Jonti

Hodgy Beats has been hanging around with the fellas at Stones Throw a lot lately. So much so, that it leaves one to question “Will he be dropping an album on the label in the near future?” Well…I don’t know anything about that, but what I do know is that the collaborative musical efforts spawned from this friendship have been awe-inspiring. Last night, the OFWGKTA lieutenant had a jam session with the labels’ latest addition to the roster, Jonti, an Australian lad with a very upbeat and distinguishing musical mojo (and by mojo, I mean sound). That session resulted in “Nagoya”.
If I had to describe Jontis’ music in three adjectives, based on what I have heard of course, it would probably be this; colorful, affable and odd. But, I think KCRW radio host Jeremy Sole put it best when he wrote,
When I think of how to write about Jonti’s music, I don’t feel like writing at all. I feel like drawing a picture, with watercolors and maybe crayon – colorful, abstract, youthfully curious and open to interpretation. Maybe then I’d staple, glue or nail some found objects to it, recontextualizing their intended purpose into something strange and beautiful.
Jontis’ album, Twirligig comes out on Oct. 18 on Stones Throw. Pick this one up. You may find yourself fondly surprised in that this may be the most interesting album you buy all year. - Earmilk

Everybody please meet Jonti, Sydney’s hottest in far-out Pop music. Johannesburg-born Jonti released his debut LP ‘Twirligig’ on Stones Throw records late in 2011 and gained a good deal of attention for the multicomplexity of his arrangements that fuse Beach Boys Pop grandezza with DIY beats and his juvenile singing voice. To support promote their new signing Stones Throw released a mix of older tunes entitled ‘Sine & Moon Mix’. In fact, this was nothing else than Jonti’s ‘real’ debut originally recorded on a four-track. After the great success ‘Twirligig”, “Firework Spraying Moon’ 7? and the mixtape as well, ‘Sine & Moon’ is available as a free download and will eventually be available as a proper MP3 album.
“Sine & Moon” in its entire length is fourteen tracks with (nearly) the same running order as the mixtape. “Saturday Night Songs” opens the album with a decent lo-fi and heartfelt ukulele miniature. The second track “Red and Green” features Stones Throw Rap wunderkind Jonwayne with a few of his bold lines. Jonti delivers a Hip Hop foundation that sounds a bit like Dangermouse’s Beatles bootlegs, ending up sounding very nice. “Nightshift in Blue” is a highlight for its uplifting shuffle bass line and the melancholy surf guitars and synthesizers.
Moving on, “By This Morning” finds Jonti borrowing from Brian Wilson’s Pop and sound experiments while “Flesh of Morning” brings the soft breeze of left-field disco. Toro y Moi anyone? Enjoyable. Showcasing his funkier side, “Lost Machines” takes the retro disco approach even further – plus adds some of the greatest vocal harmonies. For the next three tunes the album looses grap a little bit before “Sugar High” asks you to turn up the volume again. It’s astonishing how well Jonti’s vocal layers and picturesque guitar goes with the stomping bass line. One thing is for sure, this is one free download you don’t want to miss out on.

- Truants

When you describe a cartoonist (Normal McLaren) and Madlib as being some of your biggest influences, your music might be more than a little colorful. That's the case with Jonti, Stones Throw Records' first Australian signee.

"Christmas Worm" is a playful tune that arrives just in time for the holidays, and will take you back to a time when you liked Santa more than you did SantaCon. Peanut Butter Wolf has said he's scared by the guy's production abilities, as in, he's that talented. And he certainly stands his ground among other Stones Throw recruits as "Christmas Worm" is part of a limited edition release that includes Homeboy Sandman, MED, and The Step Kids. Stones Throw and Serato have partnered again to put out a 2-disc vinyl that includes "Christmas Worm," "New York Nights," a track by Homeboy Sandman, and "Suburban Dream (Union Remix)" by The Stepkids. - Earmilk

When you describe a cartoonist (Normal McLaren) and Madlib as being some of your biggest influences, your music might be more than a little colorful. That's the case with Jonti, Stones Throw Records' first Australian signee.

"Christmas Worm" is a playful tune that arrives just in time for the holidays, and will take you back to a time when you liked Santa more than you did SantaCon. Peanut Butter Wolf has said he's scared by the guy's production abilities, as in, he's that talented. And he certainly stands his ground among other Stones Throw recruits as "Christmas Worm" is part of a limited edition release that includes Homeboy Sandman, MED, and The Step Kids. Stones Throw and Serato have partnered again to put out a 2-disc vinyl that includes "Christmas Worm," "New York Nights," a track by Homeboy Sandman, and "Suburban Dream (Union Remix)" by The Stepkids. - Earmilk

After arranging a Run DMC/A-Track collaboration earlier this year, Adidas Originals have turned their attention to the Southern Hemisphere. Over the coming weeks, collaborations between six Australian/New Zealand artists will result in three exclusive tracks which will no doubt blur the lines between genres.

The first of these releases features beat-wizard (and Stones Throw Records member) Jonti joining forces with Melbourne-based alt-pop duo Big Scary on “Slumming It In Paradise.” On paper, this is a slightly confusing mix of genres, but it works due to the fact that both acts have a history of pushing the boundaries with their music.

It’s no surprise that it’s a pretty quirky track, with Jonti’s slinky loops and beats being added to a twisted piano riff. The vocals duck in and out of the song, with both Big Scary members popping in at various times throughout. It’s really interesting listening to this track and picking out the different influences.

The Adidas Originals campaign will also feature collaborations between New Zealanders The Doqument and Surf City, and Aussies World’s End Press and Client Liaison. Keep an eye out for more as they come out. - Indie Shuffle

After arranging a Run DMC/A-Track collaboration earlier this year, Adidas Originals have turned their attention to the Southern Hemisphere. Over the coming weeks, collaborations between six Australian/New Zealand artists will result in three exclusive tracks which will no doubt blur the lines between genres.

The first of these releases features beat-wizard (and Stones Throw Records member) Jonti joining forces with Melbourne-based alt-pop duo Big Scary on “Slumming It In Paradise.” On paper, this is a slightly confusing mix of genres, but it works due to the fact that both acts have a history of pushing the boundaries with their music.

It’s no surprise that it’s a pretty quirky track, with Jonti’s slinky loops and beats being added to a twisted piano riff. The vocals duck in and out of the song, with both Big Scary members popping in at various times throughout. It’s really interesting listening to this track and picking out the different influences.

The Adidas Originals campaign will also feature collaborations between New Zealanders The Doqument and Surf City, and Aussies World’s End Press and Client Liaison. Keep an eye out for more as they come out. - Indie Shuffle

Jonti Danilewitz has been very, very busy.
The Artist Formerly Known As Djanimals is in the midst of rehearsals for a super-ambitious live performance of Melbourne collective The Avalanches’ 2001 opus Since I Left You, which he’ll be debuting at Sydney's OutsideIn, the underground festival started by a bunch of dudes called Astral People that includes his older brother, Lee.

Jonti will be sharing the bill with some of the hottest names in electronica, hip-hop and beyond (though no Zomby now unfortunately). Last year, Thom Yorke dropped in. This year, the Sydney show has already expanded to two days. Anything could happen, especially with Mark Ronson’s favourite South African expat conducting a nine-piece band through the weirdest record of the last decade. TheVine called Jonti up to get the word on how it’s all going to go down…

--

Explain this to me: I can't figure out if you live here, or you live in L.A., or you're just visiting. What's going on?

I wish there was a clear-cut answer! (laughs) For the moment I'm here in Sydney and then, you know it just depends on whatever opportunities come up. I can't share where I'll be next year or what will happen. For the moment I'm very stoked to be back and I still feel a super-strong connection to Sydney as a homebase, you know?

So you moved to L.A. the first time because you were doing the stuff with Stone's Throw [L.A. based record label to the late J Dilla, among others] at the time, right?

I've still got two more records with them at the moment. I'll record this next one here and then go back there afterwards.

Have you got a studio here now, or are you still using your bedroom?

At the moment it's still a bedroom situation, but I'm actually looking for a studio right now. Or just a room. Just somewhere that's not this (laughs). Also I'm going to be doing it with some other people, so I need the space. I'm still hoping for a space pad decked out with all that weird shit, you know? Now's the time.

So you can't really turn your parents' house into a spaceship.

Definitely not. I've tried, many times.

Are you in early tracking now, where the musicians will sort of come in later?

I've basically got all of these demos and now I'm trying to flesh them out and experiment with the environments of them. I don't really know what will come of them yet, or how the process will go exactly. But I'm just trying it this way.

So has your heavy involvement in Astral People altered your soundscapes from last time around?

