The Atlas Obscura Podcast Toronto’s Musical Robot
Nov 11, 2025
Artist and architect Danny Shaddick, known for his innovative designs, joins rapper Shad in a deep dive into their captivating musical robot project. They explore their long-standing friendship and collaboration in Toronto, discussing the inspiration behind their unique Drum Tower. The duo shares insights on how they integrated found objects and field recordings, including sounds from the city's transit system, into their music. Shad reflects on hip-hop's influence, revealing how sampling everyday sounds transformed their creative process. Discover the story behind their original composition!
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First Encounter With The Drum Machine
- Shad first saw Danny's earlier percussion robot in Danny's apartment where a guest room was filled with drums and wires.
- He described the experience as stunning and remembered hearing it fired up for the first time.
City Life As Moving Monuments
- The project title 'Moving Monuments' came from an essay framing Toronto's celebrated events as mobile monuments.
- Danny and Shad see festivals, parades, and gatherings as the city's defining, movable monuments.
Anatomy Of The Drum Tower
- The Drum Tower is a 10-foot vertical box truss outfitted with a dozen percussion instruments and motors driving drumsticks.
- Danny sourced instruments secondhand and added salvaged train parts, connecting everything to a computer-controlled hub.
