Jimmy Edgar
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Edgar is a Detroit-based electronic music artist, signed to K7 Records
. Influenced mostly by Jazz
, funk
, street beat
and r&b in these early years, he began his musical pursuit by playing the drums in experimental bands and by making tape recordings. Most of these recordings, consisting mainly of pitch bent tape loops, cut edits, field recordings, and noise tracks, were the beginning of his experimentation with the technical aspects of production.
of Sound Couture.
, and mostly percussion/drum set. By the time he was 15, he started performing at Detroit raves.
In early 1999 Edgar signed his first record deal with NYC based Isophlux Records, following a release of a techno track called "We Like You" on the German label Poker Flat.
immediately signed him and released his first full length album My Mines I [merck009] by the "dual alter ego" kristuit salu vs. morris nightingale. After the release of My Mines I in February 2002, Edgar started getting some attention which lead to touring cities in the US, including New York City, performing at the infamous experimental music fest the Miami Infiltrate, Vancouver and selected cities in Japan. Touring he got a good response from his live performances as he carried a distinctive energy on to stage and incorporates visuals such as synchronized projections. He was also asked to perform at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival
2003 which was his debut as a Warp Records
artist, and in which Detroit witnessed a legend in formation as even the security got down with the local break dancing squad.
His first release on Warp was a 4-track EP
, titled Access Rhythm in 2004. In 2005 he followed up a second 6-track EP Bounce Make Model, and then his full-length album Color Strip in February 2006.
A forthcoming album XXX, formerly called Deeper, is expected June 2010 on K7 Records
. The second single, "Turn You Inside Out," was released on rcrdlbl.com in July 2008 and became the #1 most popular download within the first week .
and New York City
, while exhibiting his work in Europe and Japan. Edgar shoots in a varying of different styles from new digital HDR
technology, to medium format film inspired by early Prada
, Fendi
and Calvin Klein
ads. He often test shoots select agency models.
Edgar's fashion photography was featured on the cover of the 10th anniversary issue of H Magazine (Spain), which also published the entire story 'Adaptable Color'. The story also made the cover with accompanied interview in UK's NOTION magazine and a video interview for ELLE Belgium.
2010 brought an introduction to Jimmy Edgar fashion films for such designers as Japan's BLACKOPERATOR, and his own series with Liz Centolella, they can be found on YouTube.
In addition to shooting fashion, Jimmy has also shot press photos for Hercules Love Affair, Kelley Polar, Morgan Geist, Theophilus London, Black Affair, Beta Band, and new signing from Nina Tune records Emika.
of Daft Punk
's Digital Love
was to be the first single off. The project is set to be the first installment in a series of 5-track conceptual EPs, entirely produced by Edgar, to be released quarterly, starting in the Fall of 2009.
, collaborated with Edgar on his album Please Pressure Point released on V2 Records
in 2008. Edgar co-produced & engineered the Pleasure Pressure Point album, produced and directed the music video for "It's Real", shot Steve Mason's press photography for the campaign and also designed all of the 12" singles and the album artwork which features a photograph still from the video shoot. Black Affair and its affiliation to Edgar gave both Mason and Edgar a new edge on their own music with their tight connection. According to recent interviews, they are planning a next move.
label. The five-track EP contains more live instrumentation than his previous work and combines a variety of influences, from Chicago house
to Minneapolis funk
.
. One of which is X District, which started out as an accidental exchange of cryptic and symbolic writings between Edgar and Laura Clarke from Leeds
. These conversations and typed words ended up as the "Color Correction" maxi-single on Noir Push Recordings, a label affiliates with friends of Edgar. In December 2008, "Color Correction" was re-released on Playhouse Records
(Germany) with remixes by Edgar and LoSoul.
.
(Netherlands).
for the space character, and explores the concept of silence as well as sounds outputted by computer viruses. According to Audio.NL, sections of the album are so "extreme in frequency" that an acceptable vinyl release could not be produced, making it the only compact disc release on the label to date. The Michaux project is revered as one of the pioneering releases of the genre called Glitch
or Microsound
and according to the Boomkat review was "some of the most original treatments you'll hear on any disc, at any time, anywhere."
