For those new to your work, can you give a quick background on how you first got into making music and where the d_goods name comes from?

d - I’ve been making music since I was a kid, whether it was in my own metal band or later for other artists and projects. The name d_goods is a nickname I’ve had for a long time, derived from dergoods. It evolved to where people would either call me goods or d goods and so it just kinda stuck over the years.

You’ve released projects that dive deep into modular synthesis , what first drew you to modular gear over more traditional setups?

d - I got into modular synthesis in 2020 and quickly became obsessed with the process. I find it very difficult to create music I would release for myself while working on a computer, but with modular it feels effortless, like it just spills out. There was a bit of a learning curve as I was building out my rig and discovering how to use it all, but the journey and the payoff have been so rewarding. I specifically like that once I start recording and making a patch, my hands are basically tied since I record everything mixed together to stereo. There’s no going back and changing the kick, or fussing over details because at that point I’m limited to mastering techniques. I find that to be really freeing and with an end result that hopefully sounds unique and not overly polished, which I really like.

How do you usually start a track? Do you have a process or does it often come from just experimenting with patches until something happens?

d - For my first album Abduction, I would start by pulling the previous patch completely to start from scratch. For dvmb fvcks, I would still pull the previous patch, but I was leaving some of my drum routing intact, which I would further tweak as I went. Once I’m ready to start patching, the first thing I do is hit record and just start messing around. Maybe I’ll have a drum idea or a bass sound I’ll go for, but it quickly takes on a mind of its own and I just go with it. 

d - Recording from the very beginning allows me to capture all the happy accidents that happen often. It has also helped me remember how I’ve created some sounds, because once I pull the patch, it’s gone forever. I can go back and listen to the process of how I got to a sound and get an idea of what I was doing.

dvmb fvcks has a really raw, glitchy energy, were there specific techniques, modules, or processes you leaned on to shape this record’s sound?

d - Feeding the bass back on itself with the Erica Synths Fusion VCF3 Tube Filter is a huge part of the sound of this album. That and experimenting with ways of getting the drums grittier with layering of distortions I have in my rack. I wrote all the tracks in the order they appear (with the exception of the 3 ambient tracks), and you can hear the drum sounds evolve a bit throughout the album.

NOIDED previously put out your album Abduction. How does dvmb fvcks differ in approach, mood, or production from that earlier release?

d - The approach and production process for both albums are exactly the same, I just start jamming and recording everything. I’ll record anywhere from 10 to sometimes 40 mins, a mixture of patching and jamming. I’ll do this many times over. Logic Pro is driving my modular clock via the expert sleepers clock plugin, combined with their ES-3 module over adat lightpipe. It’s very stable and allows me to chop up the best bits and arrange them together easily after the fact, although I do focus on creating interesting transitions on the modular while I’m jamming. Many times I’ll be chopping an intro onto a big middle chunk from somewhere else, and then chopping on a different outro. It also allows me to layer two takes together if needed, very handy for intros and outros, or for on occasion flipping the phase on one and altering the drum levels.

d -The mood on dumb fvcks is much darker than Abduction. I was all over the place on Abduction trying out lots of different vibes and sounds, where as dvmb fvcks has a more cohesive and aggressive sound to it.

What kind of headspace were you in while making dvmb fvcks, was it more about catharsis, experimentation, or just letting chaos spill out?  

d - Making dvmb fvcks was definitely a cathartic experience derived from everything that’s going on in the world these days on so many different levels. I think dvmb fvcks is something people can listen to and personally apply to any number of things.

Are there particular non-musical influences (films, books, environments, daily rituals) that fed into the textures of this record?

d - Probably trying to avoid watching the trainwreck that is in plain sight, which unless you want to be uninformed, is impossible. 

What’s one piece of gear, module, or software you couldn’t imagine making this album without?

d - The Erica Synths Fusion VCF3 Tube Filter is that piece of gear for sure. Being able to drive the tube and feed it back on itself due to its 3 input mixer is directly responsible for the bass sound on this album. I have some ideas on how to build on this sound going forward.

Collaboration isn’t always obvious in electronic music, do you see yourself working with other artists in the future, or is the solitary process essential to your sound?  

d - I think it would depend on the situation, I certainly wouldn’t want to rule it out. It would be a great excuse to actually multitrack something with the modular ha, but I definitely have more ideas I want to explore with my current process.

If someone wanted to dive into modular production after hearing your work, what’s one piece of advice you’d give them starting out?

d - Start small and learn as much about each module as you can. Always RTFM first and watch videos and just keep experimenting. There will probably be days where you start patching and get to a point where you just say oh wow this sounds so corny and basic, it definitely happened to me. Don’t let that deter you. Pull the whole patch, start over and keep trying new things. The possibilities are endless.

Listen to dvmb fvcks and order the cassette here