mike by DJ STEPDAD

When Ted Davis (aka DJ STEPDAD) first moved to New York in 2022, his name had become synonymous with the horizontal world of ambient music. From journalism documenting ambient music to cameos on NTS and The Lot Radio, if it was murky, hazy, and a bit weird, odds were that Davis was rinsing it — and probably reviewing it. The DJ STEPDAD project was the culmination of Davis's impeccably oddball taste — an emerging if-you-know-you-know force among left-field DJs.

But things have changed over the course of the past few years. A series of layoffs; the ongoing collapse of music journalism; and finding himself in darker, sweatier parties in the city that never sleeps brought Davis further and further into the club. You could hear him working through this transition on his 2024 EP, time to figure things out, but the feels were still very much slow and lazy Sunday morning. On his debut LP for Akasha System and Justin Depth’s Image Research label, mike, Davis leaves the wife and stepkids at home for a Saturday night, knees up.

The record is a smorgasbord of the chef's choicest cuts of club music, past and present. On a track like "paul" you can hear New York's new guard dub revivalism slowly morph into a throwback rave banger — with a slight tropical flavor. The post-dubstep vocal chops of "chuck" fade into what Davis christens "hipster spa music" that takes shape in his vocal collaboration with Sienna Kresge (Gelli Haha), "justin." The effect of the latter is like entering a fantasy world where DJ Healer soundtracks a restorative pool day somewhere in a Tulum jungle. Davis even gets a bit techno on "dan," as sharp 909s firework across the stereo field.

What holds all of this together is Davis's trademark blend of humor and sincerity. Each track is named after a dude that Davis knows through the music scene — from his eponymous stepdad Mike to his other pals. In a moment where even your uncle's new girlfriend uses terms like "incel" and "toxic masculinity" at the Thanksgiving table, the record is a needed antidote to the online manosphere. There are no Chads or Sigmas here. Instead, mike is a Friday night utopia where the vibes are always on point, the beer always cold, all your friends are in town, and every weekend's long. - Henry Ivry

Neon-doused ambient house and techno from New York City-based writer, producer, and DJ Ted Davis. Sometimes divorce-themed, always vibey.

For all inquiries: theodoresagedaviscreative@gmail.com

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