Elucid Finds Harmony in the City’s Noise and the Meditative Dream House

New York rapper and producer Elucid, known for his work both solo and as part of Armand Hammer with Billy Woods, recently found inspiration and resonance within the immersive installation, the Dream House, created by composer La Monte Young and artist Marian Zazeela.

A Sonic and Visual Sanctuary

The Dream House, a long-running installation in a Manhattan loft, offers an otherworldly experience. Perfumed by incense, the space features fridge-sized speaker cabinets in each corner playing a long drone composition, with pink and purple stage lights illuminating curly mobiles suspended from the ceiling. Violet-tinted film covers the windows, creating a disorienting effect of timelessness. Elucid described the experience as finding a “pocket of Zen,” noting that his frequent practice with floatation tanks prepared him for the installation’s meditative qualities.

The City as Inspiration

Elucid, a native New Yorker who grew up in South Jamaica, Queens, found the sounds within the Dream House surprisingly familiar. His childhood was filled with the sounds of the city – airplanes flying over his home near JFK airport and the rumble of trains passing by. This urban din has become integral to his musical identity.

Much of Elucid’s music, both solo and with Armand Hammer, incorporates elements of New York’s perpetual noise. His solo albums, such as Revelator and Valley of Grace, feature “spiky, sandblasted loops,” while his production work on Armand Hammer’s Paraffin is described as “blunt and bulky.” He embraces these sounds, stating, “I just like those sounds. I like the harmony of the city. Everybody’s got a little solo at some point.”

Synesthesia and Sonic Alignment

Elucid experiences a connection between sound and other senses. While driving through Brooklyn, he noticed a car alarm aligning with the rhythm of Throbbing Gristle’s “Hamburger Lady,” illustrating how the external environment can synchronize with music. He describes sound as having “colour, emotion and force,” and that interpretations vary from listener to listener.

Collaboration and New Directions

Elucid’s newest record, I Guess U Had to Be There, is a collaboration with Swiss producer Sebb Bash. He relinquishes production duties to Bash, describing him as “a super talented guy with an exceptional ear.” While differing from his typically serrated production style, the album maintains a “woozy, layered, psychedelic feel.”

Working on this project provided a contrast to his more intense work on albums like Revelator and Armand Hammer’s Mercy, which address themes of resilience in the face of systemic issues. I Guess U Had to Be There allowed him to channel more celebratory feelings, as reflected in lines like “My morning starts in service,” about making breakfast for his children.

The Art of Rap Itself

Elucid emphasizes the artistry of rapping itself, stating, “You can’t ever discount rapping about rapping. You’re putting words together stylishly and it doesn’t have to have a structure or moral centre. It just has to sound fly.” His verses are often stream-of-consciousness, and he doesn’t prioritize universal comprehension, suggesting that searching for deeper meaning can sometimes diminish the music’s vitality.

I Guess U Had to Be There is out now on Backwoodz Studioz.