Ted Davis is no stranger to the dimly lit corners of electronic music and club culture. The NYC resident is a prolific writer who purveys several genres with a tactful ear and keen aural awareness. His frequent DJ appearances only deepen this knowledge, which blends multitudes of genres and styles.
It is no surprise then that, as a producer, Davis’s productions run a slick gamut of techno, house, IDM, electro, and beyond. Under his DJ STEPDAD alias, he has successfully traversed the lofi house genre and returned after each release with something bigger, better, and more intriguing than the last.
When approached to release his newest offering, “the hits with DJ CLUB”, Image Research jumped on the opportunity. Operating like an a/b-sided single, the EP flows in two movements. “lambrusco jam” sets the scene with static hiss and misty, laser-etched synths. Throbbing bass, stacked percussion, and hushed acid droplets spring in and out of focus. As the halfway point comes, the club stomping kick brings forth an epic and euphoric closing. “club bliss” continues the 4-on-the-floor rhythms as angelic pads seep out of the back layer, into the front, and back again.
Two tracks that play out as a singular experience. A two-headed snake of an odyssey for dawn dance floors and morning-after reveries. - HPT
From the artist: the hits with DJ CLUB is a sun-drenched mini EP with an eerie undercurrent. These two tracks aim to evoke some almost ridiculously idyllic beachside rave where everything's just a little too pleasant; the whole thing is mildly off, but you can't quite place what the issue is. As the term dystopian club music is increasingly thrown around to describe nocturnal, over-the-top bass tracks, this release scrutinizes the concept through the opposite lens. It's nervous about the hedonism that drew someone to party at all.
Released October 25, 2024
Written and recorded by Ted Davis
Mastered by Hunter P. Thompson
Art and design by Alex Conradt (@semitruckstudio)
