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Edwards's style of music production features four-on-the-floor swing beats and is characterized by vocal samples cut into tiny fragments and reassembled. Writing for ''[[The Wire]]'', [[Simon Reynolds]] described his style as "cross-hatching brief snatches of vocals into a melodic-percussive honeycomb of blissful hiccups."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thewire.co.uk/in-writing/essays/the-wire-300_simon-reynolds-on-the-hardcore-continuum-series_6_two-step-garage_1999_|title=The Wire 300: Simon Reynolds on the Hardcore Continuum Series #6: Two-Step Garage (1999)|date=April 1999|issue=182|website=[[The Wire]]|author=[[Simon Reynolds|Reynolds, Simon]]}}</ref> His earlier records were heavily inspired by other house music producers such as [[Todd Terry]], [[Masters at Work]] and [[MK (DJ)|MK]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theransomnote.com/music/interviews/new-jersey-to-old-kent-road-how-todd-edwards-shaped-uk-garage/|title=New Jersey To Old Kent Road: How Todd Edwards Shaped Uk Garage|website=Ransom Note}}</ref> Over time, he began developing his own style, with his techniques of chopping samples becoming an early characteristic of [[speed garage]] and later [[2-step garage]]. In separate interviews about his favorite tracks, he included songs by [[Roy Davis Jr.]], [[TJR (DJ)|TJR]], [[Armand van Helden]], and other artists from the US and UK garage scenes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://djmag.com/news/todd-edwards-talks-his-top-10-garage-classics|title=Todd Edwards Talks His Top 10 Garage Weapons|date=February 16, 2016|website=[[DJ Mag]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://mixmag.net/feature/todd-edwards-10-best-favourite-us-uk-garage-tracks|title=Todd Edwards picks his 10 favourite garage tracks|date=May 24, 2021|website=[[Mixmag]]|author=Edrich, Paddy}}</ref>
Edwards's style of music production features four-on-the-floor swing beats and is characterized by vocal samples cut into tiny fragments and reassembled. Writing for ''[[The Wire]]'', [[Simon Reynolds]] described his style as "cross-hatching brief snatches of vocals into a melodic-percussive honeycomb of blissful hiccups."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thewire.co.uk/in-writing/essays/the-wire-300_simon-reynolds-on-the-hardcore-continuum-series_6_two-step-garage_1999_|title=The Wire 300: Simon Reynolds on the Hardcore Continuum Series #6: Two-Step Garage (1999)|date=April 1999|issue=182|website=[[The Wire]]|author=[[Simon Reynolds|Reynolds, Simon]]}}</ref> His earlier records were heavily inspired by other house music producers such as [[Todd Terry]], [[Masters at Work]] and [[MK (DJ)|MK]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theransomnote.com/music/interviews/new-jersey-to-old-kent-road-how-todd-edwards-shaped-uk-garage/|title=New Jersey To Old Kent Road: How Todd Edwards Shaped Uk Garage|website=Ransom Note}}</ref> Over time, he began developing his own style, with his techniques of chopping samples becoming an early characteristic of [[speed garage]] and later [[2-step garage]]. In separate interviews about his favorite tracks, he included songs by [[Roy Davis Jr.]], [[TJR (DJ)|TJR]], [[Armand van Helden]], and other artists from the US and UK garage scenes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://djmag.com/news/todd-edwards-talks-his-top-10-garage-classics|title=Todd Edwards Talks His Top 10 Garage Weapons|date=February 16, 2016|website=[[DJ Mag]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://mixmag.net/feature/todd-edwards-10-best-favourite-us-uk-garage-tracks|title=Todd Edwards picks his 10 favourite garage tracks|date=May 24, 2021|website=[[Mixmag]]|author=Edrich, Paddy}}</ref>