I reckon. It's definitely let me explore other music. It probably won't sound very techno-y or that kind of thing, but subconsciously it's certainly had an effect.

In terms of how that works, your brother [Lee Danilewitz, one of the founders of Astral People] has obviously been managing you for like a bajillion years. What happens with Astral? Do you get signed on especially or because you're family, does he tries to bring you into things, or is it just one mega collective by now?

I think it's one kind of collective. My involvement was kind of like I went to the first meetings and things and I can claim coming up with the name - yay!

You did?

It was a collaboration. I came up with the 'Astral', but I thought it should be 'Astral Kids' and Lee was like 'No.' Then he said 'Astral People', which actually seems like a much better name.

We can't come up with our own names for projects. Like he came up with Danimals back in the day. It was only fair that I came up with Astral. We're coming up with other stuff now, but it's always I have to get Lee and Lee has to get me.

So who came up with the festival name?

That was Lee. Actually it was a collaboration between the main Astral dudes, but I can't claim any involvement with that.

Tell me how this Avalanches thing came about. Who did you talk to in order to get the wheels in motion?

Well I've been mainly working with Robbie Chater from The Avalanches. I've known him for maybe a couple of years now, which is crazy because it feels like yesterday. We've had this idea for a couple of years, and we'd talking about it, the way we could show appreciation for the album. I approached Robbie and asked him if he'd be cool with it, double-checking if there was any politics I had to be aware of. He was super-cool and really excited about it. I kept posting him 90 second clips and asking him for ideas and stuff like that.

In terms of getting it together, we all know that a lot of their work is cut and pasted from thousands of samples. Did you get access to any of that to help scope it out or you've just been taking it based on what you get by ear?

Normal process would be to figure out two or three of the songs a day. I'd research the original samples used or sometimes - The Vine

Jonti Danilewitz has been very, very busy.
The Artist Formerly Known As Djanimals is in the midst of rehearsals for a super-ambitious live performance of Melbourne collective The Avalanches’ 2001 opus Since I Left You, which he’ll be debuting at Sydney's OutsideIn, the underground festival started by a bunch of dudes called Astral People that includes his older brother, Lee.

Jonti will be sharing the bill with some of the hottest names in electronica, hip-hop and beyond (though no Zomby now unfortunately). Last year, Thom Yorke dropped in. This year, the Sydney show has already expanded to two days. Anything could happen, especially with Mark Ronson’s favourite South African expat conducting a nine-piece band through the weirdest record of the last decade. TheVine called Jonti up to get the word on how it’s all going to go down…

--

Explain this to me: I can't figure out if you live here, or you live in L.A., or you're just visiting. What's going on?

I wish there was a clear-cut answer! (laughs) For the moment I'm here in Sydney and then, you know it just depends on whatever opportunities come up. I can't share where I'll be next year or what will happen. For the moment I'm very stoked to be back and I still feel a super-strong connection to Sydney as a homebase, you know?

So you moved to L.A. the first time because you were doing the stuff with Stone's Throw [L.A. based record label to the late J Dilla, among others] at the time, right?

I've still got two more records with them at the moment. I'll record this next one here and then go back there afterwards.

Have you got a studio here now, or are you still using your bedroom?

At the moment it's still a bedroom situation, but I'm actually looking for a studio right now. Or just a room. Just somewhere that's not this (laughs). Also I'm going to be doing it with some other people, so I need the space. I'm still hoping for a space pad decked out with all that weird shit, you know? Now's the time.

So you can't really turn your parents' house into a spaceship.

Definitely not. I've tried, many times.

Are you in early tracking now, where the musicians will sort of come in later?

I've basically got all of these demos and now I'm trying to flesh them out and experiment with the environments of them. I don't really know what will come of them yet, or how the process will go exactly. But I'm just trying it this way.

So has your heavy involvement in Astral People altered your soundscapes from last time around?

I reckon. It's definitely let me explore other music. It probably won't sound very techno-y or that kind of thing, but subconsciously it's certainly had an effect.

In terms of how that works, your brother [Lee Danilewitz, one of the founders of Astral People] has obviously been managing you for like a bajillion years. What happens with Astral? Do you get signed on especially or because you're family, does he tries to bring you into things, or is it just one mega collective by now?

I think it's one kind of collective. My involvement was kind of like I went to the first meetings and things and I can claim coming up with the name - yay!

You did?