According to Muzak Soundish blog, the torch of Michaux has been passed to famed Christian Dior
fashion model Dana LeGlise.
name="xxx_PF">
Track Listing - XXX
Track Listing - Color Strip
Track Listing - Color Strip
Studio !K7
Studio !K7 is an independent record label based in Berlin, Germany that focuses mostly on electronic music. The name is an abbreviation of the company's original Berlin address, Kaiserdamm 7 . !K7 has since opened branch offices in New York City, Hamburg, London, and Tokyo.It has four independent...
. Influenced mostly by Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, street beat
Street Beat
Street Beat was a Danish band formed in 1982 by Henrik Carlsen and Bo Møller . Drummer Kristian Skovgård Lassen joined the band shortly after. The three of them stayed together until 1993....
and r&b in these early years, he began his musical pursuit by playing the drums in experimental bands and by making tape recordings. Most of these recordings, consisting mainly of pitch bent tape loops, cut edits, field recordings, and noise tracks, were the beginning of his experimentation with the technical aspects of production.
Poster child
A poster child is a child afflicted by some disease or deformity whose picture is used on posters or other media as part of a campaign to raise money or enlist volunteers for a cause or organization...
of Sound Couture.
Early life
Edgar's intense passion for music also propelled him at a young age to learn to play any instrument he could get his hands on, including string instruments, saxophoneSaxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, and mostly percussion/drum set. By the time he was 15, he started performing at Detroit raves.
In early 1999 Edgar signed his first record deal with NYC based Isophlux Records, following a release of a techno track called "We Like You" on the German label Poker Flat.
Merck Records
Merck Records was a record label based in Miami and run by Gabe Koch. It released electronic music.-Background:Their releases cover a wide range of styles, from cut up vocal hip hop by their most prominent artist Machinedrum, to central IDM by artists like Proem, Mr. Projectile, and Deru, to...
immediately signed him and released his first full length album My Mines I [merck009] by the "dual alter ego" kristuit salu vs. morris nightingale. After the release of My Mines I in February 2002, Edgar started getting some attention which lead to touring cities in the US, including New York City, performing at the infamous experimental music fest the Miami Infiltrate, Vancouver and selected cities in Japan. Touring he got a good response from his live performances as he carried a distinctive energy on to stage and incorporates visuals such as synchronized projections. He was also asked to perform at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival
Detroit Electronic Music Festival
The Detroit Electronic Music Festival , and its successors comprise an annual series of electronic dance music showcases held in Detroit each Memorial Day weekend since 2000...
2003 which was his debut as a Warp Records
Warp Records
Warp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
artist, and in which Detroit witnessed a legend in formation as even the security got down with the local break dancing squad.
His first release on Warp was a 4-track EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, titled Access Rhythm in 2004. In 2005 he followed up a second 6-track EP Bounce Make Model, and then his full-length album Color Strip in February 2006.
A forthcoming album XXX, formerly called Deeper, is expected June 2010 on K7 Records
Studio !K7
Studio !K7 is an independent record label based in Berlin, Germany that focuses mostly on electronic music. The name is an abbreviation of the company's original Berlin address, Kaiserdamm 7 . !K7 has since opened branch offices in New York City, Hamburg, London, and Tokyo.It has four independent...
. The second single, "Turn You Inside Out," was released on rcrdlbl.com in July 2008 and became the #1 most popular download within the first week .
Photography
Edgar is an award winning fashion photographer which has seen his work in such publications as H Magazine, Spot Magazine, Urb Magazine, Blink Magazine and more. He continues to work back and forth from Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, while exhibiting his work in Europe and Japan. Edgar shoots in a varying of different styles from new digital HDR
HDR
HDR may refer to:* HDR, Inc., an American architectural and engineering firm* Hard disk recorder* Hevy Devy Records, a record label* High Dose Rate, a treatment technique in radiotherapy* High dynamic range imaging, digital imaging...
technology, to medium format film inspired by early Prada
Prada
Prada S.p.A. is an Italian fashion label specializing in luxury goods for men and women , founded by Mario Prada.-Foundations:...