His remix of St. Germain's "Alabama Blues" was included in ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'s'' list of the top 30 best house tracks of the 1990s. Ben Cardew described Edwards's technique as a refinement of MK's style, calling it a "buoyantly rhythmic and geometrically patterned mosaic," which served as an inspiration for Daft Punk.<ref name = :30>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-best-house-tracks-of-the-90s/|title=The 30 Best House Tracks of the ’90s|date=October 13, 2022|author=Sherburne, Philip; Cardew, Ben|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]}}</ref> The remixes have also been featured on ''[[The Guardian]]'s'' list of the best UK garage tracks, ranking at number 16.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/may/16/the-best-uk-garage-tracks-ranked|title=The best UK garage tracks – ranked!|date=May 16, 2019|author=Petridis, Alexis|website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>
His remix of St. Germain's "Alabama Blues" was included in ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'s'' list of the top 30 best house tracks of the 1990s. Ben Cardew described Edwards's technique as a refinement of MK's style, calling it a "buoyantly rhythmic and geometrically patterned mosaic," which served as an inspiration for Daft Punk.<ref name = :30>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-best-house-tracks-of-the-90s/|title=The 30 Best House Tracks of the ’90s|date=October 13, 2022|author=Sherburne, Philip; Cardew, Ben|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]}}</ref> The remixes have also been featured on ''[[The Guardian]]'s'' list of the best UK garage tracks, ranking at number 16, and on ''[[Rolling Stone]]'s'' top 200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time, ranking at number 138..<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/may/16/the-best-uk-garage-tracks-ranked|title=The best UK garage tracks – ranked!|date=May 16, 2019|author=Petridis, Alexis|website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/200-greatest-dance-songs-of-all-time-1372888/saint-germain-alabama-blues-todd-edwards-dub-mix-1995-1375336/|title=200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time|date=July 22, 2022|author=Dolan, Jon; Lopez, Julyssa; Matos, Michaelangelo; Shaffer, Claire|website=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref>


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==

Revision as of 00:57, 10 July 2024

This page is about the American garage house record producer. For the film writer, see Todd Edwards (screenwriter).

Todd Edwards
Edwards in 2012
Edwards in 2012
Background information
Birth nameTodd Edward Imperatrice
Born (1972-12-09) December 9, 1972 (age 51)
Bloomfield, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Record producer
  • DJ
  • singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
Years active1992–present
LabelsNervous, i!, Defected
Websitetoddedwardsmusic.com

Todd Edward Imperatrice (born December 9, 1972), known professionally as Todd Edwards, is an American garage house record producer, DJ, and singer. Nicknamed "The God" and known by various aliases throughout his career, he has been credited as a significant influence on electronic music. He inspired the French house duo Daft Punk and played a role in the creation of the UK garage genre.

Early life and education

Music career

1992–2007: Early career and successes

In 1995, his manager was approached by French producer St Germain, who requested Edwards to remix his song "Alabama Blues." Edwards's two remixes of the track led to his breakthrough and became some of his most famous works.[1][2]

In the late 1990s, Edwards connected with the electronic duo Daft Punk, who attempted to collaborate with him on their album Homework. Although a collaboration didn't materialize due to their then-unknown status, they acknowledged him in their song "Teachers" on the album.[3]

In 1999, he reconnected with Daft Punk, resulting in the creation of the song "Face to Face," where he co-produced and performed the vocals.[4] The song was included in the 2001 album Discovery and later released as a promotional single two years later, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in 2004.[5]

2007–2013: Quitting music

2013–present: Return and resurgence

In April 2020, London-based house label Defected Records announced that they had acquired Edwards' catalogue, most of which had previously been available exclusively on physical mediums such as vinyl and CDs.[6][7] In May 2021, Edwards and Defected Records announced that his back catalogue would be available digitally for the first time, with remastered releases, remixes, and previously unreleased songs.[8] Speaking about the remasters, he said that it had "been almost a decade since [he] got back the music catalog" and that Defected was the perfect label to share his music with both an old and new audience.[9]

On March 22, 2023, a bonus track from the 10th anniversary edition of Random Access Memories titled "The Writing of Fragments of Time" was released.[10] The single is an eight-minute track consisting of multiple spoken discussions and sung improvisations between Thomas Bangalter and Todd Edwards as they work on the lyrics and melody of the song.[11][12] That same year, Edwards was featured in a documentary released by Daft Punk titled Memory Tapes.[13]

