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Deaf Florists, the alias of Conor Wheeler, is an electronic music project born from years of ups and downs and a complex relationship with the music industry.
Gaining recognition during the pre-social media era, Deaf Florists made a significant impact on the 2010s UK techno and bass scene. His label, Nineteen89, achieved underground success, focusing on UK techno and offering a glimpse of a potential breakthrough for the artist. He found himself among the early days of influential labels such as Night Slugs, Swamp81, and Hessle Audio during what he describes as the UK Bass scene boom.
As the demands of the industry intensified, impatience and the naivety of youth led to a growing distance from his own label, compounded by the challenges of trying to make it as a DJ. Over the years, Deaf Florists transitioned into full-time roles within the industry, managing successful artists, overseeing A&R for major labels, and curating club nights for some of the UK’s most iconic venues.
These experiences have profoundly influenced the creation of Deaf Florists, a project that distills 17 years of music collecting, listening, and firsthand involvement with extraordinary musicians. Deaf Florists is not limited to a single subgenre; it embodies a fluid approach to electronic music that flickers between targeting the dance floor and offering more introspective sounds.
Deaf Florists’ debut release, Thursdays at Plastic People (Coleus), pays homage to the early days of his musical journey.
Having frequented a small basement venue on Curtain Road in the then-ungentrified East London during his formative teenage years in the late 2000s, the track draws heavily from the sounds of FWD, blending them with a deep-rooted love for Jungle and Drum & Bass—genres that first ignited his passion for electronic music.
Available to stream and buy digitally on all major platforms from 20th September 2024.
Buy – https://deafflorists.bandcamp.com/album/thursdays-at-plastic-people-coleus
