Albums | Electro-soul guitarist/producer Phyphr unveils hip-hop-infused single “Reaction” off upcoming debut LP Catalyst
Posted by VMan on February 13, 2023
Guitarist/producer Phyphr is one of Denver’s most hotly-tipped talents, making waves with his electro-soul stylings and funky, electronic songwriting. Dedicated to inspiring his listeners, the artist has a DIY, self-produced ethos that’s intrinsic to his artistic expression and messaging: for Phyphr, everyone should be empowered to find their passion and make positive change for themselves and the world. Phyphr’s own hard work and focus have led to to a unique performance style that blends live guitar playing with immaculate electronic production – a vibrant mix that’s earned him opportunities to perform alongside acts like The Floozies, Daily Bread, Manic Focus, SoDown, and Maddy O’Neal.
Now, the dynamic maestro is revving up toward his debut album, Catalyst – a genre-hopping, full-length LP that’s brimming with raucous beats, textural grooves, and indelible hooks. Chronicling Phyphr’s ongoing journey as an artist, Catalyst is designed to spark creative inspiration in his listeners through vivid, relatable storytelling and honest reflection.
Fans got their first tastes of Catalyst with the blues-inflected “Seven Days,” featuring fellow Denver-based producer Kaptain; the boisterous, bass-fueled “Down The Street”; and “Still Turnin’,” a bouncy homage to the glory of used record stores and finding musical gems in their dusty bins.
Now, Phyphr releases “Reaction,” a hip-hop-infused electronic cut that stays true to the LP’s central message. In touch with the song’s repeated refrain -“every action causes a reaction” – the song elicits a perpetual call-and-response, both sonically and thematically. The track complements its lyrics with production elements that subside just to give way to new ones, asking the listener to think for themselves: “Will you cause a reaction?”
“Reaction” kicks off with a sweeping, sun-tinted guitar solo in front of Phyphr’s pitched-down vocals. Rolling drum patterns then build up with guitar licks and vocal layers underlying the central lyrical refrain before dropping into a dubstep breakdown. Filled to the brim with deep bass wubs and extra-terrestrial synth sound design over a booming beat, Phyphr showcases his seasoned production chops by seamlessly blending different genres and sounds.
“Reaction” continues Phyphr’s tradition of spreading positivity to his listeners, encouraging them to make active choices in their lives. The song is appropriately kinetic and spontaneous, ready to charm fans with its infectious energy and poise.
Following a run of Colorado shows that saw Phyphr amaze hometown fans with his live performance prowess, the producer is now taking his show to the southwest for support slots in Austin, Dallas, and Santa Fe. In April, he will return to Denver for a headlining slot at Denver’s art experience space Meow Wolf Denver, where fans will be able to hear “Reaction” and other Catalyst cuts.
Phyphr tour dates
2/10/23: Empire Control Room – Austin, TX
2/11/23: Deep Ellum Art Company – Dallas, TX
2/17/23: Meow Wolf – Santa Fe, NM
4/7/23: Meow Wolf Denver – Denver, CO
4/21/23 – 4/23/23: Wub N Dub Festival 2023 – Willard, NC
Albums | NYC’s Cheyne Christian joins forces with renowned house singer-songwriter IDA fLO for ‘Spirit Release’
Posted by VMan on February 8, 2023
New York’s Cheyne Christian continues his impressive catalogue of releases on some of house music’s
most respected imprints with a fresh new tune on his own increasingly popular Bridge & Tunnel Beat
Co. label. Released exclusively on Spotify on 27th January with all other stores following on February
3rd, ‘Spirit Release’ is an introspective collaboration with San Francisco-based singer/songwriter IDA
fLO, inspired by Cheyne’s journey back to both physical and mental health after falling severely ill with
COVID.
A track with a wealth of rising energy and emotive frequencies set to Cheyne’s distinct Tribal, Latin,
Tech and Afro-house grooves, IDA fLO’s uplifting lyrics had a profound effect on Cheyne as they came
about in most serendipitous way. Cheyne explains,
“Covid caused me all sorts of underlying issues and put me in such a dark place and being in hospital, I
had no desire to make music and I feel a little sad, and that’s why I used Exotic CBD flowers to feel a little better. I eventually pulled myself together and wrote the melody for the track; it
was a therapy session where everything I’d been feeling for the past few months came out of me in the
track. I approached IDA thinking she could write something cool; she had no clue about my situation or
depression. I was astounded with her lyrics; she seemed to have felt, and then articulate, in words, my journey from darkness back to the light. In my years of collaborating with someone, I’ve never felt this
connected; that’s when we knew we had something special.”
Hailing from the underground of New York’s ‘90s rave scene, Cheyne has been captivating audiences
and making people dance for decades. He’s released on coveted labels such as Toolroom, Saved, Juicy
Music, and Nervous Records, and counts Claptone as a number one fan with the mask-clad DJ supporting everything the NYC artist has ever made, including Cheyne’s quality bootleg of ‘Sunglasses At Night’ at ADE in 2019. Cheyne’s tech house stomper ‘Ritmo’, signed to the Black Hole Recordings’ sublabel, Force of Habit, was a massive hit with tastemakers the world over, especially with a certain Carl Cox who looped and danced to the track at clubbing hotspot The Brooklyn Mirage. And that’s not all; Cheyne’s list of supporters extends to Fatboy Slim, Oscar G, Cedric Gervais, David Guetta and Mark Knight As a DJ, infectious house beats are at the heart of all Cheyne Christian’s sets. He’s performed at
Somewhere NoWhere (NYC) and House of Hyde at SLS (Miami), and this year he’s back on tour
touching down at Mayfair and Devil May Care in Texas, and at WMC for the annual Juicy Music bash.
