The 170bpm alias of Damon Kirkham, Kid Drama is best known for his ability to conjure up techno-tinged autonomic drum & bass that will have you shivering and shaking in all the right places. His recently released Covering Ground EP (out on Exit Records) showcases some of that head-twisting flair that only he can bring as heads like Skeptical and Consequence check in for some collaborative fever alongside Alia Fresco lending her vocals to the cause.
While this isn’t the first time Damon has crossed paths with dBridge and his Exit imprint, it’s always refreshing to hear how his work under his Kid Drama moniker feels qualitatively different and unique from his Jon Convex, Instra:mental, and Heart Drive projects. If any of those names ring a bell then you know that there is no one more qualified to take us down a psychedelic rabbit hole.
When I was really young, my father would feed me a healthy dose of Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project, Kraftwerk and so many other artists that I love today.
Tangerine Dream “Love on a Real Train” (Virgin, 1984)
So many Tangerine Dream tracks to choose from but this stands out the most; you can hear the influence in the work I did in Instra:mental. I also grew up in a video shop watching VHS films and the soundtracks always stuck with me. This was from the score of Risky Business.
Art of Noise “Love” (ZTT, 1986)
When I was really young, my father would feed me a healthy dose of Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project, Kraftwerk and so many other artists that I love today. Most people go with “Moments in Love” off the album but “Love” resonated with me more and reminds me of my father. Unfortunately he’s not alive to hear what I’m doing with the music or for me to thank him for being such an influence on me from so young.
Boards of Canada “An Eagle in Your Mind” (Warp, 1998)
There are too many Boards of Canada tracks to choose from, but this came at a time where I was being introduced to so much good electronic music that was blowing my mind. I pretty much had this on repeat for months. This is a song that I still listen to at least once a week and will never ever tire of.
Autechre “Further” (Warp, 1994)
Again, like with Boards of Canada, this came to me around the time I was discovering forward thinking, amazingly engineered electronica, and the album Amber was and is an all-time fave. I picked “Further” because I love the progression of the track and just get lost inside the headphones every time I listen to it. I’m obsessed with FM synthesis and Autechre are the kings for me.
Aphex Twin “Windowlicker” (Warp, 1999)
This is probably the most obvious but the impact this tune had on me was one of the most powerful. The heavy abusive use of compression, intricate edits, and amazing sound palette [were] all used to create a highly warped pop record that crossed over into the charts. Genius.