"No-one mixes those shoegaze guitars over 808 drums like me.”
"No-one mixes those shoegaze guitars over 808 drums like me.”
Mailer Daemon (aka Sina Djavadkhani) likes to talk it up. The rapper/MC who lists 'The Internet' as one of his inspirations, is gearing up to lift the roof when he hits the road following the release of his debut EP Gravitas. Named after that rage inciting error email, Djavadkhani credits his 'dynamic' cultural background with helping to shape his art.
“It has made me very open and accepting to multiple styles. I feel that my background is really accentuated through my dynamic musical range from alternative rock, to hip hop and EDM. I don't really like sticking to one style or one genre,” says Djavadkhani, in his fading American accent. Djavadkhani is crazy mixed, with roots spanning from Persia, all the way to the United Sates and then on to Malaysia. He spent his formative years in the U-S-of-A, absorbing the changing shape of sound through the '90s and early-noughties – when rock began to lose its sting and bass culture kept on thundering on down our stereos.
“When I went to school I was really exposed to rock and grunge and that whole kind of movement,” says Djavadkhani. “Then the noughties came around – and of course rock died during that time – so we were exploring new things like the bass culture. Groups like The Neptunes started getting hot and pop music was exciting. It was then that I started getting more involved in the indie-electric movement and I started doing, like, electro remixes for indie bands. It wasn't until the late-noughties that dubstep and a heavy bass culture started emerging.”
Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter
Labelling his style as 'genre agnostic', Djavadkhani's MO revolves around an ability to amalgamate all those influences into a cohesive substance. Something he's quick to assure he has managed to pull off well. Very, very well. “You're gonna feel all the energy of the stuff I grew up with in my music. Everything from Depeche Mode to The Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, The Stone Roses and the Deftones. You're gonna feel some shoegaze guitars over 808 drums, you're gonna hear some Deftones-style dreamy distortion with some Sydney pretty-boy rap,” an excited Djavadkhani raves.
So far, Djavadkhani has already spread his 'genre agnostic' wings with the lads from the One Day crew, collaborating with Jackie Onassis who helped lay down some beats on his debut EP. “It was such an honour working with those guys. I could really read their talent. We collaborated before they broke and it was awesome, 'cause I thought I was the only one who saw something special in them,” muses Djavadkhani.
Collaborations on the album come thick and fast, with Sydney MC Tongue making a special appearance, along with Jewson from hip hop collective Thundamentals. But it's the boys from the One Day crew Djavadkhani is most keen to jump back into the studio with. “I am definitely very interested in working with [One Day member] Joyride,” gushes Djavadkhani. “I started DJing with him in the early days – him and Alison Wonderland, who I still see around. There's no jealously between any of us, we just share allegiances.”
As for his debut EP, well, the boy from just about everywhere is coming home to roost – dropping beats at his spiritual stomping ground; the Oxford Art Factory. “I feel there's a real philosophy at OAF, you know? People there are really open to everything and everything seems to go. I mean, I feel like I can drop anything, any beat and people there will be totally open to it. So, it's always just resonated with my 'genre agnostic' philosophy.”
Now, all that's left to do for Djavadkhani is to put his money where his mouth is and convert us all to his musical doctrine.
Mailer Daemon will be playing the following dates: