Williams, 30, describes his sound as a combination of neo-soul, jazz fusion, hip hop and EDM (electronic dance music). It is made with samplers, synthesizers and drum machines.
“I sing a little bit, I rap a little bit. I love writing music, chord progressions, poetry,” he said.
Williams keeps a woodworking shop in his garage where he designs the modular decks and soundproofing panels that fill his music studio, components of which can be packed up to travel with him around town.
The studio resembles an art installation, with puffy cotton clouds hanging from the ceiling and undulating wooden sculptures lining the walls. There is a handmade DJ deck, cases for carrying equipment, shelves for storing keyboards. He calls it “multifunctional” art.
“I try not to make too much art that is only visual and not functional. I want to have limitations.”
He owns about two dozen synthesizers.
Unlike traditional instruments that produce sound through vibrations, like strings on a guitar, synthesizers create sound electronically.
“Pretty much everything in here but the piano is built be me. Starting the business with nothing, a lot of my materials were scraps and found stuff. What got me into woodworking was making cases for these things, so I can sustainably take them places. Using whatever I have is definitely at the core.”
Credit: Hannah Kasper
Credit: Hannah Kasper
GROWING UP
Raised in Kettering in a family of seven, Williams’ father, an electrical engineer, and his mother, a certified teacher, guided his homeschool career. Music and art were at the center of the home.
“My oldest brother was in a lot of the punk bands in Dayton. There used to be teen venues that didn’t sell alcohol and were maybe ministry-based. The Attic, Gathering Grounds, Oddbody’s. A lot of metal bands came up from that, high school kids actually having an organized show with a sound system. I was around that all the time as a kid, my brothers’ bands coming over.
“I played piano growing up, but I wasn’t great at playing instruments. I strayed away from it because I thought it wasn’t my thing. I was more of a jock in high school.”
Basketball was his go-to sport, but music was always a source of joy.
Williams remembers his dad hooking up great sound systems, and dancing with his sister at his grandmother’s house to the NSYNC song “Bye Bye Bye”.
“My first love of electronic music was Technotronic’s ‘Pump up the Jam’. I re-made that song with all the instruments I have and sequenced it live in the same way they would have back then.
“I don’t know that those (examples) are the pinnacle of music, but they’re dance records. Someone went in there and was like, how do we make this groove, how do we make this hit people’s ears differently.
“If there’s one thing about my music, I obsess about creating sounds that open people’s minds. I want them to hear something in the frequency that moves them in a way they haven’t heard before.
“Michael Jackson was always trying to use synth sounds that no-one else used before; artists like Prince made all their own music. The mixes weren’t the cleanest or the most professional, but it was him.”
He also cites the DJ and record producer Skrillex as an inspiration.
“He embodies developing yourself, collaboration, and attention to detail with production.”
MAKING MUSIC
Williams started making music in late high school by creating beats on the computer.
“This technology of being able to make music from a computer alone by dragging samples was a lot different than a punk or garage band. For me to play a show, I had to provide everything. I would bring lights, a giant table, a sound system. There weren’t really a lot of people into that type of music. Anybody who was deejaying wasn’t producing music, they were just choosing (other people’s records).
“I put on my first art festival at my church when I was 18. I gathered a bunch of musicians and vendors from around the city. I (realized I) didn’t want to isolate myself from other artists with church, so I moved away from that construct. Now I love working with as many different types of people as possible, musically, stylistically, artistically.”
PAYING THE RENT
“My full-time job and main source of income is deejaying weddings. I do about fifty a year. Everyone in the wedding industry knows me. I drive to Cleveland, Cincinnati.
“The wedding business is something I’ve built so I can have money to do what I love. I want to create my own day, and whatever I can imagine is what it’s going to be. I can support other musicians and build my music career. My job is extremely artistic and fun, but I do have to remember it’s not really my full vision. It’s serving someone else.”
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
DAYTON STRONG
“I love living down here in Dayton. I’ve been finding a lot of gratitude in that lately. I can drive five minutes to Press (Coffee Bar) or any one of the music venues, bars, or clubs that are starting to thrive. I can pop over for a couple hours any evening and see fifteen of my friends and then come home.
Right now I really like the places that will play EDM — Cosmo Joe’s is a really fun place. I’ll often go to Ugly Duckling. Places that are open to different types of music.
“Some people hear ‘electronic’ and get very close-minded and think it’s a certain style. It’s more of a European thing compared to our roots in America that are more rock and roll and guitar-based.
“I’m very particular about the way that things sound, because it’s all creating a vibe and a feeling. People don’t think of an engineer as an artist, but I think it’s all wrapped up in the same thing.”
MAKING ART ACCESSIBLE
Williams has been creating audio-visual installations, collaborating with artist Fea Muñoz under the name Foto Futura Fantastica. The duo recently created an interactive experience at Joui Wine.
“The concept for me is giving more interaction to the audience. The music and visuals in the room can be manipulated (by participants). Maybe you’re only giving them access to a couple knobs that change small things, but they’re still able to see, ‘oh, I can do this’. This is not rocket science.
“I think I saw a Steve Jobs interview where he was talking about how making products is user experience first. Giving people the ability to use things functionally.
