The NY-based musician mixes up a mental new genre-spanning selection of garage, drum'n'bass, and Shakira
In This Mix is 4 U, Dazed's favourite urban cowboy, Physical Therapy, embarks on a "BPM journey", from the beautifully stripped down Supreme Cuts remix of his dance floor filler 'Drone On ft. Jamie Krasner', into the dark heart of drum'n'bass, even bringing in some... erm, Shakira. The New York-based producer/DJ (aka Daniel Fisher) has a history of seamlessly transcending genres - he’s remixed everything from Carly Rae Jepsen and Alicia Keys to Elite Gymnastics and CFCF, turned Christmas carols into gabba bangers and generally just set about taking a simultaneously irreverent and unabashedly sincere approach to reimagining dance music. In Fisher’s recent Safety Net EP, he brings together early rave, obscure samples and R&B vocals – stand-out tracks “Drone On” and “Do It Alone” are euphoric, affirmative anthems that filter 90s rave culture through the lens of a generation seeing it for the first time round. Despite being dubiously hyped as the second coming of “Posi Dance”, Fisher’s ecstatic gems, pop remixes and slowed down “drum ‘n’ space” numbers are unclassifiably in a genre of their own.
After playing at Venus X’s legendary GHE20 GOTH1K nights in New York, he's also recently toured Europe with Mykki Blanco. Fisher is part of a new breed of musicians and artists who are heralding a return to sincerity and an outright rejection of irony, it’s an approach shared by musicians like How to Dress Well, whose unashamed love for pop hooks also sits alongside a finely honed ear for rare samples. Fisher’s pro-pop stance is in the same vein as his fellow DIS magazine affiliated crew of artists cum pop stars like Ssion’s Cody Critcheloe and Lauren Devine – both of whom are featured in Dazed’s upcoming November art special issue.
WHAT's...
...your secret talent?
Procrastinating.
...the story behind your name?
I was walking by a Physical Therapist's office on the way to a gig with a young Mykki Blanco and "Eureka!"
...your worst vice?
Texting while driving.
...your worst fashion secret?
Akeem Ouch!
...better, analog or digital?
Does it matter?
...are you listening to now?
Aimee Mann - I'm With Stupid, Land of the Loops - Bundle of Joy, Deee-Lite - Sampladelic Relics & Dancefloor Oddities
How would you describe your work?
My work is sample based, and genre-free. Always a means to an end, a product of endless cut-and-paste experiments.
Do you feel a sense of camaraderie with your peers?
I do feel a sense of camaraderie with producers who lack the ability or desire to have a signature sound. I think that all the mixing and matching is great. If we blend it all together enough we can get to some new ideas. I love people who take the time to perfectly reproduce historical genres, but I don't really have the patience for that kind of tribute. Alternately-- people who constantly herald the creations of new micro-genres give themselves way too much credit. Genres and musical movements should be named in retrospect.
What is a live Physical Therapy set like? Do you like to weave in your own production work with the music you find online?
My live sets are DJ sets. I usually try to go on a bpm journey-- if i can make it to 180 during the set than I'm happy. It's a constant battle with myself to play things that are new and exciting to me and not fall back on "bangers". I always try to mix in my own productions and edits-- but I kind of go with the flow on that and never force it.
What's next?
New Fatherhood tracks (a collaboration with Michael Magnan), new edits, a white label, and an LP for Hippos in Tanks in 2013.
Download the mix HERE
This Mix Is 4 U - Tracklist:
Physical Therapy - Drone On (ft. Jamie Krasner) [Supreme Cuts Mix)
Kallisti - Millenial
DJ Zinc - Super Sharp Shooter (Remix)
Krinjah - Angel (VIP)
DJ Heretic - Scalp Dem (ft. Supercat)
Divison One - Pull Up
Sunshine Anderson - Heard It All Before (DJ Marky Remix)
Plies - You (Unknown Remix)
Shakira - Underneath Your Clothes (The Xquizit DJ X D&B Vocal Remix)
The Knife - Heartbeats (Ed Cook Remix)
Arca - Walls
The Streets - Has It Come to This
Supreme Cuts - Val Venus (Physical Therapy Remix)
DJ RuffKutt - Dangerous
Evy Jane - Sayso (Julien Mier Remix)
Future Sounds of London - Papua New Guinea (Nu:Tone Remix)
Common - The Light (Brookes Brothers Remix)
Michael Jackson - Human Nature (Makoto Remix)
Unknown - This Song Is For You