It was a collaboration. I came up with the 'Astral', but I thought it should be 'Astral Kids' and Lee was like 'No.' Then he said 'Astral People', which actually seems like a much better name.

We can't come up with our own names for projects. Like he came up with Danimals back in the day. It was only fair that I came up with Astral. We're coming up with other stuff now, but it's always I have to get Lee and Lee has to get me.

So who came up with the festival name?

That was Lee. Actually it was a collaboration between the main Astral dudes, but I can't claim any involvement with that.

Tell me how this Avalanches thing came about. Who did you talk to in order to get the wheels in motion?

Well I've been mainly working with Robbie Chater from The Avalanches. I've known him for maybe a couple of years now, which is crazy because it feels like yesterday. We've had this idea for a couple of years, and we'd talking about it, the way we could show appreciation for the album. I approached Robbie and asked him if he'd be cool with it, double-checking if there was any politics I had to be aware of. He was super-cool and really excited about it. I kept posting him 90 second clips and asking him for ideas and stuff like that.

In terms of getting it together, we all know that a lot of their work is cut and pasted from thousands of samples. Did you get access to any of that to help scope it out or you've just been taking it based on what you get by ear?

Normal process would be to figure out two or three of the songs a day. I'd research the original samples used or sometimes - The Vine

I don’t know much about Jonti other than that he arrived in Australia from South Africa (sometime recently I suppose), he is signed with Stones Throw Records in the US and he could well be a musical mastermind. Twirligig is his debut album along with ‘brother’ record TokoRats.
Jonti has formed a very interesting, intuitive style. At times it sounds very trip-hop inspired, with industrial beats and a wide range of peculiar instruments and samples, while on other occasions it feels very joyful and similar to some of the chill-wave acts going around. The minimalist Fleet-Foxes-like vocals don’t at any stage overpower the smooth sounds of Jonti’s vibe, an ability it seems many current acts fail to pull-off. As a big fan of hip-hop the short/sweet track ‘Cyclic Love’ featuring a rap from Otayo Dubb is a definite favourite of mine.
Without being recognised by many, in the past year Jonti has collaborated with Mark Ronson, Santigold, Sean Lennon, The Dap Kings and producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Kurt Vile). One who didn’t fail to notice him was Stones Throw Records head Peanut Butter Wolf who was immediately impressed and quickly snapped up the first Australian to the label. On the signing, PBW said about Jonti: “I couldn’t figure out how the hell he did what he did. That he did it all at such an early age kinda scared me.”
This is a very fun, bubbly album – a treat that I expect will put Jonti on the map.
8/10 - The Signal Express

I don’t know much about Jonti other than that he arrived in Australia from South Africa (sometime recently I suppose), he is signed with Stones Throw Records in the US and he could well be a musical mastermind. Twirligig is his debut album along with ‘brother’ record TokoRats.
Jonti has formed a very interesting, intuitive style. At times it sounds very trip-hop inspired, with industrial beats and a wide range of peculiar instruments and samples, while on other occasions it feels very joyful and similar to some of the chill-wave acts going around. The minimalist Fleet-Foxes-like vocals don’t at any stage overpower the smooth sounds of Jonti’s vibe, an ability it seems many current acts fail to pull-off. As a big fan of hip-hop the short/sweet track ‘Cyclic Love’ featuring a rap from Otayo Dubb is a definite favourite of mine.
Without being recognised by many, in the past year Jonti has collaborated with Mark Ronson, Santigold, Sean Lennon, The Dap Kings and producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Kurt Vile). One who didn’t fail to notice him was Stones Throw Records head Peanut Butter Wolf who was immediately impressed and quickly snapped up the first Australian to the label. On the signing, PBW said about Jonti: “I couldn’t figure out how the hell he did what he did. That he did it all at such an early age kinda scared me.”
This is a very fun, bubbly album – a treat that I expect will put Jonti on the map.
8/10 - The Signal Express

Imagine* if you will a family dining room in a home in Mt. Washington. It is dinnertime on a weeknight. Seated at the table are most of the artists on the Stones Throw label.

Madlib sits high on a stack of dusty records at one end of the table tooling around with vintage cigarette roller and Gary Wilson at the other end is talking to a sock puppet of himself on his right hand. The neon green pot roast sits in the middle of the table glowing and making a humming sound and Peanut Butter Wolf brings out the last dish, a piping hot bowl of his secret peanut butter mashed potatoes. Dinner is served…but the seat between James Pants and Koushik is still empty.