, Fendi
Fendi
Fendi is an Italian high fashion house best known for its "baguette" handbags. It was launched in 1925 as a fur and leather shop in Rome, but today is a multinational luxury goods brand owned by LVMH...
and Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
ads. He often test shoots select agency models.
Edgar's fashion photography was featured on the cover of the 10th anniversary issue of H Magazine (Spain), which also published the entire story 'Adaptable Color'. The story also made the cover with accompanied interview in UK's NOTION magazine and a video interview for ELLE Belgium.
2010 brought an introduction to Jimmy Edgar fashion films for such designers as Japan's BLACKOPERATOR, and his own series with Liz Centolella, they can be found on YouTube.
In addition to shooting fashion, Jimmy has also shot press photos for Hercules Love Affair, Kelley Polar, Morgan Geist, Theophilus London, Black Affair, Beta Band, and new signing from Nina Tune records Emika.
Almamy
In July 2009, electropop singer Almamy announced in an interview that he was working with Edgar on a 5-track conceptual EP called The Love, from which his coverCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Daft Punk
Daft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
's Digital Love
Digital Love
"Digital Love" is a song by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk. It was released as the third single from the album Discovery. As part of the album, the song is featured in the film Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem....
was to be the first single off. The project is set to be the first installment in a series of 5-track conceptual EPs, entirely produced by Edgar, to be released quarterly, starting in the Fall of 2009.
Black Affair
Steve Mason, famed singer of Scotland's The Beta BandThe Beta Band
The Beta Band were a British musical group who received much critical acclaim and achieved cult status amongst avid followers of the underground and experimental music scene...
, collaborated with Edgar on his album Please Pressure Point released on V2 Records
V2 Records
V2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
in 2008. Edgar co-produced & engineered the Pleasure Pressure Point album, produced and directed the music video for "It's Real", shot Steve Mason's press photography for the campaign and also designed all of the 12" singles and the album artwork which features a photograph still from the video shoot. Black Affair and its affiliation to Edgar gave both Mason and Edgar a new edge on their own music with their tight connection. According to recent interviews, they are planning a next move.
Her Bad Habit
2008 saw the debut release from Edgar's new electrofunk project, Her Bad Habit, on the CitiniteCitinite
Citinite is a record label launched in 2006 which specialises in electrofunk. Its artist roster is a mix of new artists, such as Her Bad Habit, Gosub and Sweat.X, and older artists who helped pioneer the electrofunk genre, such as John Davis and Egyptian Lover....
label. The five-track EP contains more live instrumentation than his previous work and combines a variety of influences, from Chicago house
Chicago house
Chicago house is a style of house music, a genre of electronic dance music which emerged in Chicago in the mid-1980s. Stylistically, Chicago house has no widely accepted definition, but generally includes the first house music productions by Chicago-based artists throughout the 1980s, and any later...
to Minneapolis funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
.
X District
In 2007, Edgar started several new projects as executive producerExecutive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
. One of which is X District, which started out as an accidental exchange of cryptic and symbolic writings between Edgar and Laura Clarke from Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. These conversations and typed words ended up as the "Color Correction" maxi-single on Noir Push Recordings, a label affiliates with friends of Edgar. In December 2008, "Color Correction" was re-released on Playhouse Records
Playhouse Records
Playhouse Records is the record label founded by Jim Copp and Ed Brown in 1958 to release albums of children's music. Over the course of 13 years, Copp and Brown wrote, recorded, designed, produced and promoted nine LPs of their own material and continued to run the label until 1978 when Ed Brown...
(Germany) with remixes by Edgar and LoSoul.
Plus Device
Edgar is rumoured to be half of the anonymous Plus Device. Plus Device is an electro "duo" released as one of the top artists on Hefty RecordsHefty Records
Hefty Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois . Founded in 1995 by John Hughes III , the label releases a range in genres that include post-rock, IDM, down-tempo, nu jazz, experimental music, and hip-hop.-History:...
.
Creepy Autograph
Edgar is also rumoured to be part of the anonymous Creepy Autograph along with several other members including Nels Truesdell, Alice Wakefield, and Dutch Master. Creepy Autograph have seen releases including Erase in Mind EP, Sexy Body EP, and Murder Sex on vinyl. These EPs are published under Valentines Connexion and distributed through Rush HourRush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
(Netherlands).
