DJML brings beats to FTD

The new project from Dan Letson focuses on percussion from two specific drum machines.

You can generally count on FTD to reach out for a less conventional proposition to add to its burgeoning repertoire. Charles Drakeford’s label made quite a statement with its first release from Polish maverick Lutto Lento, while subsequent releases from Niagara, Elzéard and Moana and Gramrcy have all swerved standard practice and pointed to a sharp A&R instinct for interesting new artists. Oakland’s Dan Letson is certainly far from a household name, but his work on the Globule Of Non-Standard mix series as DJML has quietly amassed knowing nods from keen-eared lovers of experimental sounds.

While those mixes may deal in everything from free jazz to Klaus Schulze, FTD have been compelled to release some works from Letson that deal in a more streamlined concern. The tracks on FTD005 have been solely composed on two drum machines – the Korg DDD-1 and the Boss DR-660. The former is a cult choice amongst lovers of ‘80s percussive sounds, while the DR-660 represents the golden age of affordable ‘90s machines. The EP takes on something of a DJ tool approach with its militant focus on sounds only coming from these two bits of kit, although the rhythms are far from standard. A video accompanying the track “DDD-2” has been put together by Sasha Litvintseva, which you can peep below, while the record can be previewed over at the FTD SoundCloud.

FTD will release FTD005 by DJML on June 22.

Tracklisting:

A1. DDD1
A2. DDD2
B1. DR-660 Slendro
B2. DR-660 Tabla

From The Depths on Juno