A skateboarding injury led Teebs to throw himself into art, first painting and then music, in the form of radically innovative beat production.
Mtendere Mandowa’s music is a psychedelic mirror’s image of his vivid, technicolour artwork. Kaleidoscopic sounds ebb and flow in a wave of warm intoxication, creating a mind-bending sensory assault.
The 23-year-old is happy with ‘Ardour’, his debut album. “It was my first experience making music so I was really in the zone, it came from a really honest place in my head.”
“I blame my environment, whatever emotions I’m experiencing or even just hearing something weird in my head,” he says when asked about the inspiration behind the improbable levels of imagination and imagery Ardour is packed with.
Sharing an apartment with fellow Brainfeeders Flying Lotus and Samiyam can’t have hindered the creative process either. “Moving in with them was big turning point. FlyLo said ‘let’s see if you can really focus,’ he’s an inspiration,” Teebs says of Thom Yorke’s favourite producer. “Just the way he carries himself and how dedicated he is to pushing himself further is really inspiring,” he adds.
So, holed up in a modern day Warholian Factory-style environment, as part of a collective comprising America’s boldest musical minds, Teebs spent two years making a record that will raise the bar higher still.
This unique creative environment inspired him to strive for perfection, “I’ll make a lot of crap that I don’t wanna put out there!” he laughs, emphasizing the meticulous nature of his work.
Created with daring impulse and fine-tuned with plenty of TLC, Teebs’ music is genuinely innovative. Just keep that skateboard away from him.
Words by Ben Homeward
Where: Los Angeles, California
What: Subtle trip hop beats
Unique Fact: Flying Lotus described Teebs’ music as sounding “the way Avatar looks.”
Get 3 Songs: ‘WLTA’ ‘My Whole Life’ ‘Sunrise Remedy’
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Download ‘Arthur’s Birds’ by Teebs as part of our latest Cross Section Download album HERE.
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