Icarus Moth, DEFFIE & Ehiorobo - Slow Truth (Single) + 10 Questions
Multifaceted artist and sound engineer Icarus Moth has teamed up with electronic and rap producer and visual artist DEFFIE alongside R&B singer-songwriter Ehiorobo on the intimate new single, "Slow Truth". Arriving as their first collaborative track on Monstercat, the deep basses, emotive vocals, and vibrant synths meld effortlessly to form an addictive pop-driven groove. From LA to NY, the trio bring their distinct personalities and refined artistry to the record, with Ehiorobo’s passionate lyricism giving the tune a soulful edge, whilst Icarus and DEFFIE bridge the classic funk sonic’s with their forward-thinking production.
Icarus Moth, DEFFIE + Ehiorobo sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:
1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?
DEFFIE: My dad bought me an MPC-1000 from Guitar Center when I was 10. I used YouTube to learn how to use it, and the rest is history.
Icarus Moth: My parents had a piano in the house growing up and you couldn’t get me off the thing; I was always writing my own pieces. I was introduced to electronic music early on during the days of Tiësto, DJ Dean, DJ Sammy, etc. and was always curious how I could create my own electronic productions. This led me to discover FL Studio when I was still quite young and while I’ve since moved on from the mango-strawberry hybrid (that’s what their logo is, ask them), I’ve been creating since.
Ehiorobo: When I was a kid in elementary school (around age 8), my older brother started playing the guitar and I asked my parents for a baby drum kit so I could play with him. I was always into writing poems and songs, and had kept a lot of notebooks with ideas in them for as long as I can remember. In middle school, I made a rap pseudonym that I started releasing & producing music under alongside my neighbors and older brother. Around age 16, I’d decided to try and put everything together to put forth my own personal take on R&B/Soul. At that time, in the middle of high school, I was listening to a bunch of music from the Soulquarian era, the LA 2000’s/2010’s beat scene, random finds on the internet, and more. Seems like the majority of my initial influences and love for song-making was discovered through all of that.
2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?
DEFFIE: Pharrell Williams is the source.
Icarus Moth: In the early years it changed a lot but lately I’ve been stuck on what little Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars have shown us with the Silk Sonic project; I love both of those dudes. My friends MEMBA & Mothica are both making crazy music right now and inspiring me a ton too.
Ehiorobo: I spent a lot of time on YouTube when I was younger. Jesse Boykins III, Andre 3000, and Lauryn Hill were and still are huge inspirations for me. I was also definitely an Odd Future kid. Fantasy inspires me a lot too. I’d like to work with Janelle Monae one day. I love working with all types of people, but at this very moment, I’m happy to be working with my peers.
Icarus Moth
3. What are some of the problems you have faced making and releasing music during the pandemic?
DEFFIE: Honestly, I came from a community of musicians in which this is our natural habitat. We’ve been sending music over emails and DM’s for years already, so not much has changed as far as creating has gone. I feel like bedroom producers were literally made for this.
Icarus Moth: I heard a lot of things like “Oh this must be great for you, you never leave your studio anyway...” but the seclusion and expectation I placed on myself to use this time to my advantage came at a toll. Luckily I am surrounded by instruments and in times of creative distress I meditate through my piano.
Ehiorobo: For me, the literal act of making and releasing music hasn’t changed much since the pandemic. The way that it feels has definitely changed though. As someone who’s pretty self-sufficient with my audio, I’ve been able to carry on as usual besides the occasional inability to get in the same room with mixing engineers.
4. How would you describe “Slow Truth”? What’s the story behind it and how it came together?
DEFFIE: I was crashing on a couch in Hollywood at the time, and Nathan (Icarus Moth) shot me a message saying, “Hey man, I just got access to this studio Downtown, you should pull up”. I ended up hopping in the car and heading over for a quick few hour session. Three years later, here we are.
Icarus Moth: A “Spur-of-the-moment lovechild” would be an apt description. I was visiting LA (pre-pandemic) to work on music with a few people and wanted to get in the studio with DEFFIE but since I wasn’t in town very long, I wanted to give us a head start. I reached out to Ehi to see if he was working on anything he could send over since his style was a good example of what I thought Deffie and I could do together. Incredibly he had 3 toplines for us to work with and “Slow Truth” was the one DEFFIE and I were feeling.
