Brazilian musician creates Liverpool ‘city beat’ using local landmarks as instruments

A pioneering Brazilian musician, who’s become famous worldwide for creating incredible music without instruments, has made a ‘city beat’ for Liverpool using only local landmarks.

Diego Ain, known as Ain TheMachine, spent two days here making a video and unique tune that’s literally the sound of the city.

Collaborating with Radisson RED in Liverpool, he captured rhythms using everything from Superlambananas, to the giant hearts and Mountain sculpture at Albert Dock, the waterfront love locks and even ceramic pots outside a shop on Lark Lane.

And, of course, there’s a part dedicated to the Fab Four, played on the Beatles statue at the Pier Head.

The result is a brilliant musical homage where every note belongs to Liverpool.

Diego explains:

“I try to portray the city from the perspective of a tourist but also a local so as well as the sights everyone expects, I asked locals where they go and what neighbourhoods they like.

“From there I created a list of places to visit and then on the way, or when you’re there, you get the sound. Sometimes the place itself doesn’t have a sound, but 20 steps before it you have something that’s interesting.

“It’s really all done on the fly, but I’ve been doing this kind of sampling for a long time, so I already have an idea of the kinds of things that can give the sounds I need, like a kick and something that can make the function of a snare and a hi-hat. 

“I was walking around the city and being aware of visual clues. I’d think, this looks cool, let me see if it sounds cool.”

Now 43, Diego began experimenting with music over 20 years ago when he was a young percussionist.

He said:

“I studied percussion and played with bands, and I had a ‘normal’ career as a musician. I’ve been nominated for two Latin Grammys, I’ve made music for TV shows and soundtracks for movies and documentaries.

“I always had this thing in mind that I’d love to create a sound that was very particular to my identity. 

“I was Inspired by Danish film director Lars Von Trier, who created Dogme, a back-to-basics approach to filmmaking where you can’t use anything artificial. He basically created a set of rules for himself that detached him from other directors and went against all the over-production happening in Hollywood.

“From him, I understood that creating limitation defines your style, it’s what makes you different. 

“When I started to study I had to teach so I could afford to pay for my own classes, so from the beginning of my career I was exposed to people having their first contact with music. I saw that this huge respect we have for musical instruments can become a barrier.  

“So I started to experiment, I’d offer people an instrument and they’d say ‘no, I don’t know how to play it.’ Then I’d give them an object and they’d grab it and start to play it, they weren’t intimidated.

“I used that experience to create my set of rules that would make me different: the use of musical instruments is forbidden, anything else is allowed. That’s the rule on which Ain TheMachine is built.”

Diego, who’s been based in Europe since 2004, has gone on to have a hugely successful career, using his music to create custom-made content for brands and events, live shows and videos.

He’s worked with some of the world’s biggest companies, including Mercedes Benz who wanted to present a new car and hired him to do a show using the car as a musical instrument. For Google’s conference of city experts he did a show using the sounds of the city, which is how City Beats was born and the collaboration with Radisson RED happened.

As for his time in Liverpool, Diego says there was one moment he’ll never forget.

“That was definitely The Beatles statue because I’m a super Beatles fan. I’m playing John Lennon’s jacket in the video but the actual sound is from Paul McCartney’s camera bag at the back. 

“The front of the statue, because it’s solid, sounds very dry. At first I couldn’t believe it but I kept trying and I found the bag in the back which is empty so it resonates and gave a really nice sound. 

“It was a very special moment for me, and there were a lot of people waiting to take pictures with the statue and a guy playing some Beatles songs so it was cool.

“I was very happy to get what I wanted too because you really can’t just say, ‘well The Beatles don’t sound good, they can’t be in the video!’ 

Hear more of Diego’s music on Instagram and see the full City Beats Liverpool video.

Find all the latest Liverpool news here. 

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