Michaux
In 1998, Edgar began digitally producing conceptual music under the name Michaux. Edgar's only release as Michaux came in 2003 on the label Audio.NL. The album is named %20, URL codePercent-encoding
Percent-encoding, also known as URL encoding, is a mechanism for encoding information in a Uniform Resource Identifier under certain circumstances. Although it is known as URL encoding it is, in fact, used more generally within the main Uniform Resource Identifier set, which includes both Uniform...
for the space character, and explores the concept of silence as well as sounds outputted by computer viruses. According to Audio.NL, sections of the album are so "extreme in frequency" that an acceptable vinyl release could not be produced, making it the only compact disc release on the label to date. The Michaux project is revered as one of the pioneering releases of the genre called Glitch
Glitch
A glitch is a short-lived fault in a system. It is often used to describe a transient fault that corrects itself, and is therefore difficult to troubleshoot...
or Microsound
Microsound
Microsound includes all sounds on the time scale shorter than musical notes, the sound object time scale, and longer than the sample time scale. Specifically this is shorter than one tenth of a second and longer than 10 milliseconds, including the audio frequency range and the infrasonic...
and according to the Boomkat review was "some of the most original treatments you'll hear on any disc, at any time, anywhere."
According to Muzak Soundish blog, the torch of Michaux has been passed to famed Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
fashion model Dana LeGlise.
Albums
- XXX (27/07/2010 digital, 14/09/2010 physical)
name="xxx_PF">
Track Listing - XXX
- Function of Your Love
- Hot, Raw, Sex
- Turn You Inside Out
- New Touch
- One Twenty Detail
- Rewind, Stop that Tape
- Push
- Physical Motion
- In My Color
- Midnite Fone Call
- Vibration
- Sleep Connexion (Date Rp)
- Color Strip (20/05/2006)
Track Listing - Color Strip
- Pret A Porter
- My Beats
- I Wanna Be Your STD
- LBLB Detroit
- Personal Information
- Telautraux
- Hold It Attach It Connect It
- Jefferson Interception
- Of The Silent Variety
- Semierotiic
- Color Strip (Warren)
- Heart Beat Sexual (Hidden Track)
- Color Strip (Japanese Import) (20/05/2006)
Track Listing - Color Strip
- Pret A Porter
- My Beats
- I Wanna Be Your STD
- LBLB Detroit
- Personal Information
- Telautraux
- Hold It Attach It Connect It
- Jefferson Interception
- Of The Silent Variety
- Semierotiic
- Color Strip (Warren)
- Heart Beat Sexual
- Cadieux + Cass (Bonus Track)
- My Mines I (as Kristuit Salu and Morris Nightingale, 02/2002)
- %20 (as Michaux, 2003)
EPs and Singles
- New Touch Remixes (01/01/11)
- NXTLVLNXTLVL / My Balance (Last Priority) (10/10/10)
- Hot, Raw, Sex Remixes (07/07/10)
- Tell It To The Heart (06/06/10)
- Funktion of Your Love E.P. (09/09/09)
- Lips Sealed (as Noir Friction, 05/05/09)
- Nothing is Better (09/20/08)
- I Don't Know (What You're Doing To Me) (as Her Bad Habit, 04/07/08)
- Color Correction (as X District with Laura Clarke, 10/2007)
- My Beats (02/22/06)
- Bounce, Make, Model (04/02/05)
- Access Rhythm (12/01/04)