Artistry

Edwards's style of music production features four-on-the-floor swing beats and is characterized by vocal samples cut into tiny fragments and reassembled. Writing for The Wire, Simon Reynolds described his style as "cross-hatching brief snatches of vocals into a melodic-percussive honeycomb of blissful hiccups."[14] His earlier records were heavily inspired by other house music producers such as Todd Terry, Masters at Work and MK.[15] Over time, he began developing his own style, with his techniques of chopping samples becoming an early characteristic of speed garage and later 2-step garage. In separate interviews about his favorite tracks, he included songs by Roy Davis Jr., TJR, Armand van Helden, and other artists from the US and UK garage scenes.[16][17]

His remix of St. Germain's "Alabama Blues" was included in Pitchfork's list of the top 30 best house tracks of the 1990s. Ben Cardew described Edwards's technique as a refinement of MK's style, calling it a "buoyantly rhythmic and geometrically patterned mosaic," which served as an inspiration for Daft Punk.[1] The remixes have also been featured on The Guardian's list of the best UK garage tracks, ranking at number 16, and on Rolling Stone's top 200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time, ranking at number 138..[18][19]

Personal life

Discography

References

  1. ^ a b Sherburne, Philip; Cardew, Ben (October 13, 2022). "The 30 Best House Tracks of the '90s". Pitchfork.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Vance, Will (April 24, 2024). "An Inexhaustive-But-Highly-Curated List Of The Best And Most Iconic House Music Songs From The 90s". Magnetic.
  3. ^ Gill, Chris (May 1, 2001). "ROBOPOP – An Interview with Daft Punk". Remix. Archived from the original on May 3, 2008. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  4. ^ "Sing It Like Foreigner: When Daft Punk Met Todd Edwards". The Quietus. October 2, 2021.
  5. ^ Brown, August (February 22, 2021). "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger: Daft Punk's 10 greatest moments". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ Trochut, Alexandre (April 16, 2020). "Defected Records acquires Todd Edwards catalogue". BPM.
  7. ^ Stassen, Murray (April 17, 2020). "Defected Records acquires catalog of producer Todd Edwards". Music Business Worldwide.
  8. ^ Edrich, Paddy (May 4, 2021). "Todd Edwards' back catalogue to be released on digital for the first time". Mixmag.
  9. ^ "Todd Edwards' back catalogue to hit streaming services for the first time". DJ Mag. April 30, 2021.
  10. ^ "What Does Working in the Studio With Daft Punk Sound Like? Hear New Audio of Their Process". Billboard. March 22, 2023.
  11. ^ Ross, Gemma (March 23, 2023). "Daft Punk release archival Todd Edwards collab 'The Writing of Fragments of Time'". Mixmag.
  12. ^ Minsker, Evan (March 22, 2023). "Daft Punk and Todd Edwards Share Previously Unreleased Song "The Writing of Fragments of Time": Listen". Pitchfork.
  13. ^ Buckle, Becky (July 31, 2023). "Daft Punk shares never-seen-before 'Random Access Memories' studio footage". Mixmag.
  14. ^ Reynolds, Simon (April 1999). "The Wire 300: Simon Reynolds on the Hardcore Continuum Series #6: Two-Step Garage (1999)". The Wire.
  15. ^ "New Jersey To Old Kent Road: How Todd Edwards Shaped Uk Garage". Ransom Note.
  16. ^ "Todd Edwards Talks His Top 10 Garage Weapons". DJ Mag. February 16, 2016.
  17. ^ Edrich, Paddy (May 24, 2021). "Todd Edwards picks his 10 favourite garage tracks". Mixmag.
  18. ^ Petridis, Alexis (May 16, 2019). "The best UK garage tracks – ranked!". The Guardian.
  19. ^ Dolan, Jon; Lopez, Julyssa; Matos, Michaelangelo; Shaffer, Claire (July 22, 2022). "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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