninja Tune, as well as collaborations with Prefuse 73, Busdriver, and the Gaslamp Killer.
London-based producer and DJ Ikonika has fast become a star of Hyperdub Records, one of the most esteemed purveyors of UK bass music. Her 2014 EPPosition built on a career that has synthesized house, dubstep, grime, garage, electro and R&B. When she isn't touring globally, she runs the label Hum + Buzz.