“I feel if there’s a creator in this world, he’s given us all these things we can interact with in a way, but we have to make it more usable, for a child or someone who might not understand it as well. I think of creation in general as accessible.
“I want to make events that are based on how, when I’m out at bars and parties, I’ve always found myself drawing or talking about art or wanting to stay busy with my hands. I find myself around that crowd of people.”
Williams likes to set up instruments and art materials in public parks — Delco, Indian Riffle, Belmont. He’ll post a head’s up on social media and people show up with blankets and art projects.
“My idea is there’s no pressure. I’m trying to make it as easy as possible for someone to make art. Our creative brains have to get worked. I’m very fortunate on a daily basis to be working it all the time. A lot of people, whether they’re on their phone, consuming entertainment rather than making it, actually lose stamina creatively. The frustration sets in easier. So I find myself wanting to bring that to people.”
SLOW ARPEGGIO
“I use the Apple Health App. I have an alarm at 8:00 in the morning. It fades in very softly with a slow, calming pad. It has an arpeggio that comes in.
“I want to be doing stuff constantly. I stay really active and moving all the time. Waking up in the morning, if I feel stiff, it bothers me a lot. I feel like I’m not getting the most out of life.
“Honestly for a long time I struggled even with the time it would take for a shower. (Now I) take time for my health routine. Brushing my teeth, taking vitamins, cleaning the house if there’s anything that need’s done.
“Generally I don’t want to have to go anywhere very quickly. This morning I woke up and read a little page out of this meditative book, did some things I felt like I didn’t have time to do this week.
“Then I went to Press at 10. Sometimes it’s escaping my life, going to coffee shops. I go about every other day.
“I do yoga with my mom three times a week. She’s in her 60s and to see her taking care of her body and us doing the same things in yoga is very cool.”
Late morning is dedicated to emails and any type of laptop work — his least favorite part of the job.
Back in the studio, Williams creates posters for gigs around town.
“For the most part I’ll make my own graphic design. Even though my artistic ability isn’t as good as others, I find that I can at least grab a feeling.
TAKING CARE
“I definitely make my own food. Protein and water are the important things for me. I (build) my meals around eggs, chicken, beef. All organic stuff.
“The pandemic was probably the biggest test of my stress level and understanding the weight of taking care of myself. What can we do to try to mitigate that anxiety for ourselves? I want to be so in shape that it doesn’t even stress me out to load into a venue. My body has been craving the movement. Let me use this to my advantage, rather than hiring and paying someone else.”
WEDDING DAY
“If it’s a wedding day, I’m driving to Cincinnati or Miamisburg, and setting up super, super early. Four hours early before the wedding. That way I can take a break, or if anything goes wrong — whether it’s a record I forgot, traffic — I have this cushion of time.
“Packing the car is a lot. I like to bring a big speaker system. So my physical health is huge. Not being exhausted. Keeping a level head. Anytime I injure myself it’s a huge deal. I hurt myself last October and had to DJ a wedding and carry everything with one hand. For me there’s no calling in sick.
“My DJ table is probably my most recognizable piece of art. I have this three-legged table that is a very visual element. For the most part, it’s setting up and not taking up a lot of room or grabbing attention so I don’t mess up the vibe of the room.
DESIGNING SOUND
In the afternoons, Williams is artistically-focused. He spends time woodworking, or with other artist friends, taking walks together and talking about projects.
“My practice is some type of creativity, whether it’s making music, prepping for a show and working on my sets, building stuff in the garage. Designing patches, which are basically sounds you can save on a synthesizer.
“Synthesizers are way different than a piano where it has the same sound. It’s almost like sculpting something and then being able to erect a sculpture within the touch of a button — digitally.”
ADRENALINE VS. SLEEP
The evenings he considers “experiential”, for “pleasure and personal connection”. He takes a couple hours to cook and enjoy dinner. He might go see a show at Cosmo Joe’s.
“Nighttime is such an inspirational time. It’s hard for me to get to bed before 12. In the past I’ve been the type to dig into a project and have coffee and work all night. I get adrenaline to work on something creatively and don’t sleep.
“In the long run, when it comes to consistently being who I am, month-to-month, having a sleep schedule has become important. I know I’m not always going to feel as great as I am now, so I have to be proactive about a workout regiment and a healthy eating schedule.”
ON COLLABORATION
A lot of people, Williams said, don’t think of electronic music as creative, but when you look at it from the perspective of how it’s actually made, it’s very much making “something from nothing”. He creates every sound from scratch.
Though he values and is building up collaborative projects, they have to be between people who are on the same page. You have to come to it with “an empty cup”.
Overall, Williams prefers to work solo because of his high standards.
“It’s nobody’s fault but my own,” he said.
“I’m satisfied and have a life that a lot of people would want as an artist. It’s all about trying to develop yourself.”
MORE DETAILS
Isaac Williams has released four albums as Isicle, available on Spotify and Apple Music. More info about his DJ services at http://isicle.net/.
Isicle plays South Park Tavern April 11, The Barrel House April 22, Ugly Duckling May 2 and Belmont Billiards May 9.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
“A Day in the Life” is a weekly feature that includes a person in the local arts and culture scene. Have someone we should consider for this? Email Hannah Kasper via ddnnews@coxinc.com.
About the Author
