After a resonating experience in an opening slot for Bassnectar in 2010, Emancipator—real name Doug Appling—will return to Madison to headline a night at the Majestic Theater this Thursday, Feb. 16.
Opening for an electronic, dance-inspired DJ like Bassnectar might lead one to believe Emancipator inspires similar fist-pumping behavior, but this vision contrasts sharply with the low-fi, trance-like beats on his recorded albums. Taking into account this more mellow vibe, Appling said during an interview that his music can be appropriate for a multitude of situations.
"I think a lot of people listen to it at home while they're chilling, working, studying," he said. "People like it on the slopes when they're snowboarding. Anywhere basically."
But for those looking for a more up-tempo night on the town, do not be discouraged from attending quite yet.
"I think in general my live stuff's more in the livelier direction," Appling said. "[It is] a little pushier with the tempo than on my albums. But, I mean people can just dance to it or chill out at the show or whatever they feel most comfortable doing."
Even if "comfortable" does not necessarily or normally read as "listening to electronic music" for some Madisonians, Appling said they might want to consider heading to the Majestic anyway.
"If you're getting into electronic music and you're looking for something a little different, you should definitely come out and see the show," he said. Diligent fans will also have something fresh to look forward to.
"There's a lot of new stuff from my album that I'm bringing on this tour," Appling continued. "The upcoming album is almost complete, probably within a month I'll probably finish it ... I've been demoing a lot of the songs on this tour."
Also accompanying Emancipator on stage is violinist Ilya Goldberg. Goldberg is one of many organic elements that go into Appling's productions. Those listening carefully to his music will be able to discern looped melodies of keys, guitar, bass guitar, banjo and even a little bit of mandolin, all composed and recorded by Appling himself.
This may seem like a lot of instruments, but beginning music at a young age has made piecing together different soundscapes much simpler.
"[I started] violin when I was four," he said. "I played it for eight years and then I switched over to learning guitar and drums and then teaching myself how to program music on the computer."
He said he laid down his first tracks using a program called Acid Pro at the age of 14 or 15; by 19 he had finished his first album Soon It Will Be Cold Enough. Perhaps even more astounding than accomplishing so much at such a young age is that he created and self-released said album all while completing his undergraduate studies at The College of William & Mary, a liberal arts school in Williamsburg, Va.
"I made the first album during my first two years of being a student," he explained. "I released it my junior year. So I was just making beats the whole time while I was in school."
Appling graduated from William & Mary with a bachelor's degree in psychology, but when asked if he planned on ever doing anything with it he replied with a swift and easy "no."
"I mean, I learned a lot and I got my education for sure, but I decided not to go to grad school and [that] I would just give music a chance," he said. "It seems like that was a good choice. Things are going pretty well."
Pretty well indeed. Emancipator's stop in Madison is one of many on his current tour through the Midwest, and after finishing up this round in Minneapolis he will have a month to recuperate before headlining up and down the West Coast.
Catch him while he is in our humble state with special guests Little People and Radish.
