Tech Grad Trades Robotics for Music Career

Dylan Diamond, 26, left the Georgia Institute of Technology with a major in applied physics and a minor in industrial design in 2019.

“I took Quantum Mechanics II as an elective, arguably one the hardest undergraduate courses at Georgia Tech, to spend more time with a girl in study hall who told me to take it with her,” Diamond recalled recently with a laugh.

Now he has a career that combines electronic music, marketing and social media.

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“I try to make electronic music with more emotion and story than just a ‘dance-floor hit.’ I’m hoping to achieve something as emotional as a Porter Robinson song, but with the atmosphere and sound design of a Feed Me track. In terms of genres, I produce in electro house and progressive house,” he told the AJT.

Diamond credits his parents, artist Linda Mitchell and musician Jeffrey Diamond, with influencing his creative side.

“My father introduced me to piano and music theory at a very young age,” Diamond recalled. “His songwriting and musicality were an inspiration during my upbringing. For my current projects, he is simultaneously my best and worst critic.”

Diamond worked as a robotics engineer and currently focuses on his music career and creative visual work. His freelance projects range from custom product design and renderings to social media marketing, videography and graphic design. He also produces unique CGI visuals for his music and soundscapes.

Diamond excels at creative projects that require a unique combination of both artistry and technical proficiency.

A frame from a music video that Diamond is currently working on.

“I enjoy learning almost any creative-driven software and then improvising on the spot to create something original,” he explained. “I was classically trained on piano and currently create electronic music predominantly in FL Studio. I also use and record analog synthesizers in my work.”

Although he does not consider himself to be a poet, Diamond practices writing lyrics to his own songs. (“I can’t stop myself from seeing more than there was before. Ever changing rearranging thoughts running through my head and back.”)

He has performed at bars, parties, fraternities and mainstream concert venues. Currently, Diamond is playing late night after-hours venues like Arcadia LLC, where he performs his own songs along with carefully curated songs from other artists. He has played electronic shows ranging from pop and house to dubstep, a form of dance music typically characterized by a sparse, syncopated rhythm and strong bassline.

Diamond’s current project is Manic Machines, the label he uses for his own work. The name is derived from his struggle with bipolar disorder and childhood fascination with robotics.

Diamond performs under the name Manic Machines, which derives from his struggle with bipolar disorder and childhood fascination with robotics. “I’m not into rap, but I do think it’s a brilliant art form,” he said.

“I’m not into rap, but I do think it’s a brilliant art form,” he said. “Daft Punk is a huge inspiration for me. Their unique sound that pioneered a new wave of electronic music into the mainstream is truly incredible. I also take a lot of influence from alternative rock from my youth such as Modest Mouse and Jack White. I sometimes try to channel the energy of their distorted guitars or melodic verse into my work. Finally, I love following more contemporary electronic acts such as Deadmau5 and Virtual Riot for inspiration.”

Manic Machines is a relatively new project and Diamond is just now starting to build a following with both personal social media accounts and an artist account page. He also manages social media for other clients.

When asked if his parents named him after Bob Dylan, Diamond replies, “They did not; however, I don’t see how anyone could not like ‘The Times They Are a Changin’.’”

Aside from his personal creative projects, Diamond is an avid runner and volunteers at a creative collective called Mixdeity MEDIA near Grant Park, where he helps with event setup for artists and fundraisers.