Computer Magic

Computer Magic
Computer Magic
Performing at WWW club in Tokyo, Japan in February 2016.
Background information
Birth name Danielle Johnson
Also known as Danz
Born (1989-02-20) 20 February 1989
Rock Hill, New York[1]
Genres Synthpop, Indie rock
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • singer-songwriter
  • record producer
Instruments Vocals, Keyboard
Years active 2010-present
Labels Kitsuné, Channel 9 Records, P-Vine Records, Tugboat Records
Associated acts Cody & Danz
Website http://thecomputermagic.com

Computer Magic is the solo-project of American musician and producer Danielle Johnson, also referred to by her alias, Danz, based in Brooklyn, NY.[2]

She is the singer, writer, composer, and the producer for Computer Magic.

Her musical influences include Radiohead, Gary Numan, Broadcast and Stereolab. She has also listed Philip K. Dick and Barbarella as further influences.[3][4][1][5]

Her music has been described as otherworldly cosmic-pop.[6][7] She has maintained success in Japan and has gained a cult following in the United States.[8][9] Attracting sci-fi enthusiasts, she often performs or takes press photos in space suits with backdrops redolent of NASA base camps.[10]

Beginnings

Johnson was born and raised in the Catskills in both Woodridge, New York and Rock Hill, New York. She started her own music blog at the age of 15.[2][11] At the age of 18, she moved to New York City to attend Hunter College and became a DJ at places such as the Tribeca Grand Hotel and The Annex.[10][12]

She started producing music at her mother's house whilst on hiatus from New York in Tampa, FL.[5] There, she taught herself how to make music. She has stated that she writes music entirely by ear.[13][14]

The name Computer Magic is derived from a quote in This Is Spinal Tap from Viv Savage, "Quite exciting this computer magic!".[15]

Music

Since 2011, Computer Magic has released nine self-produced EPs and four LPs, three exclusive to Japan.[16]

A number of Computer Magic's songs are released for free at first, giving fans a chance to download them before they go up for digital sale on iTunes. About this, Danz has said that "The more people that have your music and enjoy it the better.".[15]

In 2014, her self-produced song Running (Hiding Version) was featured on two separate television commercials for Aria Resort and Casino and Lexus.[17][18] Computer Magic has also announced an upcoming album "DANZ", slated to be released on February 23, 2018.[19]

Davos

Computer Magic released her first LP entitled Davos on October 16, 2015 with her own record label in the US, Channel 9 Records with Kobalt Label Services, and in Japan with Tugboat and P-Vine Records.

She recorded the songs with Claudius Mittendorfer over the course of 2 years in New York, New York.[8] The title Davos is a homage to a now-'decrepit' ski resort where Johnson grew up in upstate New York, where her dad worked and still resides although the ski resort closed when Johnson was 3 years old.[8][20]

Danz in the Fuzz music video.

The video for the first single from the album, Be Fair, features Danz in a space crash that was filmed in Trona Pinnacles.[20] The video for the second single Fuzz features Danz in dramatic futuristic wardrobe, through which she splits her time between light and dark roles.[21]

Japan

She has released four full-length records in Japan with Tugboat Records and P-Vine Records.[22] The first record entitled Scientific Experience, debuted at #5 on the iTunes Japanese Electronic Music Chart.[23] Her 2015 release "Mindstate" debuted at #1 on the iTunes Japanese Electronic Music Chart.[24]

She has composed numerous songs for commercials in Japan for companies such as Panasonic and QP.[25][26]

She has modeled clothes for Sofia Coppola's Japanese clothing company Milkfed[27] and in 2017 was in the fall catalog for the skate clothing brand X-Girl, founded by Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon in the 1990s.[28]

Cody & Danz

In June 2017 Danz announced a collaborative EP with musician Cody Crump titled Only The Hits [29] The EP was released on July 14, 2017 through Channel 9 Records.[30]

Channel 9 Records

In 2015 she started her own record label, Channel 9 Records, to release her own music on limited edition vinyls and cassettes.[31]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Davos (2015)
  • Danz (2018)

EPs

  • Hiding From Our Time - EP (2010)
  • Hiding From More of Our Time - EP (2010)
  • Electronic Fences - EP [Vinyl + Digital] (2011)
  • Spectronic - EP (2011)
  • Kitsuné:Orion - EP (2012)
  • A Million Years / Another Science - EP [Vinyl + Digital] (2013)
  • Extra Stuff - EP [Vinyl + Digital] (2014)
  • Dreams of Better Days EP (2015)
  • Obscure But Visible - EP [Vinyl + Digital + CD] (2016)

Compilations

  • Super Rare (2017)

Japan-exclusive releases

  • Scientific Experience (2012)
  • Phonetics (2013)
  • Mindstate (2015)