As he pulls off his apron and tosses it aside, Wolf calls out, “Jonti! Dinner’s getting cold!” Sprinting down the stairs, ukelele and Akai sampler in hand, Jonti (Danimals) jumps into the empty seat. James Pants puts down his Book of Revelations (with hidden SI Swimsuit issue inside) and extends his hands to lead everyone in a short pre-dinner grace. “Thank you, Universe, for bringing little brother Jonti to our family of psychedelic beat freaks. Thank you for his multi-instrumentalist pop sensibilities, and his acute ability to create music that sounds like dusty 60s lost grooves with a skittering tropicalia beat. Thank you for his recording experiences with Mark Ronson, Santigold, and others, and his brand new full-length release, Twirligig. Also thanks for his spectacularly left of center sense of humor. Thank you Universe.”

Vex Ruffin jumps on the last syllable of the prayer and grabs a fistful of peas, tosses them back like popcorn and exclaims, “Let’s eat!” Everyone at the table opens their eyes and smiles placidly at each other. An animated alligator in a red bikini pops it’s head out of the mashed potatoes and everyone starts laughing out loud. Freeze frame. - KCRW

Ask Stones Throw artist Jonti about his blend of harmony-laden, psychedelic hip-hop and he'll tell you that he never knew how weird it was until he got to L.A. His mosaic of cartoon zaniness, tropical arrangements and boom bap make him a bit of an odd duck.

But inside the kaleidescopic palette of Beach Boys, Brazilian percussion and Madlib influences on Jonti's label debut, "Twirligig" (released Oct. 18), there's the ordinary goal of curing loneliness. After Jonti emigrated from South Africa to Australia as a teen, music was his de-facto companion in a new country. His track list of imaginative song titles such as "Firework Spraying Moon" opens a window into his personality.

A lot has changed since 2008. In the three years he spent recording his album, Jonti, now 23, went from playing in Australian rock bands (Sherlock's Daughter and Danimals), to working with Mark Ronson on a song for a product ad campaign, to being signed to his favorite indie label, to collaborating with Hodgy Beats of Odd Future.

Pop & Hiss recently got on the phone with Jonti, now a permanent West Coaster, to talk about the new (old) album, his Aussie rock past and his artistic influences.

What’s it been like watching the album that you recorded just for yourself three years ago end up getting you signed on a label like Stones Throw Records in 2011?

I really didn’t expect it. I mean, all you have to do is listen to the album to realize what Stones Throw means to me. I’m such a big fan. What happened was I sent it to Elysian Masters mastering studio because I wanted them to finish the album, and they did it and they liked it. Then they passed it onto Peanut Butter Wolf and I got an email and a phone call days later. I still get jittery thinking about that. Now, I’m about to get on a flight from New York, back from CMJ, to meet Wolf at the airport in L.A.

Prior to being a solo artist, you were in a couple bands, most notably an Australian rock group called Sherlock’s Daughter. Do you find any linkage between that band and your electronic solo sound?

I was a hip-hop beat maker before I joined that band. Once I joined them, I learned so much about dynamics and songwriting. I actually started “Twirligig” right as I joined that band and everything I’ve learned since then is sort of the result. All the beats I was making were trying to capture that live band kind of sound.

Describe how you went from missing your flight home from New York with the band last year to suddenly working on an album project with Mark Ronson.

That was at the end of 2010. I was in New York with Sherlock’s Daughter doing CMJ. We were here for three months and thinking about relocating here. I just remember we missed our flight back home and it was just the worst feeling. But then I was told that I also had an interview to do that day and I was supposed to meet someone in a cafe close by. It turns out my brother, who also manages me, had entered my music into this contest where a bunch of bands and artists were competing to work on a project with Mark Ronson. But I didn’t really know that. My brother told me he entered me in some music contest but was really vague on the details.

So when I got to the cafe, Mark came in with this camera crew and told me I’d won. So then I basically stayed in New York until the end of the year, recording at Electric Lady Land with Santigold, Sean Lennon, the Dap Kings and a bunch of awesome musicians, writing and recording songs for a project called TED the Lab. I was nervous a lot of the time we were making the music for the project, especially working with guys like Sean Lennon.

You’ve mentioned being a fan of animator and filmmaker Norman McLaren. How does the sound and aesthetic of his animated artwork influence you?

