Alex Asher Daniel (born May 14, 1973) is an American contemporary artist and composer. He uses a broad variety of materials including painting, sound installations, photography, drawing and film. A Los Angeles native, he has since lived and worked between London, New York City, and the Bay Area.
Alex Asher Daniel | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 14, 1973 |
| Known for | Painting, drawing, music, film |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Southern California, Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Electronic • Ambient • R&B • Hip-Hop • Experimental |
Personal life
editBorn and raised in Pasadena, California, Daniel received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the California College of the Arts in the San Francisco Bay Area, and was a fixture in the Oakland, California underground Hip-Hop scene in the 1990s.[1]
In college Daniel was inspired to dive deeper into his studies of mysticism and the esoteric by his then English teacher beat poet Michael McClure.[2]
Career
editAs a visual artist Daniel has worked primarily in painting, portraiture, drawing, and collage.[3] Inspired by nature, mysticism and the human form, Daniel's work explores meaning within the unseen space around his subjects and their relationship between the inner and outer world.[4][5][6]
As a portraitist Daniel works specifically from live sittings spending time assessing the aura of the individual subject and incorporating the colors into his work.[7]
His works reside in numerous collections worldwide including the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and has painted notable figures in contemporary culture including Lenny Kravitz, Charles Rangel, Jon Batiste, Tarana Burke, Phylicia Rashad, and Dame Miriam Rothschild.[8][9][10][11][12]
As a music producer and composer he has collaborated and worked in various genres including Ambient, Rock, R&B and Electronica and remixed work for artists such as Maxwell, Warpaint, and UNKLE.[13]
He has frequently worked in musique concrete and sound installation using found sounds to compose works.[14][15] In 2019 he released the instrumental Ambient album Anima Mundi based on the five classical elements with proceeds of the album sales going to Winona Laduke's Honor the Earth for Indigenous environmental justice.[15]
Daniel has produced tracks for various members of the hip hop collective Hieroglyphics and released his 2021 album Book of Spells on the Hieroglyphics Imperium Recordings label. In 2013 he composed the original score and executive produced the Shomari Smith documentary Til Infinity: The Souls of Mischief.[16] The film reflects on the 20-year anniversary of the band Souls of Mischief's debut album 93 'til Infinity and includes over 50 interviews with prominent MCs, DJs, and producers of the era.
In 2021 he released his first full-length album, titled Book of Spells, celebrating the power of nature and the divine feminine featuring an all female line-up of guest musicians. The album includes the single and video "Lover's Prayer" featuring Doris Pearson of the 1980s pop R&B band Five Star[17] and remixes by Stuart Matthewman of Sade, Domino, and Breakbeat Lou. His self-produced remix and video "Dakini" (God's Eye Mix) features Phesto and Tajai of Souls of Mischief, and Sunspot Jonz of Living Legends.
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Book of Spells[18]
Released: November 2021 Label: Good Medicine, Hieroglyphics Imperium |
All songs were produced by Alex Asher Daniel
"Incantations & Celebrations of Nature & The Divine Feminine" |
EPs
edit| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Anima Mundi
Released: November 2019 |
Instrumental compositions based on the 5 classic elements. |
Singles
edit| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | "Talahalusi" (38.2740818°N, -122.3616431°W)[19]
Released: September 2022 Label: Good Medicine |
Collaboration with Adia Millet's Sound Dome for Di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art. |
| 2022 | "Living The Art"
Released: July 2022 Label: Good Medicine |
Featuring Marzenka |
| 2022 | "WarriorLoverHealerChild" (BBL’ed)
Released: March 2022 Label: Good Medicine |
Remix by Breakbeat Lou
Feat. Louie |
| 2022 | "Solstice" (Love, Ecstasy, and Terror Mix)
Released: January 2022 Label: Good Medicine |
Remix by Adam Bravin, She Wants Revenge
Feat. Sarah Walk. |
| 2022 | "Solstice" (Cottonbelly Dub)
Released: January 2022 Label: Good Medicine |
Remixed by Stuart Matthewman, Sade
Feat. Sarah Walk. |
| 2021 | "Solstice"
Released: December 2021 Label: Good Medicine |
Featuring Sarah Walk
From the album Book Of Spells |
| 2021 | "Dakini" (Domino's Raise My Soul Remix)"
Released: December 2021 Label: Good Medicine |
Produced by Domino, Hieroglyphics
Feat. Yesh |
| 2021 | "Dakini" (God's Eye Mix)
Released: December 2021 Label: Good Medicine |
Produced by Alex Asher Daniel
Feat. Sunspot Jonz, Phesto D, Tajai, Souls Of Mischief |
| 2021 | "Dakini"
Released: November 2021 Label: Good Medicine |
Featuring Yesh
From the album Book Of Spells |
| 2021 | "Lover’s Prayer" (Clay Mix)
Released: October 2021 Label: Good Medicine |
Drum N Bass remix produced by Clay Matthewman |
| 2021 | "Lover’s Prayer" (Are & Be Mix)
Released: October 2021 Label: Good Medicine |
Remix produced by Alex Asher Daniel
Featuring Doris Pearson |
| 2021 | "Lover’s Prayer"
Released: September 2021 Label: Good Medicine |
Featuring Doris Pearson
From the album Book Of Spells |
| 2020 | "Chant"
Released: December 2020 Label:Good Medicine |
Featuring Theresa Wayman
Audio installation and video "Psychedelic Ceremony and Spiritual Harmony" |
| 2020 | "Ocean Song"
Released: July 2020 |
33:33 minute composition created for World Oceans Day
Featuring Sarah Walk & Manjit Devgun |
References
edit- ^ root (January 21, 2014). "FvF Mixtape #67". Friends of Friends / Freunde von Freunden (FvF). Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ Josh (February 28, 2012). "Hi, 5 with Alex Asher Daniel". Broken City Lab. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ "Alex Asher Daniel - 14 Artworks, Bio & Shows on Artsy". www.artsy.net. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ "Alex Asher Daniel | PLANET°". Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ "Adia Millett". Galerie du Monde. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ "Alex Asher Daniel & Adia Millett at KP Projects". curate.la. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ Magazine, Smithsonian; Smith, Ryan P. "Check Out These Thought-Provoking Additions to the National Portrait Gallery". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ "National Portrait Gallery adds 28 famous faces". WTOP News. October 29, 2018. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ "Untitled (A Portrait of Miriam Louisa Rothschild, 1908–2005) | Art UK". artuk.org. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ "About Us - Our New York Hotel History - The Lexington Hotel". The Lexington Hotel New York City. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ "Charles Rangel | National Portrait Gallery". npg.si.edu. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ Magazine, Smithsonian; Smith, Ryan P. "Check Out These Thought-Provoking Additions to the National Portrait Gallery". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ "Mixcloud". www.mixcloud.com. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ "Tag: outdoor activiteis [sic] | di Rosa". www.dirosaart.org. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ a b "Anima Mundi, by Alex Asher Daniel". Alex Asher Daniel. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ Celebrate Souls of Mischief 'Til Infinity" + They Speak On The Big Rivalry Between Saafir & Souls, retrieved December 2, 2022
- ^ Pop, Retro (September 25, 2021). "Five Star's Doris Pearson releases new track 'Lover's Prayer'". Retropop - Fashionably Nostalgic. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ Book of Spells by Alex Asher Daniel, November 30, 2021, retrieved November 30, 2022
- ^ "Alex Asher Daniel on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved November 30, 2022.