Music videos

  • 2011: The End of Time
  • 2012: Trinity
  • 2013: A Million Years
  • 2013: Moving Forward
  • 2014: All I Ever Wanted [32]
  • 2015: Mindstate [33]
  • 2015: Be Fair [34]
  • 2015: Hudson [35]
  • 2016: Fuzz [36]
  • 2016: Dimensions [37]
  • 2017: Been Waiting [38]

References

  1. 1 2 Stereogum "Band to Watch" July 1st, 2012 retrieved Dec 26th 2013
  2. 1 2 De Los Angeles, Kim "Biography - Official Site" March 3rd, 2015
  3. ↑ Patrick, Bob "Interview with Computer Magic" May 19th, 2016 retrieved July 21st, 2016
  4. ↑ The Seventh Hex "Computer Magic Interview" September 24th, 2014 retrieved October 26th, 2017
  5. 1 2 Cihak, Izzy "Interview: Computer Magic's Sugar-Coated, Sonic Science Fiction" April 6th, 2013 retrieved Dec 26th 2013
  6. ↑ Golden, Zara "The Fader - Computer Magic Shares Tone Setting Second Single, Fuzz" October 16th, 2015 retrieved July 22nd, 2016
  7. ↑ Robbins Jr., David D. "Computer Magic - Shipwrecking" February 6th, 2016
  8. 1 2 3 i-D Magazine "I-D Magazine Computer Magic’s Sci-fi Synth Pop is Already Big in Japan" November 5th 2015 retrieved December 28th 2015
  9. ↑ Stratosphere, Jen "Audio Premiere: "Change My Mind (Computer Magic Remix) - Stone Cold Fox" March 10th, 2016 retrieved March 10th, 2016
  10. 1 2 ROSENZWEIG, MATHIAS "Computer Magic’s Danielle Johnson Breaks the Glass Ceiling for Female Producers" October 23rd, 2016
  11. ↑ Johnson, Andy "Interview: Computer Magic" January 18th, 2013 retrieved December 26th 2013
  12. ↑ Last.FM "Bio"
  13. ↑ Stratosphere, Jen "Q&A with Computer Magic" April 12, 2012 retrieved Dec 26th 2013
  14. ↑ " Retrieved August 8th 2013
  15. 1 2 Raven + Crow Studio " February 18th 2014 retrieved February 18th 2014
  16. ↑ Website Bio "Website Bio" October 25th,
  17. ↑ "Lexus International Strobe - Ad Break Anthems" July 15th 2014, retrieved August 8th 2014
  18. ↑ "Aria Hotel and Casino 'Flowers' " May 25th 2014, retrieved August 8th 2014
  19. ↑ http://www.thecomputermagic.com/
  20. 1 2 Made Music "Milk PREMIERE: BLAST INTO SPACE W/ COMPUTER MAGIC'S NEW VID" August 8th 2015 retrieved December 28th 2015
  21. ↑ Made Music "Stereogum PREMIERE: Computer Magic - Fuzz" February 23rd, 2016 retrieved March 10th 2016
  22. ↑ P-Vine "P-Vine Artist Bio" November 23rd 2012 retrieved December 26th 2013
  23. ↑ "Scientific Experience debut at #5" December 20th, 2012 retrieved December 26th 2013
  24. ↑ "Mindstate Japanese Release" January 22nd 2015 retrieved January 29th 2015
  25. ↑ "Public Rhythm - Computer MagicがPanasonicのCMソングを書き下ろし" August 8th 2015, retrieved December 26th, 2015
  26. ↑ "Official Site - QP Commercial in Japan" December 8th 2014, retrieved December 26th, 2015
  27. ↑ "Computer MagicがアパレルブランドMILKFED.の2013 HOLIDAYアンバサダーに就任！！" October 28th, 2013 retrieved December 26th 2013
  28. ↑ [url=http://www.x-girl.jp/news/201707/detail6058 "X-Girl 2017 Fall Lookbook"] 2017-09-11
  29. ↑ "Take a first look at Cody & Danz's "Make it in America" [Video] - EARMILK". EARMILK. 2017-06-29. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  30. ↑ http://thefourohfive.com. "Computer Magic and Cody Crump stream collab EP Only The Hits [405 Premiere]". The 405. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  31. ↑ [url=http://www.channel9records.com/about "Channel 9 Records Website Bio"] 2017-10-26
  32. ↑ http://vimeo.com/98186342
  33. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcCjTDc3xlo
  34. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeJBpY7ccQk
  35. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95qY4soCElE
  36. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJJUVvSI-kM
  37. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR4qo2aC9us
  38. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXw1M54WsRo
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