Sd Laika

Looks like there was never a dedicated thread, but word was going around this week that Sd Laika passed away last year.

Total legend, only officially released one EP and one album that I'm aware of. There was a handful of self-released and bootlegged tracks afterward, but he essentially stepped away after releasing one perfect masterpiece of a record. Like, if Autechre had released it, it would be the best Autechre album. At one point Aphex said he was his favorite newer artist. All of his music felt so tactile and alive, I don't know how he did it but it always made me want to try.

This was all coming from one person (people first noticed the update on the Sd Laika last.fm page) and I couldn't find an obit, but I don't really have any reason to doubt it.

RIP Sd Laika pic.twitter.com/tHhr380ET1

— cami (@CAMIBYAIR) July 23, 2024

I don't know if I'm ready to listen to That's Harakiri again yet.

Found this Visionist quote:

https://thequietus.com/interviews/bakers-dozen/visionist-favourite-albums-bakers-dozen/8/

I set up my label Lost Codes to release SD Laika. I had been running a label with a few friends called 92 Points and I came across SD Laika’s music via Soundcloud as you did back in the day. I thought his music was wild, but the rest of my friends at the label didn’t fully understand it. And I never understood why, though I am sure they do now. I spoke with SD and it seemed that was the general view – people didn’t know what to do with his music. I decided to set up a label and get his music out into the world. It was that simple. I thought it was important as I knew what it is like for people not to understand what you are doing. As I had some connections at the time I could support his music. I had all the material that ended up being this album, but once people heard the EP bigger opportunities came...it is a shame we haven’t seen too much music after that record. Years later Aphex Twin comes back saying his favourite artist is SD Laika.

And he was from Milwaukee!

RIP. I was not his target audience and must confess I like his music best at the times when it was less abstract.

Iirc his music is mastered way way too loud. Would love a release that fixes that because those tracks ripped. I found out about him because of the Aphex praise!

RIP