Dan the Auteur-mator
The Producer as Auteur
The Neptunes. Timbaland. Sean O'Hagan. Steve Albini. Nowadays, influence
seems to lie more with producers than with artists. The above names do more
than simply bring to mind a particular "sound," but inspire a certain style,
and ethic as well. They imprint projects with a sensibility and attitude
that speaks for whole genres. Whether it's Albini's raw inspiring knob-work,
or the Neptune's electro bump and grind, their sounds and styles are
unmistakable. They have shifted the "producer" job description from simple
studio recording to that of film-like directing.
The most likely music maker to fill the analogous shoes of Alfred Hitchcock
would have to be Dan "the Automator" Nakamura. Just like Hitch's tooling of
varied genres without abandoning his personal touches like his wry wit,
sexual complexities and Freudian subtexts, The Automator weaves in and out
of genres without abandoning his silly allusions, outlandish samples and
heavy crisp beats. Whether it's the leftfield hip-hop of Dr. Octagon or
Deltron 3030, or the genre hopping of Handsome Boy Modeling School or
Gorillaz, his records are always first and foremost Automator projects.
Perhaps with the release of "Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By"
and his latest mix "Wanna Buy a Monkey?," Dan the Automator will finally
solidify this auteur-like reputation by producing a completely
"hip-hop-free" album, and a mix record that actually lives up to its
billing.
Abandoning the safety afforded by the arty hip-hop label, Lovage still bears
all the earmarks of "an Automator project." Superstar guests and cameos?
(In this case, Prince Paul, Kid Koala, Damon Albarn of Blur, Mike Patton of
Faith No More, Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields) Check. Odd homages and
allusions? (See the Jackie Gleason-esque record cover, a cover of "Sex
(I'm a.)" by 80s chart-toppers Berlin, and Hitchcock movie titles.) Check.
Include an odd sense of humor and puzzling experimentations in sound, and no
one but Nakamura could have been at the helm. And this is what makes Lovage
a breakout work. Completely out of his hip-hop comfort zone, the Automator
succeeds in delivering a unique, enticing and often hilarious work of art.
Placing a high priority on ambiance and humor, Nakamura never forsakes his
usual production value and sound invention to do so. The texture is luscious
and dark in all the right places, and his use and direction of Patton and
Charles is often humorous, sometimes a bit fearful, but always deft.
Perhaps this is why many of the song titles nick Hitchcock's finest (To
Catch a Thief, Strangers on a Train, Lifeboat). Maybe it's not simply an
allusion by one master to another, but instead, a statement by Nakamura of
his own status, and a comment on his talent. And perhaps this is proof that
he should now be considered among the greatest in his line of work. He is
no longer just a producer, but an auteur.
Quickly on the heels of Lovage, with the release of his mix CD "Wanna Buy a
Monkey?," Nakamura again proves himself deserving of the mantle of "Auteur"
by resurrecting a dying genre: the mix CD. What baffles me, is that in the
"mixtape/CD" genre, the majority of mixes are neither creatively chosen nor
technically sound. Do they not have the time to perfect the mix? Have
these DJs not bought a record since 1987? Can't these people take the time
to actually beat match? Is that too much to ask? Choosing musical tidbits
from his collection and delivering them in a smoothly flowing mix, fairly
free of both train wrecks and obvious choices, the Automator proves it's not
too much to ask from him. Instead of simple standards, Nakamura
effortlessly mixes (and beat matches, and scratches) the likes of Tortoise,
Air, and The Doves with Black Rob, Brand Nubian, Bobby Digital, and De La
Soul. Choosing smart tracks and using essential mixing techniques, the
Automator manages to strengthen a genre many believe is played out, while
also destroying all of our expectations. The bar has been re-set. The
master has struck again, and solidified his status as more than a just a
producer, but an artist as well.
by Miguel Banuelos
banuelos@outersound.com
DAN THE AUTOMATOR (Mini mix MP3 with snippets from Air, Zero 7,Toirtoise, Deltron 3030, Fantomas, Black Rob):
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