»Not bad for a New Yorker« was my first thought when I heard FaltyDL’s debut album »Love Is A Liability«. His take on garage, 2-step and dubstep structures was definitely okay, but not particularly unique. With »You Stand Uncertain«, FaltyDL has found his own voice — still enriched with a generous portion of references, but also complemented and refined with the central theme of his own work. The vocal samples have been replaced by real singers, and the odd rhythms sometimes drift towards chillwave.
Dubstep is everywhere these days. James Blake and his cohorts have made the diversification of the genre – or its post-variations – a cause for concern for newspapers and music magazines alike in recent months. And as is so often the case, the rumbling sub-basses and twisted drum patterns soon infiltrated the charts. The Britneys and Rihannas of the world have been given the typical future garage sound for their bridges, hooks and remixes. The same old story.
»Go and see how dark your mind can get and see what pops out of it!«
FaltyDL
How does this infiltration feel for someone who is at home in this genre? »James Blake is a wonderful producer and has made some amazing dubstep tunes. I really like his album,« Falty begins diplomatically. »And hype is always bullshit, but this way you reach more people. For example, I don’t know the Britney song. But it’s good for dubstep. Because the music was and is always original, developed by a few very individual people and their urge to produce,« FaltyDL muses. And yet, the music of people like FaltyDL is increasingly coming into the public eye through the consensus step itself.
Separation via Iphone
For FaltyDL this is a reason to be active in the parametric sense, that is, outside the music in relation to his own work. He is currently working with LuckyME’s Dominic Flannigan, who has recently been responsible for the visuals of the likes of Canadian house youngster Jaques Greene, FlyLo affiliate Lunice and wonky veteran Rustie. “I think the visual presence of an artist in the form of videos or something like that is becoming more and more important. It can help you stand out from the flood of weekly releases. That’s why I’m shooting more and more videos, like for my track “Endeavour”. The iPhone is perfect for that.” The 2-minute song features grainy and shaky footage of a train ride over the Manhattan Bridge.
What seems banal and arbitrary at first glance is only so at second glance. Here, as with many electronic producers these days, music and image form a seemingly inseparable symbiosis. You are carried along by the beat, drawn into the image, and lose yourself in the endless loop of the train ride. You feel alone, completely left out, and suddenly you understand how the melody came to be. “The way I produce music makes me very lonely, yes,” Falty muses. “But on the other hand, it allows me to go very deep. That’s something I recommend to every new and young producer: “Go and see how dark your mind can get and see what comes out of it!
Fast tracks underscored with melancholy
Go right where it hurts. To the darkest point of your soul and see what comes out. A way of playing that Falty must have picked up from his time as a bassist in various jazz groups. Even though the faster tracks on “You Stand Uncertain” are more prominent, there is still a certain melancholy running through them. The New Yorker is always shy when asked about his music. “I don’t really want to know much about what my music does to the listener. It’s like pulling back the curtain and looking into the living room. That should be the place where you can be yourself and no one is watching you.”
And when he’s in the spotlight? Does he ever feel under pressure? Or is there even competition between producers? “I think everything is pretty fair. I don’t give anyone any respect if they’re a jerk. If someone’s polite, I like to reciprocate. There’s definitely stress in our scene – it’s just not as openly expressed as in hip hop, for example.
»I don’t know much. Neither about people nor about anything else — that’s where the title comes from.«
FaltyDL
The harsh style of hip-hop beats can sometimes be heard in FaltyDL’s productions. A collective that embodies this attitude like no other at the moment are the guys from Odd Future. “I am a big fan of Earl Sweatshirt and I also like Tyler, the Creator. But Earl are badass!” Falty admits. “I really like the rawness of their beats and lyrics – maybe it’s a bit too much. But I hope they succeed with this track. Hip hop needs these guys right now.”
Garage rumble and the best chillwave style
Just like the sometimes uninspired dubstep movement needs people like FaltyDL. “You Stand Uncertain”, as mentioned at the beginning, is by no means another uninspired collection of offbeat rhythms and syncopated bass lines. Sometimes he throws in a good dollop of garage rumble (“Tell Them Stories”). Then it’s back to South American counting methods (“The Pacifist”). Or he amalgamates carefully selected snippets of sound in the best chillwave style (“Lucky Luciano”). What always resonates is this undefined depth.
So vague that Falty himself doesn’t seem to know exactly what he wants to say with this album. “It’s easy to explain,” he laughs. “I don’t know much. Neither about people nor about anything else — that’s where the title comes from.” So everything is uncertain. When there is something to say and the tried and tested samples and soundbites are no longer enough, Falty now relies on real vocals – including from electronica chanteuse Aneka. The connection came about through Mike Paradinas and his Planet µ label. Mike Paradinas has been releasing his IDM sketches and breakbeat productions under various pseudonyms since the early nineties. No wonder he took an eclectic crossover artist like Falty under his wing.
But Falty and Mike also have a close relationship outside of business, “I love Mike and his label very much. For me it feels a bit like home. But sometimes it can be difficult and we don’t talk for six months. But when it comes to projects we find each other again. When it comes to having confidence in my music, he has helped me a lot.”
