Though dub has been a somewhat misinterpreted but revered genre over the past half-century, it really wasn’t until its infusion into electronic music that its echoed bliss has been brought to a much larger audience. Boston-based producer/DJ Todd Gys didn’t discover the art of dub until the mid-90’s, but by then the bounds of creative expression were endless thanks in large part to producers like Adrian Sherwood and Lee “Scratch” Perry. Rather than rely simply on dub as a template, Gys fused his minimalist techno background into the mix, creating a sound that has splintered into various off-shoots such as tech-house.
Beginning his career in 1995 while still a student at Denison University in Ohio, Todd Gys had already immersed himself in Euro electronic sounds from the likes of the KLF and Future Sound of London, as well as ambient mood makers Tangerine Dream and Hawkwind. “I took a ubiquitous approach to music and noticed I was concentrating more on the atmospherics and mood of what I was listening to rather than the genre,” he explains. “As a result, tangent albums starting building up and I found myself immersed in everything from experimental rock to field recordings.” Blowing his entire savings on a set of turntables, DJing was Todd’s first real exploration into music, soon joining the renowned ele_mental crew and spinning in chill-out rooms at various raves. But the production bug caught Gys, who wanted to carve his own sound and not just fit in.
After some equipment changes and a move to Boston in 1999, Gys began to realize the compatibility of the dub and techno influences he harbored. Despite the lack of a Detroit-style techno scene in Beantown, the burgeoning DJ nonetheless dove right into the production process, incorporating several main components of his musical palate to concoct something rarely heard in the Northeast. “Through experimenting with recording, mastering techniques, sampling, and effects processing, I found a way to replicate the stylings of an old-school dub studio,” he recalls. “This allowed me to constantly (re) develop sounds and ideas into new experiences.” A resulting 3-song EP of Basic Channel-influenced techno was mastered onto an old cassette tape, and thus the ball began rolling. After making a few connections with the Boston IDM scene and gaining some solid endorsements, Gys was presenting live ensembles he worked in Reaktor at various parties and gaining respect with crews including the Unlocked Groove collective.
The hobby was now a tangible career, and after playing several radio shows on Boston’s WMBR, a well as doing live PA’s throughout Boston and Cambridge, Gys was finally set to release an EP’s worth of material. The culminating Gys EP, released April 2002, heralded the debuts of both Todd Gys and his new home, Zer0 G Sounds. Never one to rest on his laurels, though, Gys has returned quickly, but even more adept with his gear and his craft. A live performance caught the ear of Component Records in 2001, catalyzing the elements for a long player deal in conjunction with Zer0 G. 2003’s Art D’Echo is a culmination of his past experiences, collected knowledge and progressive ideologies, eschewing normal boundaries to bring a pulsating, meticulous ambient techno experience. For Gys, this hypnotic tour de force is merely a hint at what’s to come.