I was working on the album at the time I really got into him and I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was just obsessed with his work. I figured if I was gonna model my career after anyone, it would be him. His work was always really fun and accessible, but it was just so innovative technically. He one-upped himself on every film. All the sounds he used were amazing. He used drawn-on-film animation where you actually draw on the film itself and put it through this machine and it plays back pitch and notes and sounds.

Given that your new album is comprised of your old material, how does the stuff you’re coming up with lately reflect where you want to go as an artist right now?

It’s funny because I’ve definitely changed a little bit. I actually created an album after it called “Tokorats.” Again, I made it at a time when I though nothing was ever gonna happen with it. And at the time, it was really cathartic music that got me through a certain period in my life. But I’m also working on another solo album now. I’ve been trying to make an album a year, I’m not sure why really. Just feeding my compulsion to record. - LA Times

Discussing the notion of how best to write about Jonti’s music, a DJ at California radio station KCRW remarked, “I don’t feel like writing at all. I feel like drawing a picture, with watercolours, and maybe crayon – colourful, abstract, youthfully curious, and open to interpretation.” Indeed, the young Australian-by-way-of-South Africa’s debut album Twirligig is one of those aural smorgasbords that defies fixed categorization. It’s a textural feast, complete with beautiful Beach Boys harmonies, zippy, whimsical beats, and weird and wonderful noises aplenty.
The sheer number of sounds contained within Twirligig are pretty mind-boggling. Jonti is a veritable encyclopedia of bleeps, clacks, shimmers, whispers, and otherworldly moods, and he has stitched them all together to create an oddly cohesive album. While certain songs stand out as highlights (the almost Flaming Lips-like acoustic guitar and synth flourishes in “Batmilk”, and the spacey, futuristic sway of “Nightshift In Blue”), the experimental nature of the material and the briefness of each track (the majority are around the 2-minute mark) mean that Twirligig plays best front-to-back as a true “album” experience.
There are times when the adventurous arrangements and some inharmonious instrumentation make Twirligig a difficult listening experience. The title track is one such example – a soft acoustic guitar in the right channel gets blasted by plinky xylophone on the left and screechy blobs of feedback down the center. But then, halfway through, the song switches over to a completely different feel. “Nothing quite like this” sings Jonti softly underneath a fuzzy/dreamy bass groove, and the listener is forced to agree – he’s in quite his own category.
-Cole MacKinnon - Northern Transmissions

Discussing the notion of how best to write about Jonti’s music, a DJ at California radio station KCRW remarked, “I don’t feel like writing at all. I feel like drawing a picture, with watercolours, and maybe crayon – colourful, abstract, youthfully curious, and open to interpretation.” Indeed, the young Australian-by-way-of-South Africa’s debut album Twirligig is one of those aural smorgasbords that defies fixed categorization. It’s a textural feast, complete with beautiful Beach Boys harmonies, zippy, whimsical beats, and weird and wonderful noises aplenty.
The sheer number of sounds contained within Twirligig are pretty mind-boggling. Jonti is a veritable encyclopedia of bleeps, clacks, shimmers, whispers, and otherworldly moods, and he has stitched them all together to create an oddly cohesive album. While certain songs stand out as highlights (the almost Flaming Lips-like acoustic guitar and synth flourishes in “Batmilk”, and the spacey, futuristic sway of “Nightshift In Blue”), the experimental nature of the material and the briefness of each track (the majority are around the 2-minute mark) mean that Twirligig plays best front-to-back as a true “album” experience.
There are times when the adventurous arrangements and some inharmonious instrumentation make Twirligig a difficult listening experience. The title track is one such example – a soft acoustic guitar in the right channel gets blasted by plinky xylophone on the left and screechy blobs of feedback down the center. But then, halfway through, the song switches over to a completely different feel. “Nothing quite like this” sings Jonti softly underneath a fuzzy/dreamy bass groove, and the listener is forced to agree – he’s in quite his own category.
-Cole MacKinnon - Northern Transmissions