Back to Cheyne’s latest single, San Francisco-based song siren, IDA fLO elevates the magic that is ‘Spirit Release’. Her first dance music release came on Glasgow Underground Records in 2015 alongside CASSIMM, and she’s since gone on to be one the highest performing vocalists and songwriters in house music today.
Albums | Makh Shares New Single “Closer”
Posted by VMan on February 8, 2023
Bradford-born Makh is a rapper, vocalist and record producer. Along with creating his own music, he is also a presenter for the BBC Asian Network. Born to Sikh parents but with a multicultural, multi-ethnic family, his music takes inspiration from hip-hop, reggaeton, soul and rock, with sprinkles of South Asian instrumentation, resulting in his own unique stamp on popular genres, such as on his new single, “Closer”.
“Closer” combines elements of hip-hop and R&B and immediately draws you in on first listen with captivating vocals before the rousing beat kicks in. The song is elevated further by its infectious hook, which will no doubt have everyone singing along, and Makh’s candid lyricism about being scared to fall in love.
Elaborating further, Makh says, “It’s a love song but not the typical heartbreak or falling in love story. It’s about someone who really wants to fall in love but is scared of being vulnerable again. It’s about the struggles with letting ourselves be open and trusting again, especially after you’ve been hurt. It’s a real-life situation and circumstance that people face.”
“Closer” is only Makh’s second single after arriving on the music scene with debut release “You What” in summer 2021, but it’s already very clear what a huge talent he is. Starting out the year with a bang, it’ll be exciting to see what else he has in store for 2023 as he positions himself as one to watch.
Albums | Rod212 Shares New Single “Really Not Okay”
Posted by VMan on February 7, 2023
Blurring the lines of hip-hop and R&B, Rod212 is a rising artist/producer born and raised in Chicago. In college, he stumbled upon a YouTube video of Soulja Boy making beats and spent that summer immersed in endless FruityLoops tutorial sessions. Motivated by the undeniable magnetism of Drake and the vivacious energy of Skrillex, he perused his late mother’s records for inspiration and coveted samples. As a producer, Rod212 crafted beats for other artists until he decided to compete as a lyricist and artist in his own right. Now with several well-received releases of his own under his belt, Rod212 is kicking off 2023 with a bang with the release of his brand-new single, “Really Not Okay”. The track is an instant earworm with its infectious hook and Rod212’s pulsating rap delivery and lyrical abilities on clear display. The track is boosted further by the lush vocals of featured artists Sal Ly and Rico Maz. With lyrics such as “I’m stronger now more than ever / I’m doing better / That’s right I’m doing okay”, the track’s universal lyrical themes will easily resonate with listeners. Elaborating further, Rod212 says, “It’s hard to let people know about our pain and the things we think are wrong. We want people to tell us everything is okay, but the truth is, sometimes it’s not okay. This song is for anyone who has experienced love and heartbreak.”
Albums | juuku releases new single “Moonlight” (feat. Gianni Taylor) via Dim Mak ?
Posted by VMan on February 2, 2023
DJ/Producer/Multimedia Artist juuku starts off 2023 strong by announcing he’s signed to Dim Mak Records. This new partnership will yield hew new EP, Lavender Dreams and Scarlett Nightmares, which is set for release this spring. The first sample of what’s to come arrives via the EP’s majestic debut single, “Moonlight (feat. Gianni Taylor)”. Loving the vibes on this one, in his usual juuku form, the song has a moody feel to it that will hit you right in the feels. Listen to “Moonlight” by juuku above now and check out the tour dates below now and make it out to a show if he’s in your city.
Feb 22 / Montreal / New City Gas
Feb 23 / Toronto / Rebel
Feb 24 / Chicago / Aragon
Mar 10 / Los Angeles / Shrine Expo
Mar 16 / New York / The Great Hall
All dates in support of Steve Aoki’s HiROQUEST: Genesis Tour – buy tix here
Albums | “we’re the last to leave” is the latest offering by Aussie artist Ordley
Posted by VMan on February 2, 2023
Ordley is rising Australian newcomer who is crafting a unique blend of indie-dance/melodic-house music in the same lane asa Fred Again, Duskus and Tourist. His latest drop “we’re the last to leave” is a groovy one well worth checking out, so listen to it now above and read a quote from Ordley on the release below!
“This is a song about conveying the tension from how we wish life would be and how it actually is, and the strains this can place on our romantic relationships as we find the resilience to keep going. I wrote and produced this song in one morning after hearing a news segment about young people’s employment still not recovering after the pandemic, and the anxiety this was bringing to them. This was all too close to home for me as an artist, and that emotion went straight into this record. Musically, it’s a fun, chill record. Fast and dancey. I think the percussion has a UK rave feel, keeping the momentum super high and the vocals are showcasing my fun and playful nature.” – Ordley
Albums | Volaris Unveils Highly-Anticipated “I’m So Weak” on Armada
Posted by VMan on February 1, 2023
Nathan Cozzetto aka Volaris, is a producer and DJ from the UK. He has impressively amassed a large arsenal of music, scoring releases on key labels such as Armada, Sola & John Summit’s Off The Grid imprint. The DJ world has also supported the Volaris sound, with tracks being played throughout the summer of 2002. Plays by Solardo, Danny Howard, Vintage Culture, Dom Dolla, Eli Brown, Camelphat, Above & Beyond, Nora En Pure & John Summit, have seen Volaris gain huge traction in a very short space of time.
To kick of the calendar year, Volaris returned to Armin van Buuren’s esteemed Armada Music to debut “I’m So Weak” featuring Cammie Robinson. One of his best tracks to date, Volaris stuns with gorgeous melodies as Robinson’s sweeping vocal performance drives the track home.
Check it out below on SoundCloud.