Trojan Horse by Ciel

During the making of this record I was primarily concerned with the anxieties of postmodern existence. Living with constant information connects us but ultimately drives us apart as powerful institutions use information and disinformation to manipulate the public and manufacture consent. As a first generation Chinese immigrant raised in the west, I am interested in the process of sampling from ethnically diverse, "foreign" origins as well as local, familiar sources and seeing how they interplay with each other in startling new ways. Sampling is an old artform, a foundation of electronic music, and we are learning as a new generation how to utilize this tradition under changing ethical standards. Stylistically this record was made with the intent of using a lot of disparate samples from incongruous places: European colonialist films, a white Mormon band, Japanese theatre, Chinese traditional hand drums, Nixon's speeches, an interview clip with an American pop icon, an experimental record about the Vietnam war, etc.... and combine them in ways that are nuanced, non-fetishistic, and unexpected. As post-millennial people, we enjoy greater access to cultural artifacts ("samples") than ever before which can lead to great artistic works if used with respect to context, meaning, and cultural significance. This EP was an attempt to explore that. - Ciel

Ciel is a Xi’an-born and Toronto-based music producer, DJ, pianist, and composer.

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