DT probes… Dom Tiberio aka Felt Drawings
Photo by Paul Rodriguez
Felt Drawings is Dom Tiberio from Los Angeles, USA. His music begs, borrows and steals from so many genres - chart pop, hip hop, R & B, dubstep, techno, goth and industrial. What keeps it coherent is the emotional intensity - Felt Drawings demands to be listened to due to the impending sense of urgency in all his tracks. We first heard about Felt Drawings during our interview with Freddy Ruppert of Former Ghosts, so you can see what kind of pedigree we’re talking about.
He recently released the EP Passing, as well as having a number of tracks available for free download on his site.
Felt Drawings has been getting a lot of positive press at the moment, so is definitely one to watch. Dom is releasing a full length later this year, so keeps your eyes out.
We’re hoping there will be an FD tour round Europe at some point, and will do whatever we can to make this happen, but for now enjoy this live video:
Anyhow…
Here’s DT’s interview with Dom Tiberio.
DT: Your sound features unabashed pop influences, the dark melancholy of dance and dubstep, as well as some industrial and goth type moments. How does the writing process work for something with such a variety of influences?
Dom: Well I’m glad you think it works. I don’t think about my influences as a whole when writing songs, but when I listen to music I do take little mental notes of things I like. Then all that stuff gets mushed around and filtered through my own tastes and sensibilities.
DT: Your music has a real, and genuine, emotional core. How do you capture this on record?
Dom: I appreciate that. When I write the songs it’s during the time when the content is fresh or relevant in my life so maybe that has something to do with it. I’m not sure. As far as the sounds I use, I tend to use sounds that are damaged and that fluctuate because it gives them a tiny life of their own.
DT: Whilst it’s a very dark record, there’s a definite sense of dance to your sound. Has this been informed by any particular artists or labels?
Dom: I do like a lot of dance music. Growing up I used to listen to the deep house mixes that DJ Enrie would put out. Then later on I got into house and techno and all that stuff. I think the biggest eye-opening moment for me was when I first heard New Order. Right now I’m not even very familiar with all the artists’ names but I like a lot of the stuff Hyperdub and Kompakt put out.
DT: Does the way you play live reflect how you work in the studio? Which do you prefer, and which is more ‘honestly’ you expressing yourself?
Dom: The way I work at home is pretty much me sitting at my desk fiddling around on my drum machine. Then I play the song live before I record it, just to see if the arrangement seems fitting. I think in the studio it is more of a cerebral sussing out of things and emotions, where as playing live is more of a physical release. As far as which is more “honestly” expressing, I think they both have their importance. The emotions are fresh when the song is written, so that is the initial expression. There is no substitute for playing live though. It’s like being able to scream underwater. Plus that’s the only time I get to hear the songs super loud.
DT: There’s a lot of press about lo-fi at the moment, but I feel you somehow stand apart from this, with your own sound and aesthetic. How much of a role does technology play in your music making?
Dom: Technology plays a huge part in the way I make music. Being able to record on a computer opens up so many possibilities to the way the songs are written. It is really easy to cut and paste a part and change the whole arrangement of the song. It also makes it possible to get ideas out without knowing how to play any kind of traditional instrument.
DT: You’ve released several individual tracks online, as well as the EP ‘Passing’. Where would you like your sound to be as you move towards a full length?
Dom: The full length is almost done. I just need to finish a few more tracks. So far the pop arrangements are more prevalent. Hopefully I’m able to mix it well. I want the production quality to be pretty good.
DT: You recently moved back to LA from San Francisco – how has the change affected your music? How does living in such a musically rich place affect you?
Dom: I don’t think the move has affected the sound of my music much. I kind of felt out of place in San Francisco and that lead me to stay inside a lot of the time and just work on stuff. I didn’t feel too separate from the music going on in LA because I would talk to my close friends everyday that make music there, and we would send things we are working on back and forth. The cool thing about LA is there are a lot of shows going on every night of the week. And going to shows gets me inspired to keep producing.
DT: Which artists are making music that’s exciting you the most right now?
Dom: Right now I’m into Kevin Greenspon. He makes these awesome ambient guitar pieces. I also like what How To Dress Well is doing. A new band I’m really excited about from LA is Continues. We are doing a 7” split together that is going to be out in September.
DT: Do you have a day job? Do you have any tips on how to effectively manage music making when faced with having to work for a living?
Dom: I do have a day job. It’s a 9 to 5 office job. They fired me a couple weeks ago but they called back and asked if I could stay for a bit longer. Maybe the best kind of job to have when trying to make music is one that you don’t take home with you. Unemployment? I don’t know.
DT: What’s your favourite children’s character and why?
Dom: Oh man. Umm. The only thing I can think of is that I was really into the Ninja Turtles and Raphael was my favorite one. I don’t even remember why he was my favorite but I remember having an affinity for his character.