Ehiorobo: “Slow Truth” is a song about getting through bad news and misfortune, but it’s also a fun room shaker that tells a bit of a story. To me, it sounds like futuristic blues pop. When I wrote the song, I was experimenting with writing pop tunes that challenged my voice. I tend to throw in a lot of wild melodies and play around in the studio, but I was mostly working on refining things when I wrote this record. I sent the top-line to Icarus Moth & DEFFIE, and what they sent back after their sessions inspired me even more. Over the course of about 6 months, I ended up travelling back and forth to Icarus Moth’s place in NYC to complete the record. It was definitely a bi-coastal, IRL, and URL labor of love to put this track together.
Ehiorobo
5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?
DEFFIE: Carmack posted our collab on my birthday. With my face as the cover. I cried.
Icarus Moth: Honestly, one day I was scrolling through Instagram (rare if you know me) and maybe 6 or 7 posts in a row were all of my friends doing amazing things with their music and for lack of a better term, achieving their dreams. Not really about me but we all influenced each other and you love it when your friends do well.
Ehiorobo: It’s kind of difficult for me to pick out, but there are two moments that stick out to me a lot. A few years ago, a listener emailed me saying that they chose a track from my first album to be their wedding song. That was wildly heartwarming. Also, I did an official remix for Foster the People’s ‘Worst Nites’, and that was a load of fun. I remember dancing to their ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ at my 8th grade dance. I really respect that squad and Mark Foster’s work.
6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?
DEFFIE: Hmm, I’d say pick your major goals early, gather a team of people who will literally work for you for free, and record/document everything you do. If people don’t see you working for it, how will they want you to win?
Icarus Moth: Any time I’m asked this question my answers have nothing to do with the music itself. If you love what you create, other people will too. Make sure you stay ever aware of how music is being consumed because it is very easy to fall behind but also don’t forget to keep your mental health at the top of the to-do list. You are more important than your success.
Ehiorobo: Keep your priorities in check, listen to yourself, and have fun. Be patient with your process, and talk to yourself like how a good friend would. As long as you love the sounds, you’ve won.
DEFFIE
7. Are there any artists on your radar at the moment that we should check out?
DEFFIE: Knick, Keeth, and OhgodDC. All killing it on some next level production shit.
Icarus Moth: One of my music students introduced me to ONUKA. I've been enjoying them a lot. I also really like the new Lemaitre stuff.
Ehiorobo: Rae Khalil & Rad Museum.
8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?
DEFFIE: DONDA just dropped so I’ve been looping through that, trying to get a sense of where Hip-Hop is headed in the near future.
Icarus Moth: New Hiatus Kaiyote album is great, the Silk Sonic stuff obviously. I update my interests frequently here.
Ehiorobo: Been listening to the new Flamingosis album, Rae Khalil’s newest album, the new Cautious Clay album, and the new Tyler the Creator album. I’ve also discovered that Damian Lillard’s music is actually sick. There’s this Japanese band called ‘Tweedees’ that I absolutely adore. They just put out this super incredible EP. I love literally every ‘Tweedees' song.
9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?
DEFFIE: I love to do CG modeling and 3D animation. I got into Blender over the lockdown, and it has really been a blessing to learn and explore.
Icarus Moth: Cooking replaced music as my hobby when music became a career. I also like to work on graphic design which makes its way into the music project sometimes. I like to be involved in every aspect of the art.
Ehiorobo: I like to read comic books, keep up with a few sports (mostly NBA and UFC), go thrifting, watch movies, and hang outside whenever I can. I’ve been heading out to the shore during this last part of the summer. I love being on the beach in the fall because of how quiet it tends to be alongside the brisk autumn air.
10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?
DEFFIE: My studio has been pretty minimal ever since I was a kid. Some things that always help the vibe are those adjustable full-spectrum LEDs, some fresh water bottles, and a big ass spliff.
Icarus Moth: Piano or Midi keyboard so I can get off that computer every once in a while, a microphone for vocals and fun resampling, and another person there to make music with. I have more fun when I’m writing with someone else.
Ehiorobo: Notebook, hot tea, some kind of scent (sage/incense).