If a picture is worth a thousand words, what’s a music video worth? Recently some friends introduced me to the Los Angeles underground beat scene and exposed me to Low End Theory, a weekly experimental hip-hop/electronic music club that takes place every Wednesday at The Airliner. Through a friend I was soon introduced to electrofusion artist Lost Midas and immediately embraced his unique music.
There is something dynamic and distinct about Lost Midas. His genre-bending sounds reflect contemporary influences like Flying Lotus, Gaslamp Killer, and Hudson Mohawke fused with classical music and jazz standards. The music video for his first single, “Love Undone (feat. Taylor O’Donnell),” immediately stole my imagination. The video tells the story of a scientist (Lost Midas) wrestling with the logistics of his complex creation and in the process, loses the love of his life to another dimension.
Both riveting and aesthetically pleasing, the music video for “Love Undone” perfectly captures the visual and enchanting musical aspects of electronic music. Director Adam Joyce-Ramirez and Lost Midas perfectly complement one another to create an instant classic collaboration. Each enhances one another’s strengths to create one of the coolest music videos I have seen all year long. Taylor O’Donnell’s angelic voice and actress/model Mariana Babic make this a wonderful video to enjoy.
Thanks to a mutual friend I was introduced to Lost Midas prior to the release of his self-titled EP. Following the steps of other drummers, Jason Trikakis stepped out from the drum kit and reinvented himself as electronic artist Lost Midas. As a member of hip-hop/soul/jazz/funk band The Press Project, Jason opened for The Roots and performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival. He also toured as Slick Rick’s drummer and performed with alternative band The Honors. Along with his brother NüTrik, he founded Luv Ü Records producing artists from the Los Angeles beat scene.
Like his eclectic background, this Boston native utilizes his unique tastes in nostalgia, pop music, jazz standards, electronic and soul music. Whether it’s Frédéric Chopin (specifically Nocturne in B-flat minor), DJ Nobody or hip-hop’s J Dilla, there are plenty of fantastic musicians who continually inspire him and it’s abundantly obvious with each track featured on his EP.
The EP kicks off with “Dance Monkeys” and feels like Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E” until the analogue synths truly start. Each infliction of the synth eases into your eardrums and takes over your body. Once it begins, just go with the flow and start dancing. The organic “Love Undone” creates a yearning for nostalgia with a mesmerizing voice (Taylor O’Donnell) over a killer beat. After one listen, you’re immediately hooked. What I enjoy most about this track is it captures your imagination and isn’t your typical straight-forward track. The free flowing sound consumes you and leaves you longing for more.
The tantalizing “Broken Peace Is” puts you in a trance with its futuristic sound. The throwback sounding “No Way Out” feels like the combination of classic video games and early electronic music. Along with “Love Undone” this is one of my favorite tracks. “Dream Kiss” and “Boss Man (featuring NüTrik)” finish up the EP with the latter sounding something like a Daft Punk track off the Tron: Legacy soundtrack. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the EP and would highly recommend it for anyone wanting to expand their music palette.
--Mr Brownstone
