Artist Spotlight: Gold Panda

   Happy Friday everyone!!! The weekend's just about here. I can almost taste it! Very excited, even though it's suppose to be like 0 degrees in Boston...that seems a bit odd.

   At any rate, I'm staying nice and warm, and I plan on keeping busy by bringing you yet another artist spotlight!

   This week I'll be featuring a guy who goes by the name of Gold Panda. This UK producer, named Derwin Panda, has been producing beautiful minimal/dancey/glitch/electro/world/hiphop tracks since 2009. He self released several eps in 09 and went on to get signed to Ghostly International records and Notown records late that year. If Gold Panda sounds a bit familiar, it might be because he made my second favorite album of 2010, Lucky Shiner (list of 2010 top ten albums here)

   

   I first heard Gold Panda at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, late last year, at the Bonobo concert I went to. You by G.P. came on, and the majority of the room got to dancin'. Much to my suprise, Shazam on my iPhone came to my rescue, and told me exactly what this amazing music was (Thanks Shazam!)

   I was very interested to hear in an interview with Gold Panda, that he doesn't like most of the music he comes up with, and it's only later that he goes back to it, and realizes what awesomeness he's created. When asked what his musical process is, he replied, "Basically I'll listen to loads of gangster rap and get really excited. Then I'll make some crappy twinkly sounding track instead." (you can read his full interview with Illegal Tender Magazine here <--click there)

   He does recognize that he's got some serious musical talent in the sampling department, sifting through record bins and samples for hours on end to make just the right tones. In addition to his original material, he has done loads of amazing remixes for the likes of, Bloc Party, Caribou, and Telepathe. 

   Looking toward the future, he was asked what he sees in store. Gold Panda replied, "Hopefully a live set and some releases. A tape. 7". Do an album. More remixing and more tea. Write a book. Grow a cat up. Buy a plant. That kind of thing." I look forward to all of that. 

   At any rate, I bring you Gold Panda. Check it out.

(You)

(Quitter's Raga)

(Snow & Taxis)

(Back Home)

   If you happen to be in Europe over the next few months he'll be touring around Germany till mid March, with a few stops off in the Czech Republic, and the UK. If you're state side, and happen to be in Austin, Texas the 15th through the 19th of March, so will he. So check him out, and let me know how it was. 

   I hope you've enjoyed Gold Panda. I sure know I have. Be sure to check out all his social media outlets below. Have a great weekend everyone. Peace.

Here <-- YouTube Channel

Here <-- Facebook Page

Here <-- Myspace Page


UPDATE: Gold Panda has set more dates in North America (including the east coast!) and Europe. Check out the link to the post on pitchfork.com - Panda dates <---click there