You don’t have to be a musician to make great music. Sounds like a conundrum, right? Well, throughout history, there have been a number of producers behind the control room glass who have coordinated and instructed musicians to produce the music they hear in their heads; the musicians themselves become the producer’s instruments.
Meet Robert Waite. He’s not a musician, but he does love music and knows what he wants to hear. The project he has created is called Daylight Robbery! (exclamation point included) and while it’s not a band per se, by definition, it still sort of is. Robert connected with some musicians in Brooklyn, had them record parts of music, and then combined and arranged those recorded parts—after the fact—into the music you’ll hear when you listen to his latest release, Moons of Jupiter.
The project is a rich mix of jazz, hip-hop, and maybe a few elements of vaporwave mixed in for good measure. At first listen, it’s enjoyable music—that is, after all, what drew me in when I first discovered it on Bandcamp—but, as one learns about the unique method behind creation of the record, it becomes something completely different.
Robert joins me from South London to uncover the secrets behind Daylight Robbery! He’s also very eager to share some of his favorite recordings to give us a more accurate peek into what moves him as a music lover and creator. But, for goodness sake, whatever you do, don’t call him a musician. He’s a producer, goshdarnit.
Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.
