D & The Compass is the solo project of the frontman of KL based electronic duo FNGDY and synth pop group Dian Bang. According to his bio, As a lover of vintage gears, D & the Compass does some wonderful things with 70’s and 80’s synthesizers – but wisely doesn’t limit himself to them, as he tastefully infused them with modern flavours wherever called for.

Inspired by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, the name D & the Compass is actually derived from the mystery short story ‘Death and the Compass’ by Borges. Over the years or so, D & the Compass has been developing an improvisational approach to electronic music making.

Music For Home Vol.3: To A Cat is the new EP which is out now via mü-nest. It is the 3rd instalment from the “Music for Home” series curated by the label – a series that focuses on home-listening music that captures the mood and feelings of our daily life during this unprecedented period in pandemic.

According to the press release, D & the Compass is taking his time during the pandemic to exploring new territory, while keeping his signature touches – one could say this is something of Autechre and Thelonius Monk, a combination that is not impossible. EP’s title “To A Cat” was taken from a short poem by Borges, as the EP is about a companion – an imaginary cat, during the isolation period at home.

Listen below and check the 5-track list with artists and songs which have inspired his music.

Autechre – AcroyearII. Back in the 90’s, this is one of my favourite electronic group that inspires me to make music. For years, I just couldn’t figure out how they created those complex beats and fluctuate tempos. It definitely changed the way I thought about music.

Thelonious Monk – Don’t Blame Me. I’ve been a fan of Monk after watching the way he played the piano. Monk’s usual piano touch was harsh, percussive and crude. His music was like leaves on a tree, grew from nowhere else but inside of him.

Jorge Luis Borges & Astor Piazzolla– El Tango. Argentine writer Borges was famous for mixing the real and the fantastic, and composed only little essays or short narrative. Illusion is an important part of Borges’ fictional world, it is also one of the element of my latest EP.

Kiamos – Looped. ‘Looped’ was the reference track while mixing my new EP. It has organic sounds expressed digitally with a minimal but muscular scape.

Brian Eno – Music for Airports 1/1. While working on the new EP, Eno’s ‘Music for Airport’ came across my mind. This is the first ambient album that I keep listening over and over. It is simple, repetitive and nearly unnoticeable.