If you were somehow able to drop an unknowing Daedelus into the audience of one of his concerts, he’d be that guy everyone chuckled at for his unrestrained, enthusiastic dancing. In other words, he’d be the DJ’s biggest fan. But when Daedelus is on stage, you can’t help but be swept up in the energy he brings. Daedelus emerged in his characteristic Victorian garb and accompanying dandyish side-chops, said a few words, and immediately threw his body into a near-relentless beat that lasted a solid hour. Before the ten-minute mark, he was reaching for his sweat towel, a prop that returned at intervals throughout the show to slide over his drenched hair and face. He threw a bunch of samples around his beats, most notably a sped-up Beach Boys sample of “Don’t Worry, Baby,” taking the “it’s been building up” lyric and erecting a wall of sound around it. The same for “Pure Imagination” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which clearly inspires Daedelus’ look and gives a hint into his musical M.O. Hovering over his instrument, the monome, Daedelus’ hands nimbly moved back and forth over its buttons. We bounced rhythmically back and forth in the sweltering midnight air that hung inside the Echoplex. The only time there was break in the music was when he’d stand back for a second with his hand on his chest as if to remind himself to breathe, look at his creation, and give the sly smile of a completely satisfied artist. When a performer is so completely into his own creation, it’s easy to overlook any faults—you see how much he loves it and you love it too. What’s special about Daedelus, though, is that there aren’t any faults to overlook.

—Greg Garabedian