At the time of this debut release, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and vocalist Jonti was a bit of a mystery, the main bullet points being he once won a contest where a collaboration with Mick Ronson was the prize, he was the first Australian signed to the taste-making label Stones Throw, and that’s about it. It seemed like humility and maybe shyness rather than being obscure for obscurity’s sake, which is also the charm of Twirligig. This is a mysterious effort that could drive fellow producers crazy if they try to deconstruct it, although giving up the “How did he do it?” question is easy as the warm, fuzzy melodies take hold almost instantly. Think of a Madlib-loving Plone or a more adorable version of either Flying Lotus or James Pants and you’re in the general vicinity, and then add hints of the quirky avant-garde (check “Nodlews Way Home” for some very Residents moments) and you’re very close. Vocal tracks bring in pop and rap elements with Beach Boys harmonies filling “Koi Moons Daughter,” while former Co-Deez member Otayo Dubb drives “Cyclic Love” home with some EPMD-like moves. All this genre-borrowing hangs together effortlessly with Jonti’s unique voice as its anchor, so let your laptop-hovering friends worry about the complex constructions while you enjoy Twirligig’s simple pleasures. - All Music Guide

A few years ago I was visiting some friends in the southwestern section of these United States of America, when they decided we should go out to the desert for some sort of music/hippie/rave/love-fest thing. Being ever the intrepid soul I figured "why the Fuck not?"

Sure this wasn't my scene but life is about exploration and some other shit I learned from my days at the Scientology center. We all hoped in their Sierra minivan and made the 4 hour trek. It was a beautiful ride full of breathtaking scenery, catching up, jokes and good music. When we arrived at the super secret location, the sun was just starting to dip and bright arrays of colors were over taking the once pristine blue sky. There was an excitement in the air that felt equal parts moist, electric and sensual. We each took a few bites of a "special" chocolate bar and knew we were now locked in for the long haul.

Once inside it was a veritable feast for the senses; colors, lights, people, smells, sounds, movement, and sense of joy that I have rarely felt in my life. Then the chocolates kicked in, turning this utopia over to a wonderland of delights.

We eventually split up, agreeing to meet at the front gate at 7 am the next morning, like I said we were in for the long haul. I made a few laps around the place, danced a bit, drank some drank and eventually rain into, what can best be described as a hippie siren. He long blond dreadlocks nestled the beauty of her golden face while the light of a bon fire reflected in her eyes. Despite her rave pants and florescent jog bra I was enraptured and swore to myself I would never let her leave my sites.

We spent the next hour talking and learning of each other's life. It was obvious that we were all too different to exist in the same space any longer than this brief speck in history, but we planned to make the most of it.

We found ourselves drifting to the music, entranced in each other's eyes, consumer the others soul, while reveling in the joy of having our own souls devoured. The music jangled and cracked with digital grace that was both perfect for the desert environment and the energy between us. Everything was going swimmingly and then a rapper got on stage and completely ruined the vibe.

We were fortunate to be in capable hands and when the rapping stopped, the music picked back up, switching moods to something more intimate and delicate. Something built on a bedrock foundation that somehow still shifted and morphed with our moods, wants and needs. As the night went on the bond between my desert goddess and I grew stronger, despite the sadness of knowing it was coming to an end.

As the sun started to rise and the darkened sky took on shades of pink the music, fit the mood. A bit melancholy and growing ever more introverted. We walked around hand in hand staring into the embers of a once proud bon fire, we knew it was over. Our time, though brief was powerful. We didn't need to say good bye, our final kiss said it all, and as we pulled away we looked into each other's eyes and knew. I turned to meet my friends never looking back, knowing that something transformative happened and that I was a better person because of this night.

This is what listening to Twirligig by Jonti feels like.
- Syffal

Sounds like: Shlohmo, Beach Boys, Panda Bear, Grizzly Bear

What's so good?
Australia’s beats scene is exploding, with a plethora of creative and interesting acts streaming out of every inconceivable place. Today, we’re introducing you to Jonti. Remember that name — you’ll be seeing it again. This is a young guy with prodigious talent, who has transcended from merely being part of a scene to being an artist whose influence will help shape a movement that is still defining itself.

I’d heard a lot about Jonti before I actually heard his stuff. This is a guy who has already worked with some of the biggest names in the industry (Mark Ronson, Santogold, and Sean Lennon, just to name a few). Needless to say I was excited to finally get my hands on the new album Twirligig. The name excited me. It sounded unique. An obscure mash-up of syllables. Intrigue.

