Using the dichotomy between the immaterial and the material as a starting point, and especially their meeting points and interconnections, Jimmy Edgar started to work on his latest release for Innovative Leisure titled Liquids Heaven. A project that he presents today includes eleven tracks in which we find outstanding collaborations. From our beloved Virgen María, who he met last year at Art Basel Miami and is one of his favourite artists, to Trinidad James, Ripparachie or Banshee. Being his most honest, emotional and authentic work, this is also his most easy work compared to his other sounds as he explains. We talk to him to find out all the details of Liquids Heaven and ask him about his projects that go beyond music.
How are you and where do you answer us from?
I’m currently in Miami meeting with my fabrication team ahead of Art Basel.
In a little over a month and a half we will say goodbye to 2022, what balance would you do this year? Would you say that you’re now living the best moment of your career?
Yes, I’m always considering the present moment the best and focused on growing. Each step forward is always up, I believe it's a choice to have this perspective.
Today you’re unveiling your latest release for Innovative Leisure, Liquids Heaven. A project consisting of eleven tracks with outstanding collaborations. How do you feel and what has this project meant for you?
It’s very exciting to release ideas to the world. Liquids Heaven feels like an exciting progression in my work so I could not be happier quite honestly. I feel it's my most honest, emotional and authentic work.
You have previously said that the record's early gestation spawned from your explorations of what's ‘material’ in the digital world. Could you tell us more about this idea?
Liquids Heaven was conceived during a time when I started to consider what is material. In the digital domain, since all of my work is digitised or purely digital in capacity. I wanted to really understand this, and interestingly I realized that digital is a purely physical process. Digital is, at its fundamental, a concept about ascension, creation, and efficiency. I became obsessed with the metaphysical idea of phases of matter, relating to transmutation. A lot of the sounds and synthesis I was working with were about liquid, fluid and material simulation. It made sense to think about the liquid in depth.
Have you always been interested in the intersection of the physical and virtual worlds?
Yeah, absolutely! I’m fascinated by everything related to material and substance. So naturally, this connects to quantum physics, conceptual art, digital domains, and understanding our relationship to matter.
I can't help asking you about your perception of the metaverse, a universe that featured prominently in the last METAL print issue. What do you think of this digital ecosystem? Do you find it appealing or does it scare you in a certain way?
The consensus about the metaverse is really funny to me at the moment, because it feels like a really awful video game. I am interested in our digital identity. You could say we are already in a metaverse considering how much time we spend on devices. I would say I am more fascinated by ideas about digital manifestation and considering what is digital material, and how our digital identity relates to that. It's a form of human ascension or movement into another dimension. I think we are children in this new dimension so there’s a lot of learning and exploring to be done.
How would you define your sound? Do you feel part of any specific musical genre, or do you prefer to avoid all kinds of restricted categories?
Yeah, I don’t define my sound but all I know is that often my work is challenging. I don’t really make easy stuff. Though, I do feel Liquids Heaven is my most easy work compared to my other sounds. To define something is to limit it so it never feels right to do that. However, I do play with the appropriation of pop and rap. I do have musical influences but I let other people define them instead of telling people what to think or feel.
On the cover of the album, we see a colourful experimental sculpture in keeping with the concept that you address throughout your new work. Were you clear about what you wanted it to be?
Absolutely it's very intentional. I consider the entire work a sculpture. The sound is a sculpture of air pressure. I love how music is an immaterial medium, its vibration of invisible air. It's also fascinating to me that it's presented through a digital process. The sculpture on the cover is a playground for liquid. I wanted to ask what “liquid” desires. I thought about liquid wanting to flow, be consumed and contained and so I created a “heaven” for it to be.
If Liquids Heaven was a colour, what would it be?
I think the colours and materials of the sculpture represent this perfectly. It feels industrial and has the ability to contain the liquid well.
The album's opener, Euphoria, features a Liz Y2K vocal that levitates with plaintive longing. How did this collaboration come about?
I’ve known Liz for so long, we have many songs that never were released. I just really wanted the perfect song with her and I’m really happy how Euphoria came about.
You also join forces with Milk, 10KCaash and Zelooperz or Banshee, among many other artists. Did you know which profiles you wanted to work with before starting the project, or have these alliances emerged naturally and progressively?
All the collaborations were more or less random, but as they accumulated it seemed natural they became a part of Liquids Heaven. I’m usually working with so many artists throughout the year so I’m lucky to choose what’s the best fit.
We cannot overlook your collaboration with Virgen María on the track Bunnylava. She is one of the most interesting creatives in the current art and music scene, her vision seems to have no limits. Can you tell us more about the development process of this track?
Virgen María and I became good friends in 2021, we ended up meeting in Miami during Art Basel. She is very creative and also soft and sweet. I love her, she is one of my favourite artists today.
If we go back to the beginning of your career, you were signed to Warp Records as a teenage electronic music prodigy. How do you remember this stage in your life? What’s the first thing that comes to mind?
I was ultimately following my excitement innocently and naively. There is something special about that. I had an obsession with Warp Records and it's amazing to think about how it all played out.
Let's talk about digital and conceptual art. You’re currently exhibiting a solo show of your digital works at Los Angeles’ Vellum gallery, aren’t you?
Yes, it's titled Oxygen, thirteen digital works and my first physical sculpture. This collection is related to Liquids Heaven in a similar way about asking what material desires, in this case, its ‘air.’ The digital works are about air current, ozone, oxygen and objects that interact with air. The physical sculpture is presenting air as a material, encased in unsealed glass.
And finally, what would you like everyone who listens to Liquids Heaven to feel?
Anything they want!
Any dream to fulfil?
Yes, but I never tell before it comes true!