- Seual Dual (as Kristuit Salu, 2001)
Remixes
- Will Smith "Miami (Jimmy Edgar Ultra Cut) 2002
- Tuesday "There's No Love in New York City (Remix) 2003
- Creepy Autograph "Signed Yours Truly (Jimmy Edgar Cut Edit) 2004
- Jimmy Edgar "Outer City Sound (Jimmy Edgar Hefty Records Remix)" 2007
- Yaporigami "Lie (Jimmy Edgar Remix)" 2007
- Black Affair "Its Real (Jimmy Edgar Remix)" 2008
- Daedelus "Touchtone (Jimmy Edgar RMX)" 2008
- Jimmy Edgar "Funktion Remix instrumental" 2008
- Scott Hardkiss "Hey Deejay! (Jimmy Edgar Remix)" 2008
- X District "Color Correction (Jimmy Edgar LTNT RMX)" 2009
- Purple Crush "Get Digital (Jimmy Edgar Remix)" 2009
- Silverclub "Crash this Car (Jimmy Edgar Remix)" 2009
- Fulgeance "Ann Arbor (Jimmy E Rmx)" 2009
- Kris Wadsworth "Mainline (Jimmy E Remix)" 2009
- Aux 88 "Mad Scientist (Jimmy Edgar REMIX)" 2009
- Machinedrum feat. Theophilus London "Late Night Operation (Jimmy Edgar Remix)" 2009
- Kathy Diamond "Fire (Jimmy Edgar RMX)" 2009
- Bitcode "For Trash (Jimmy Edgar RMX)" 2009
- Michael Jackson "Billie Jean (Jimmy Edgar Club Mix)" 2009
- Jimmy Edgar "Hot, Raw, Sex (Extension)" 2010
- Ghost Hunter "Island Barbados (Jimmy Edgar Remix)" 2010
- The Dream "Panties on the Side (Jimmy Edgar RMX)" 2010
- Jimmy Edgar "New Touch (Hard Makeover)" 2010
- Jimmy Edgar "New Touch (Cut Tap Disco MX)" 2010
- Native Underground "Night Vision (Jimmy Edgar Redo)" 2010
- Tahiti 80 "Darlin (Adam & Eve Song, Jimmy Edgar Remix)" 2011
- DJ T "Nothing Even Comes Close (JIMMY EDGAR LH RMX)" 2011
- Amon Tobin "Mass Spring (Jimmy Edgar Remix)" 2011
- Amon Tobin "Drop From The Sky (Jimmy Edgar Manipulation)" 2011
- INOJ "Love U Down (Jimmy Edgar's Lip Kiss)" 2011
- New Look "The Ballad (Jimmy Edgar Makeover)" 2011
- Jimmy Edgar "Ladyphysix (Change "Lovely Lady" / Dopplereffekt "Infophysix" Mashup) 2011
- Native Underground "Night Vision (Jimmy Edgar Remix)" 2011
- Sepalcure "Everyday of my Life (Jimmy Edgar Re-Mix)" 2011
- INC. "Millionaires (Jimmy Edgar Fxck Money Mix)" 2011
- Creep "You featuring Nina Sky (Jimmy Edgar Club Mix)" 2011
- Theophilus London "Why Even Try aka W.E.T. (Jimmy Edgars Modular Disco)" 2011
Videos
- ELPHA, Fashion Film Directed by Jimmy Edgar (01/2011)
- KATE, Fashion Film Directed by Jimmy Edgar (01/2011)
- BRIDGET, Fashion Film Directed by Jimmy Edgar (01/2011)
- BLACK OPERATOR, Fashion Commercial Directed by Jimmy Edgar (09/2010)
- SHE LET'S HIM, Short Film Directed by Jimmy Edgar (05/2010)
- Nothing is Better, Directed by Jimmy Edgar (08/01/2008)
- LB LB Detroit, Directed by Christos Chrestatos (07/01/2006)
Exhibitions
- Turin, Italy (2006) Museum during Tourino Winter Olympics
- New York City, USA (2007) Photography Exhibition Finite Gallery
- Miami, USA (2007) MOCA Museum of Contemporary Art Live Sound Installation
- New York CIty, USA (2008) White Museum, Jimmy Edgar Painting Exhibition
- New York City, USA (05/2008) XXX Exhibition Jimmy Edgar Photography/Polaroid
- Detroit, USA (08/2009) 555 Gallery Jimmy Edgar Painting Exhibition
- Pontiac, USA (11/2009) Vernor's Room Jimmy Edgar Complete Works (Painting on Canvas Series)
- Bologna, Italy (01/21-01/24/2010) Installation Link Museum featuring Work No. 11