Mind Tripping 24/7

Kathleen Daniel uses software like DAZ3d and blender3d to make animations that combine her unique, free-form, hypnagogic R n B with disarmingly heartfelt and hilarious psychedelic technoscapes. 
We've selected a few of our favorites but it was pretty difficult to narrow it down. We highly recommend watching every single one on her website or youtube account. 


An interview with Kathleen Daniel and more videos after the jump.

When and how did you get into film making and making music?   

As for music, I and 4 homegirls sang for fun but never performed, no money or agent but music was always in the blood. I also was into fashion designing and used music for my shows.  Film making came in 1996 in the form of screenplays, then film.  Then I combined music with film.

Have you ever performed music live? 

Yes, in San Francisco and Germany, but no more-- it bores me, singing what has already been created.  I am a creating-freak, mind tripping 24/7 on whatever: music,film,art.

What attracted you to computer animation specifically?  

Realism, speed and no limits to creation.

Do the animations grow out of an existing soundtracks or do you work on the sound and visuals simultaneously? 

All of the above, go with the flow. Depending on what the subject is, blogging with music and film, telling folks what´s on my mind. I don´t limit myself there´s enough people looking to do that.

I think your description of your work as “Native, Pop, Funk Music” and “Down Home Animation” is a really interesting choice of words, how did you come up with this description?   

Because my music is like me: American Indian, Jewish, and Black.  And my animation is about the needy and the greedy, ghetto life--duh real.  I believe in tellin it like it is, not how you want it to be.

Are there any visual or recording artists that you see as engaged in a similar project to yours?  

I´m sure there are, but off hand I can´t think of any because most do animation, targeting children or computer games.  In music, my album has been compared to  "sounds of such modern r&b powerhouses as Jil Scot and Gina Loring".    I do layers of background like an orchestra, which is what a voice is--an instrument.

Do you see your films as more as music videos or as short animated films?   

As short animated film-- I plan to do feature length film with my music as soundtrack.

What programs and instruments do you use to make the animations?

 I use Daz 3d, Poser 7, Blender 3d, photoshop.

The overall look of your animation reminds me of a psychedelic re-imagining of a video game like, 
The Sims or Second Life, have video games influenced your work?  

 No, cause I don´t look at games.  The only game I play is chess, otherwise I keep it real--as real as can be under the influence of LSD, which is what I use to trip on in my hippy days, that and magic mushrooms. 

It seems like even when you are dealing with serious subject matter such as loss, aging, war etc... you are still having a lot of fun with the process of film making, do you see humor as an important aspect of your films?   

Humor is my forte. When I was a teenager, living with my mom I´d go in my bedroom, think of something funny and bust out laughing.  Later my mother took me to a psychiatrist, and was told "there is nothing wrong with her just a little eccentric". 

(Bonus cut for those of you who need more heartfelt/psychedelic/RnB/techno)
Frankie Knuckles, It's A Cold World, 1987 (mp3)