Listening to Aaron Dilloway is like eavesdropping on a haunted transmission from a radio that hasn't been manufactured yet. The sound is defined by the tactile, physical presence of magnetic tape. It is dusty, saturated, and constantly on the verge of collapsing into pure static, yet it maintains a strange, rhythmic logic that pulls you into a trance. It’s not just noise; it’s a narrative of decay.
What makes Dilloway truly distinctive is his mastery of the 8-track loop. Unlike digital loops that repeat perfectly, his tape loops age as they spin, picking up hiss, pops, and warbles that feel organic and alive. He often incorporates his own voice, processed through contact mics and delays until it sounds like a subterranean creature, blending seamlessly with field recordings captured in places like Kathmandu.
For those new to this world, Modern Jester is the essential entry point. It showcases his ability to balance terrifying industrial textures with surprisingly catchy, repetitive rhythms. It’s music for the brave, the curious, and anyone who believes that a broken machine has more to say than a working one.
Aaron Dilloway (born 1976) is an American experimental musician. He is an improviser and composer who works with the manipulation of 8-Track tape loops in combination with voice, tape delays, and various organic and electronic sound sources. A founding member of the industrial noise group Wolf Eyes, Dilloway lives in Oberlin, Ohio, where he runs Hanson Records and Mailorder.
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