Escape Room — OMO x Le Dawg Create Alternate Sonic Worlds on Their Electronic Music Album

OMO, aka Javan Cain, and Le Dawg, aka Evan Haywood, in Ann Arbor. Photo – DJ Cataclysmic, aka Jacoby Simmons.

OMO x Le Dawg’s self-titled album provides a brief respite from the outside world.

On their debut release, the Ann Arbor, Michigan, electronic duo creates different vibes and sonic spaces for people needing an escape.

“I want to get into that place where I’m no longer in my consciousness, but I am depersonalized completely into the music,” said Evan Haywood, aka Le Dawg.

“When you’re in that music, it frees you from all of the other things going on: all of the bills you have to pay, all the things you have to worry about, all the craziness in the world. It’s like a place of peace, and it can sound like anything.”

Featuring six tracks, the album is a collection of minimalist, ambient techno that explores a spectrum of sounds, ranging from meditative and percussive to dreamlike and intergalactic.

The music emerged over a series of jam sessions the duo had at Haywood’s home studio.

“We met once a week for a good couple of months,” said Javan Cain, aka OMO. “It turned into a lot of different jams, and there’s going to be a lot of different projects with different sounds. We were jamming together and growing within that, seeing what we could build because it’s endless if you really think about it.”

Those jam sessions quickly reflected the different roles the duo had while making the album: OMO as the creative force and Le Dawg as the editor and observer.

“It’s great because we both have so much going on musically, especially me with my studio work and Javan with all of his live performances that he’s been doing,” Haywood said. “It’s like we’re both bringing those skills and bringing those sensibilities into the process.”

To learn more, I spoke to OMO x Le Dawg about the creative process for the album.

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Detroit LIVE to Showcase Local Music, Art at The Heidelberg Project on Aug. 26

A new block party will spotlight established and emerging local music at The Heidelberg Project in Detroit’s McDougall-Hunt community on Aug 26.

The inaugural Detroit LIVE will feature performances by hip-hop artist Clear Soul Forces; DJ, producer and historian John Collins (Underground Resistance); rapper, DJ and visual artist Sheefy McFly; hip-hop artist Rah the Son and six other local acts.

Sound will be provided by the Audio Rescue Team. Detroit LIVE also will feature open mic sessions for other interested artists to showcase their talent.

Donna Kassab, POWER Entertainment owner and Detroit LIVE creator, has joined forces with Jenenne Whitfield, CEO of The Heidelberg Project, to host the free event near the city’s iconic outdoor art installation from noon to 8 p.m. at 3600 Heidelberg Street.

“The Heidelberg Project is one of the most visited cultural destinations in Detroit, so we wanted to bring a lot of people together around art to build a sense of community,” Kassab said. “Detroit LIVE is all about the spirit of collaboration through arts and entertainment.”

Continue reading “Detroit LIVE to Showcase Local Music, Art at The Heidelberg Project on Aug. 26”