Forest DLG explained

Forest DLG
Birth Name:David L. G. Webb
Alias:Forest DLG, Chemo, Telemachus
Birth Date:1984 9, df=y
Origin:London, England
Genre:Hip hop, trip hop, downtempo, world
Occupation:Producer, Sound Engineer
Years Active:1999–present
Label:High Focus Records
Pickwick
YNR
Associated Acts:Triple Darkness, Jehst, Beat Butcha, Kashmere, Jam Baxter, Verb T, Onoe Caponoe
Website:
  • http://www.kmj45.com

David L. G. Webb, formerly known as Chemo is an English music producer and DJ.[1] He has also released several albums under the pseudonym ‘Telemachus’. As a sound engineer he has worked at the forefront of the British Hip Hop scene, acting as chief engineer for YNR Productions and High Focus Records. Chemo was recognised by the Guardian newspaper as a man who “has helped British music move along more than most people will ever know”.[2]

Career

2004 – 2011 - Early Years

Named after a fictional DC Comics supervillain, Chemo first started as a producer and DJ for London Hip Hop group 'Frontline'. He helped found legendary Hip Hop night ‘Speakers Corner’ in Brixton. Off the back of Speakers Corner, Chemo worked on albums for Verb T, Kyza, Kashmere, Manage, Jehst, Triple Darkness and others.

In 2007, Chemo produced a compilation album titled Squirrelz With Gunz, alongside World DMC champion DJ Skully. A second compilation of his work between 2007-2011 entitled The Stomach of the Mountain was released in 2011.

2011 – 2021

Chemo continued to produce for numerous vocalists and was lauded in particular for executive producing albums for Jam Baxter and Onoe Caponoe on High Focus Records.

Telemachus is a pseudonym used for Webb’s solo projects and to allow him to be “a little more artful.”.[3] The debut release was a 7" Vinyl entitled ‘Scarecrows’ featuring Roc Marciano. This was taken from the ‘In The Evening’ album which was awarded album of the month by Q Magazine and named one of the albums of the year by The Quietus.[4] Telemachus followed up this album by travelling to North Africa in 2014 to create his ‘In Morocco’ album.

In April 2020, Telemachus signed to High Focus Records and released the album Boring & Weird Historical Music [5]

2011 – 2021

At the start of 2021, he announced via Twitter that he was retiring the pseudonym Chemo and would be known as Forest DLG.[6]

Style

Early productions often mirrored pioneers such as Pete Rock, Havoc, Alchemist, J Dilla, El-P and Rza - eventually evolving into a more nuanced and varied style - “From beautifully shuffling jazz drums to sinister synths to delicately plucked strings, he displays a vast knowledge of music and an ear for off the wall styles.”[7]

The birth of Telemachus gave him the opportunity to call upon far wider influences (psychedelic rock, dancehall, blues, West African Highlife) that led journalist Neil Kulkarni to describe Chemo as “an ancient, modern and unique voice in British Music”.[8]

Discography

Studio albums

Collaborative

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Telemachus x Bonafide Beats #40 . Bonafidemag.com . 23 May 2013 . 2020-05-21.
  2. News: Rob Boffard . Hip-hop straight outta ... Westminster reference library | Music . . 2020-05-21.
  3. Web site: Telemachus- In The Evening (Review & Interview) . 2020-05-21 . Broken-culture.co.uk.
  4. Web site: 2013-12-19 . Features | Against The Monoculture: Counting Down The Best Hip Hop Of 2013 . 2020-05-21 . The Quietus.
  5. Web site: Telemachus Joins High Focus Records. High-focus.com. 23 August 2020.
  6. Web site: In my latest effort to confuse both potential supporters AND people who have known me for many years I hereby announce that I am retiring the name CHEMO!. Twitter.com. 16 May 2022.
  7. Web site: Chemo 'So We Ate Them Whole' Interview . Broken-culture.co.uk . 2020-05-21.
  8. Web site: F.u.n.k: Telemachus - in the Evening (Ynr Records) . 2015-04-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150415173916/http://fuckyouneilkulkarni.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/teleemachus-in-evening-ynr-records.html . 2015-04-15 . dead .