“Delving further into the Saudade I’ve explored before (highlights would be Denies The Day’s Demise, Drown Out, Labyrinths); much of the album sounds uplift and smiles, while the rip current is actually indignation and revolt. So Simmers Over is quite the pot boiling too long.”

That’s what Daedelus said about his new album Simmers Over (Dome Of Doom), and who would know better than, well, Daedelus himself? The artist, producer, beatmaker, has always been many steps ahead of contemporaries, creating the most subliminal of nuances throughout an extensive catalog. The Los Angeles-based artist has released 23 studio albums and returns with the release of the latest LP, Simmers Over. The album is scheduled to drop on limited edition cassette and digital formats on August 26, 2022.

The 10-track and 34-minute record follow 2021’s Holy Water Over Sons. The music for Simmers Over was composed after the birth of Daedelus’ first child, Clementine, serving as a unique doorway for creative inspiration from the venerated artist, teacher, composer, sound designer, and performer. Clementine is even featured on the album cover. “It was a very quickly taken snapshot of the tiniest moment of exploration,” Daedelus adds, “thus the grainy gauzy appearance. Ear to keyboard, the three notes held don’t really spell a chord, but black keys in whole steps, who knows how beguiling to Clementine. The injury doesn’t deserve much mentioning; trust that the bandaid wasn’t for appearances. Nothing was set-up, but soon as I saw what was captured I knew it had to be the cover. As much as the album plays towards the fantastic, it is all very real subject matter, and I think this image expresses that.” 

Daedelus has released the first single off the album, “After After Ever,” and shares of the song that it’s “Inspired by Dilla’s “Donuts” approach of no superfluous samples. It is all about our boy Clementine, and how there is no after this, only newly begun. But also a fun song to begin this plummet with? Hoping a listener could enter this album with no backstory and still get something? Maybe influenced by the strong themes, but never grasping, and that’s ok. At least I tell myself.”

Photo credit: Kayla Kennedy