Dan McPharlin: Sci-Fi Surrealism (and Mini Analog Synth Models)

November 3, 2010 1:20 PM

Dan McPharlin is an Australian artist who creates fantastic landscapes that seem more likely to come from sci-fi novels from decades past than an artist who who gives away his music for donations (YT sample). McPharlin also made a series of miniature analog synthesizers that were featured on album art for Steve Jansen's album Slope (YT sample), as well as Moog Acid by Jean-Jacques Perrey & Luke Vibert (YT sample). Currently, McPharlin's website only has an 18 page portfolio in PDF form and an email address, but his Flickr collection is a sight to behold. Even his house looks like something from a 1970s photo shoot.

McPharlin also made the cover art for an EP (sample) and an album (sample) for Scott Herren's Prefuse 73 moniker, art for the third album from alt/stoner/doom metal group The Sword (sample), and Dylan Ettinger's second LP.

Interviews:
* Wire to the Ear (2008), discussing the analog synth minis.
* Sci-Fi-O-Rama (Oct. 25, 2010), with discussion of styles and influences, and information on other music where McPharlin's work is featured.
* Australian Edge (archive), covering the artist's love of exploration tales, and his thoughts on Australian design scene versus the international design community.

posted by filthy light thief (10 comments total)

I hate to get into genre arguments but The Sword is nowhere near being "stoner/doom".
posted by melt away at 1:33 PM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

Please excuse the cherry picking, but Holy Roger Dean.

Credit-Where-It's-Due-FILTER
posted by philip-random at 1:33 PM on November 3, 2010

I love those cardboard synths, it's like a groovier Thomas Demand. Nice post.
posted by theodolite at 1:35 PM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

Hearing Moog Acid again makes me want to put on Throbbing Pouch. Great post.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:47 PM on November 3, 2010

This is like Heavy Metal magazine with fewer boobs. That's a compliment! Too bad about the boobs though.
posted by Mister_A at 1:49 PM on November 3, 2010

Yeah, he's definitely channeling Roger Dean but at least he's doing a good job of it.
posted by doctor_negative at 1:51 PM on November 3, 2010

Please excuse the cherry picking, but Holy Roger Dean.

Credit-Where-It's-Due-FILTER

Credit given, in the Sci-Fi-O-Rama interview:

Q: Is there a particular visual style/genre of Sci-Fi you identify with more than others? (ie Cyberpunk, Post Apocalyptic, Surrealist?)

Surrealism has always been an influence and I suppose my work also draws heavily on what I consider the ‘golden age’ of sci-fi art. The artwork that is the most exciting to me was what I grew up with; lavish paperback covers, record sleeves and game boxes by Roger Dean...

Anyway, Dean didn't make up his imagery from a void. He cited Japanese and Chinese art and styles as influences to his work, and it's easy to see similarities in the hazy views of naturescapes.


I hate to get into genre arguments but The Sword is nowhere near being "stoner/doom".

I don't know my metal genres well enough, and cribbed Wikipedia in haste, sorry.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:58 PM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

Thank you for this. I have a bunch of McPharlin's Flickr stuff saved to one of my collections folders and was really pleased to see it on MeFi today. Off to check out the house photos.
posted by circular at 2:29 PM on November 3, 2010

Wow. I loved his synths and art, but never realized it was the same guy. Now to dig on his music for awhile…
posted by vertigo25 at 4:18 PM on November 3, 2010

None of this is his music, he has created the album art for the various releases. I realize now that the text above the fold is a bit ambiguous. That artist who is giving away his music for donations is Pretty Lights, the stage name for Derek Vincent Smith.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:48 PM on November 3, 2010