Presented by KCRW
Cut Chemist at Elysium
Life moves in cycles. Every death yields a rebirth. Every rebirth unfolds into a new life. Cut Chemist can attest. On his long-awaited second full-length solo album Die Cut, the trailblazing DJ and producer underwent a creative birth reflected in its 17 tracks. The artist augments his signature approach famously earmarked by impeccable sample selection, searing scratching, and big-screen worthy arrangements with the inclusion of A-list musicians, “songwriter structure,” and a whole lot of team spirit.
“This is the death of a musical identity and the birth of another,” he affirms. “It isn’t just the cut-and-paste style anymore. I’m collaborating with more musicians and sampling less. Of course, I still scratch. That’s where I came from, and people would throw shit at me if I didn’t (I’d throw shit at me!),” he laughs. “This is different. The content is emotionally heavier, even though it’s still fun. It harks back to the energy you can share with live musicians rather than being a DJ alone on stage. I wanted to capture that with this style of music."
[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]
Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.