i-DJ: iglooghost

The weird and wonderful Flying Lotus-approved producer made us a hyperactive mix that’s out of this world.

by Frankie Dunn
22 September 2017, 2:51pm

"FlyLo called me up on stage and told everyone I'm the next Aphex Twin," 20-year-old British producer Iglooghost aka Seamus Malliagh told i-D over email. "It was maybe the coolest thing that's ever happened in my life."

Mr Lotus probably isn't far off. Iglooghost is taking his own brand of hyperactive electronic music and running with it through time, space, and multiple dimensions - all the way to the misty world of Mamu, where a giant pair of eyeballs crash landed and disrupted the mysterious forces of the planet. A bizarre collection of multicoloured creatures -- including a bug thief after which his latest single is named -- are forced to deal with the unfolding situation and Iglooghost tells their story through his music. For real.

Although born in Ireland and currently based in Bristol, Iglooghost's sonic home is Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder label, where he put out his debut Chinese Nü Yr EP when he was just 18. His debut LP Neō Wax Bloom will follow on 29 September with features from Cuushe and Mr. Yote and a free gift of a 12 page comic (he's responsible for all of his magical artwork) and sticker sheet because why not. Strongly influenced by Japan, the portal in his garden, primary colours on white backgrounds, and lapsang souchong, we reckon the album would be the ultimate video game soundtrack, though he hears things a little differently. "In my head the album's really sad," he told us. "To me, all the melodies sound like a lil baby trying to express a basic form of sadness."

Totally obsessed, we asked Iglooghost to make us an exclusive mix. Full of his own tunes, as well as some from the likes of Kai Whiston, Howie Lee, Sega Bodega and Joseph Marinetti, it'll have you typing/walking/doing whatever it is you're doing rn faster and more efficiently than ever before. "This mix is made up of a lot of music I think sounds cool in my ears and brain," Iglooghost told i-D. "I made it in my new enormous gold mansion. I also chat to my assistant - Gü - at some point within the mix. Hope u like it friends."

Stick this mix on and meet its maker via the 10 fun facts below:

1. You'll never guess what an Iglooghost is.
"An Iglooghost is a being that exists for a few seconds, creates a levitating object like a fruit or something, then disappears."
2. He doesn't actually believe in ghosts, igloo or otherwise.
"Ghosts aren't real. All the stuff the Iglooghost album is about is real tho."
3. He first met Flying Lotus in a grocery store in Los Angeles.
"He was stealing Milky Way bars!"
4. He wants to make a film based on his new album Neo Wax Bloom.
"Someone with money should take a risk and give me all of it so I can pay my friends to help me make 10 iglooghost episodes."
5. He created his own alphabet.
"I think the one we use sucks! the only letters i really like are '&' and '~' and they're not even really letters."
6. In his new music making tutorial he sticks cables in fruit. It does actually work.
"Every fruit emits a different ambience; bananas make this kinda wooping bendy sound, oranges make a sharp tangy sound etc."
7. He secretly makes rap music to relax.
"I've got a soundcloud where me and my friends make rap music as a joke and there's like 50+ songs. We've made rap songs about stuff like garfield, snitching, being cucked, eating shit, being a baby in the womb and loads more."
8. He loves Japanese music from the 80s and recommends the following as an entry point.
"It's a little obvious but right now I'm having so much fun digging into Sakamoto's overlooked production work. He's made a lot of crazy synthy albums for girls to sing on."
9. He's never actually been to Japan but has big plans for when he finally makes it.
"One of my goals is to spend a lot of money in a Pokemon centre there."
10. His name is rare.
"I actually don't know many people called Seamus. I added someone on Facebook who had the same name as me and he hit me up to say wassup."