The thing that hits hardest on first listen is the intricate way Jonti’s razor sharp beats characterise each track, and dance under the canopy of his distant Brian Wilson-esque vocals. Listeners should also expect to encounter some tight synthy hooks and a wide range of schizophrenic percussive sounds, tweaks, clicks… or twirligigs. The production is incredible (oh, did I mention he did it all himself?) and the arrangements are crafted really nicely. Unlike a lot of the dreamy chillwave sounds being produced at the moment, these tunes aren’t drowned in reverb or oversaturated in side-chain compression. This is intentional stuff. Jonti wants you to hear it.

In this current musical climate, many artists are creating music that caters to the short attention spans of listeners. Thankfully, Jonti is not one of them. It is a big ask to make a 14-track album (with very few words) that sustains the listener’s interest. However, I found that this collection of songs works best if you experience it as a whole. Each track alone is gratifying and will stimulate your interest, but I found it was in the long listening sessions that each track made more sense within the context of the others.

Have a listen to the killer opening track “Hornet’s Nest” and see if it’s your kinda thing… - Indie Shuffle

"Firework Spraying Moon" is a psychedelic new single, out August 9, from Jonti (formerly of Danimals), whose Twirligig LP is due this October from Stones Throw. - Pitchfork

New Band of the Day

Jonti (No 1,092)

Hometown: Sydney.

The lineup: Jonti (music, instruments, production).

The background: Good label, Stones Throw. Really good. They handle some of the late J Dilla's catalogue as well as several artists we've written about here at New Band of the Day including excellent retro-soulboy Mayer Hawthorne and, more recently, the uncategorisable James Pants and the Stepkids. Put it this way: if we had to nail Stones Throw's aesthetic, well, we'd need a lot of nails. It's playful but serious, into sampling, cutting up and repurposing the music of the past, with one eye on the future. They have a psychedelic attitude towards R&B, or maybe they just like their psych soulful. And their acts have a pop lightness of touch, throwing breezy harmonies into the mix when you least expect. Mostly you get a sense of artists – and remember, their roster includes Madlib – almost pathologically incapable of staying still, exponents one and all of St Vitus dance-pop.

Jonti is a perfect fit for Stones Throw. A multi-instrumentalist, arranger, producer and vocalist from South Africa, currently living in Australia, he amassed old vinyl with a zeal to make the Avalanches seem like barely concerned crate-diggers. He's worked with Mark Ronson, Santigold, Sean Lennon, the Dap-Kings, as well as producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, Kurt Vile) and Albert Hammond Jr of the Strokes. But his debut album for Stones Throw, Twirligig, is an entirely self-played and self-produced affair, written and recorded under the influence of everyone from Madlib to Stereolab and Free Design. So you get a hip-hopper's approach to harmony pop, with an added childlike visual sense that comes from Jonti's love of cartoonist/film-maker Norman McLaren, whose animations were, Jonti explains, "complex, but still fun".

That fun complexity is immediately evident from Twirligig, and responses to it have been suitably gleeful. It made one radio host "feel like drawing a picture, with watercolors and maybe crayon – colourful, abstract, youthfully curious and open to interpretation". A writer felt compelled to "invoke mobiles hung over cots" after exposure to its infantile dementia. We felt much the same after listening to the delightfully silly sampladelia of the track Nodlews Way Home with its off-kilter funkiness (is that a 17/3 rhythm?). You really can imagine children – babies, even – liking this stuff, and it is stuff: gorgeously gooey, gunky funk-pop, the sort of thing you want to squelch between your fingers or smear into shapes on a whiteboard. Wherever you alight – whether it's the mellow exotica of Nightshift in Blue or the Lewis Taylor-ish Smiley Smileyness of Koi Moon's Daughter – you're sure to wind up with a big grin on your face. The title track essays a new form of music – glitchy lounge – while Frightened Mice (Dots) isn't so much clicks'n'cuts as clicks'n'cute. Begone Slumber suggests a funkadelic Free Design, 14 Passaros conjures up 1966 Brian Wilson in a sandpit with those pioneers of Warp(ed) kiddietronica, Plone, and Firework Spraying Moon is two minutes of ecstatic jauntiness. Or as it shall now be known, Jontiness.

The buzz: "Incredibly original, really unusual, and one of the most interesting things I've heard in a while" – Mark Ronson.

The truth: He's a stones throw away from childlike brilliance.

Most likely to: Induce good vibrations.

Least likely to: Induce bad karma about fires.

What to buy: Twirligig will be released by Stones Throw on 18 October.

File next to: Madlib, High Llamas, Free Design, Plone.

Links: facebook.com

Friday's new band: Worship. - The Guardian UK