From Beats to Faces Vol.1:
Damn Homies and El Don
We’re kicking off a new series of interviews highlighting the creative collaborations within our label. First up is the dynamic partnership between musician Damn Homies and illustrator El Don, who have been working together since 2022. Their collaboration blends immersive soundscapes with striking visual characters, pushing the boundaries between audio and visual art. From their debut Nagoya Nights 1 to the release of Prototype, this interview dives deep into their evolving creative process and the unique world they’ve built together.
El Don, your characters are saturated, deformed, and tremendously complex, inspired by people around you. How did you develop the visual language for the world of Damn Homies’ beats?
El Don: It’s a bit complex. I usually draw references from my surroundings, like people and the stories I create in my mind, and I rely on visual material that I come across daily. For Damn Homies in particular, I’ve based a lot of my work on the scenes I imagine when listening to the tracks. I’ve tried to create a special ‘world’ for them, like two worlds coming together, and in the process, life is created. I’ve always thought that Damn Homies lays down the canvas with interesting dimensions, and I do the rest.
Damn Homies, your beats are known for their intricate layers and detailed production. On the Prototype cover, we see the characters becoming more complex as well. How do you go about selecting characters for each EP? Do you think this growing detail in the visuals reflects your sound?
Damn Homies: I think that El Don always provides the right visual influences. There has never been a cover that I didn’t like. It’s also a constant source of inspiration, and I’m grateful for that. The characters reflect the music 100%.
Do you notice an evolution in the characters from Nagoya Nights 1 to the Prototype? How have they changed?
Damn Homies: Definitely. The technical character aspect is certainly prominent in the Prototype EP. I had hoped to experience a world similar to Nagoya Nights 1, and I wasn’t disappointed. What I like most is that each character is different and has its own significance.
El Don: Without a doubt, there’s a narrative evolution in the characters. In Nagoya Nights 1, I tried to create a duo between hero and villain, or as if it were a gang of ‘homies.’ Where I live, the word ‘homie’ has a very ‘cholo’ vibe, and I’ve always associated it with gangs, family, and respect. When I started with Damn Homies, I imagined a story in my head about how these characters had a good time. With the latest project, I tried to ‘evolve’ the characters into something more sinister, more technological, and more modern—like the counterpart of the first ‘homies.
How does Prototype differ from your previous work, both in terms of sound and collaboration with El Don?
Damn Homies: Honestly, the sound isn’t that far off from “Nagoya Nights” and “Forrest.” I try to stay true to my sound and continually find inspiration in my studio. I often start with the drums, and the rest usually falls into place when it feels right. As I mentioned, Eldon brings everything together perfectly, so I never worry about that.
What have you learned from working together across multiple projects?
El Don: It’s been a constant learning experience. Working alongside amazing artists and being admirers of their work is something very few get the chance to do. I’ve learned to not only see with my eyes and think in a ‘linear’ or figurative way. When you work with music, your senses amplify, and you have more resources to create something. A bassline or a sequence can translate into certain shapes, colors, or even characters.
Damn Homies: It’s actually a consistently good collaboration, without any real differences. In hindsight, I’ve come to realize that the covers are always great because Eldon always comes up with a perfect concept when I lack vision. This straightforward approach is very helpful, and you don’t often find that. Plus, he is just really good and incredibly talented. So it’s all love for that.
Is there a cover from El Don that stands out to you?
Damn Homies: First of all, I think they’re all great. But my favorite cover is definitely the one for “Nagoya Nights.” I didn’t give any guidelines beforehand and had no idea what to expect. When I received the first drafts, I was blown away. I even recently asked him to send me the PNG files for the cover so I could make a shirt with it, because I still love it. So that’s really awesome!
Do you have a favorite Damn Homies track? What makes it special?
El Don: That’s a really tough question, haha. I’m a big fan of Damn Homies’ sound, which makes it hard to pick just one track. But I have a special appreciation for the entire Forest album. When I worked on the artworks for that album, I was experimenting with psilocybin, so it was a unique experience. I think you can see that in those artworks, haha
