Eyedress is an LA-based enigma who can’t quite be pinned down. The Filipino-born skater and electronic-producer who grew up on British anarcho bands and Velvet Underground has been making a name for himself with vibey lo-fi music that draws equally from shoegaze and plugg. Committed to experimentation more than any one aesthetic, he’s punk in ethos, favoring raw production that’s at once melodic and avant-garde, invariably collaborating with like-minded chillers from Montreal indie band Homeshake to Georgia rapper Slimesito. These eclectic vibes and a true commitment to artistry have uniquely positioned Eyedress to make just as much sense on a bill with Grimes as Vince Staples. In addition to producing for other artists, a majority of Eyedress’s songs are self-produced — including the 2020 Tiktok mega-hit “Jealous.” Eyedress is also a family man. His wife Elvia and their son Boaty are at the heart of the rising star’s universe. This fall Boaty (who makes a cameo here) turned four on tour. We got some time with Eyedress in the studio and tapped in about punctuality, early memories, zaza tempo, and wifey. Eyedress wears G-SHOCK’s iconic octagonal bezel G-STEEL watch. Photographs by Razy Faouri.Interview by Whitney Mallett.
What time do you usually wake up?
5-6am
If you’re meeting a friend, how many minutes late can you be, before you’re actually late?
15 minutes is pushing it lol
What’s your earliest memory?
goin to my grandma’s house in the province and seeing my dad’s scary doberman pincher in the backyard
Do you believe in time travel?
absolutely
What do you think of indigenous cultures’ and quantum physics’ concepts of time? Like, the cosmic idea that time is a spiral. Or, that time might be an illusion created by quantum entanglement.
indigenous cultures are important if you wanna understand the earth and where our ancestors come from. time doesn’t exist in my mind but i also don’t like wasting my time on things that don’t do anything good for me.
What is the Filipino perspective on time?
they have this term called “filipino time” because filipinos are always late haha i try to be the opposite and have managed to stay punctual my whole life something everyone should strive for. you could lose it all in a second why waste time.
How do you think about your music existing in time?
my music is the only time i get to freeze time in sound form then there is video whenever we film our current selves.
How many beats per minute are most of the songs on Vampire in Beverly Hills?
420bpm the zaza tempo
What’s the song “Once Upon a Time” about?
how i met my wife while i was going through a dark time and how she took care of me and helped me become the best version of myself
A Conversation with Eyedress
Eyedress is an LA-based enigma who can’t quite be pinned down. The Filipino-born skater and electronic-producer who grew up on British anarcho bands and Velvet Underground has been making a name for himself with vibey lo-fi music that draws equally from shoegaze and plugg. Committed to experimentation more than any one aesthetic, he’s punk in ethos, favoring raw production that’s at once melodic and avant-garde, invariably collaborating with like-minded chillers from Montreal indie band Homeshake to Georgia rapper Slimesito. These eclectic vibes and a true commitment to artistry have uniquely positioned Eyedress to make just as much sense on a bill with Grimes as Vince Staples. In addition to producing for other artists, a majority of Eyedress’s songs are self-produced — including the 2020 Tiktok mega-hit “Jealous.” Eyedress is also a family man. His wife Elvia and their son Boaty are at the heart of the rising star’s universe. This fall Boaty (who makes a cameo here) turned four on tour. We got some time with Eyedress in the studio and tapped in about punctuality, early memories, zaza tempo, and wifey. Eyedress wears G-SHOCK’s iconic octagonal bezel G-STEEL watch. Photographs by Razy Faouri. Interview by Whitney Mallett.
What time do you usually wake up?
5-6am
If you’re meeting a friend, how many minutes late can you be, before you’re actually late?
15 minutes is pushing it lol
What’s your earliest memory?
goin to my grandma’s house in the province and seeing my dad’s scary doberman pincher in the backyard
Do you believe in time travel?
absolutely
What do you think of indigenous cultures’ and quantum physics’ concepts of time? Like, the cosmic idea that time is a spiral. Or, that time might be an illusion created by quantum entanglement.
indigenous cultures are important if you wanna understand the earth and where our ancestors come from. time doesn’t exist in my mind but i also don’t like wasting my time on things that don’t do anything good for me.
What is the Filipino perspective on time?
they have this term called “filipino time” because filipinos are always late haha i try to be the opposite and have managed to stay punctual my whole life something everyone should strive for. you could lose it all in a second why waste time.
How do you think about your music existing in time?
my music is the only time i get to freeze time in sound form then there is video whenever we film our current selves.
How many beats per minute are most of the songs on Vampire in Beverly Hills?
420bpm the zaza tempo
What’s the song “Once Upon a Time” about?
how i met my wife while i was going through a dark time and how she took care of me and helped me become the best version of myself