JOLT MUSIC 011:
Red Window
DJs VESUVIUS and wisdmm met while playing cat’s cradle at the 1st and 2nd grade divide on an elementary school playground in Akron, Ohio, 2003. This sparked many ensuing years of musical collaboration under different monikers. They started out with bizarre and lyrically enigmatic cassettes they would give to friends. Out of this grew a number of musical and multimedia projects they worked on for years. Now, the duo has reconvened for a joint release of strange and bouncy dance tracks under their respective solo DJ aliases.
DJ wisdmm’s (B. Reilly Shellito) interest in electronic music began in his youth, drawn to the intensely digital timbres found in turn-of-the-millennium labels like Warp and Raster-Noton. Originally trained in classical piano, he found more inspiration in improvisation and deconstructed forms of music creation, and thus turned his musical efforts to synthesizers and software. Later on, he developed a passion for DJing after hosting a radio show in college, which incited many months of deep research into beat-oriented electronic music, beginning with the Detroit classics and evolving through minimal, dub techno, outsider house, and so on. He started using drum machines to play alongside records, which inspired him to start recording his own tracks. His work is particularly inspired by—and constituted of—the unique and gritty timbres from vintage samplers struggling to accurately reproduce the sounds fed to them, and the unmistakably digital textures of vintage FM synths. Additionally, he is an avid user of modular synths and Elektron machines, all of which are used to program his music from his home studio in Akron, OH.
DJ VESUVIUS (Em Boltz) is a Philadelphia-based electronic music producer whose sound blends the raw energy of 90s house with cutting-edge pop influences. At the core of VESUVIUS's production setup are their computer and their beloved Elektron boxes, with the Digitakt and Digitone serving as the primary engines of creativity. The Digitakt's powerful sampling capabilities allow VESUVIUS to chop and manipulate classic house vocals and drums, while the Digitone's FM synthesis provides the perfect palette for crafting those quintessential 90s-inspired leads and bass lines. This dynamic duo of Elektron gear, coupled with Ableton forms the backbone of VESUVIUS's unique sonic signature. VESUVIUS's productions are a testament to the power of contrast - thunderous kicks and snares collide with gossamer synth pads, while pitch-shifted vocals weave through intricate arpeggios. This dynamic interplay between raw energy and polished sheen defines the VESUVIUS sound, creating tracks that are equally at home on sweaty dancefloors and pop radio playlists.
LISTEN:
Tracklist:
1. RN5S1@ - DJ Vesuvius
2. YOU TAKE ME HIGHER - DJ VESUVIUS
3. LOST INSIDE YOUR MIND - DJ VESUVIUS
4. oldmindd - DJ wisdmm
5. bathtubb - DJ wisdmm
6. wisecrackaa - DJ wisdmm
Credits:
Tracks 1, 2, 3 by Em Boltz
Mixed and mastered by Chance Milestone
Tracks 4, 5, 6 by B. Reilly Shellito
Mixed and mastered by B. Reilly Shellito
Art by Em Bolz and B. Reilly Shellito