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Music Producer Blog & Promotion

Carey Clayton rebooted retrofuturism with the seraphic synths in his latest single, Future in a Past Life

Posted on 11 August 2024

Carey Clayton brought the sound, synths and soul of the 80s to their latest in a long line of seminal singles, Future in a Past Life, while etching into the nostalgic hallmarks with his indelibly scintillating sonic signature which scribes beyond contemporary trends.

The title alone is enough to spark a profound meditation on its poetic meaning; when you sink into the release, you’ll start to swim in the temperate, tonally seraphic spectres of reflection, artfully amalgamated by the LA songwriter, producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, who has become revered for his stylistically expansive body of work.

Future in a Past Life, caged within his third LP, Headless, may be composed of different aural anatomy from his previous releases, but fans who came to adore Clayton for his past work will find their appreciation for the visionary renewed by the sense of spirituality which drifts between the instrumentals in the polished production.

Clearly still humble after his music being sought after by Netflix, NBC, ABC and the Tribeca Film Festival, Clayton synthesised straight from the soul with Future in a Past Life, which fuses the arcane emotive air of Cigarettes After Sex with the kicks and grooves of Django Django.

Future in a Past Life was officially released on July 19th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ry Welch pushed the boundaries of avant-garde production with ‘THE MOMENT OF DISAPPEARANCE’

Posted on 7 August 2024
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F0fXCfC60P5JJbaXc69s121Ja6WvfCmu

Ry Welch’s seminal single, The Moment of Disappearance, nestled within his recently remastered LP, Hostile Lazarus, could easily be dismissed as an installation of pure augmented obscurity, but if you lean in a little deeper into the fiercely thematic dualistic beauty within the juxtaposition of the euphonic and abrasive elements, the genius of Ry Welch becomes evident.

Accordant elements bleed from synthesised harmonies, echoing the 60s psych-pop bliss of the Beach Boys and the Zombies, while the frenetic insanity allows you to imagine the sonic love child of Fantomas, Glen Branca, and ELO. The cultivated yet chaotically unhinged production supports a narrative epic, inviting listeners on an unmissable saga through the proclivities of an unfiltered erratic mind.

Despite his niche sound, Welch has garnered a loyal following that reveres his uniquely animated sonic signature born from unbounded creative vision. Given the exhilaration in The Moment of Disappearance, it is easy to see why.

Born in Austin, Texas, and later honing his craft in Northern Virginia, Welch initiated himself into the music industry by amassing multi-instrumentalist stripes at the age of five.  His teenage years saw the formation of his first band, laying the groundwork for a career marked by an unyielding dedication to musical innovation.

Welch’s eclectic background includes studying jazz and classical bass at VCU, performing jazz in the DC area, and expanding his horizons at the New England Conservatory, where he engaged with luminaries such as John Cage and Elliott Carter. His versatile career spans from composing jingles in New York City to performing with regional jam bands in Virginia, and now, pushing the boundaries of avant-garde production in Los Angeles.

The 2024 remaster of Hostile Lazarus dropped on July 15 and is available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get into the groove with Ryan Alexander’s funk-chopped disco pop earworm, Stay the Night

Posted on 31 July 2024

Ryan Alexander’s latest single, Stay the Night, featuring pop vocalist Michael, is more disco than a disco ball with its funk chops which cut through the kinetic grooves to ignite dancefloors and send sparks of serotonin flooding through the psyche of anyone who encounters this synthesis of sonic nostalgia and salaciously amplified contemporary innovation.

The hit mainlines the guitar rhythms of Nile Rodgers with the beats of Daft Punk, while the infectiously euphoric pop vocals from Michael turn up the heat in this magnetic earworm, resulting in a track that showcases the immense potential of this independent producer’s talents.

Although Alexander is currently reverberating through the underground, it is only a matter of time before he breaks major ground and storms the mainstream with his flair for expansively fusionistic songwriting and producing.

Hailing from Glasgow, Ryan Alexander’s passion for music is evident in every beat of his rapidly growing discography, which is picking up major traction through his local performances in October Café and other revered venues around his hometown. There’s no doubt that a big break is around the corner.

Stay the Night was officially released on July 22; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bad Avocado is ripe for the picking for your summer playlists in their house anthem, Aguacate NewsHour Special (All of the Memories)

Posted on 31 July 2024

Feel the pulse of summer’s heartbeat with the latest single, Aguacate NewsHour Special (All of the Memories), by the enigmatically irreplicable artist and producer, Bad Avocado. From the first note, you’re at the mercy of the independent house artist’s grooves and consumed by the confrontation of pure elation, which proves that Bad Avocado is set to defy their nature and remain eternally fresh.

Aguacate NewsHour Special (All of the Memories) is ripe for the picking for your summer playlists. The seraphic soundscape envelops through the rushes of lush reverb that wrap around the echoes of nostalgia, allowing the instrumentals to capture the sense of yearning for ephemeral memories which bleeds from the harmonised ethereal vocal lines.

The tactile sense of sun-kissed bliss reverberates to the forefront of the flawless anthem which attests to Bad Avocado’s songwriting and production chops. As the track crescendos, each moment of escalation is finely tuned, leading to hedonic breaks that burst with intensity. It’s in these moments that the track holds its breath, before plunging into a sonic rapture that’s textured with complexity and clarity.

Aguacate NewsHour Special (All of the Memories) dropped on June 24; stream the track on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

litesleeper unveiled a pulsating prism of euphonic euphoria in their organic electronica release, Hertz

Posted on 26 July 2024

Hertz by litesleeper surpassed sound to become a sophisticated statement that carries the evolution of electronica on its pulsating back. The Northampton-based collective’s objective to arrest rhythmic pulses while simultaneously stirring the soul was efficaciously achieved through their amalgamation of organic instrumentation and powerful basslines.

Vocalist Shannon Kait honed the release with a razor-sharp indietronica edge; her soulfully ethereal and emotionally charged harmonies floating above intricately layered production ensured that Hertz had all the potential to become the definitive sound of the summer.

With a production that’s as lush as it is meticulously arranged, the transcendent quality of the seminal single strikes a perfect balance between bass-fuelled momentum and hypnotic serenity. The seraphically utopic hues are enough to liberate you from the mundanity of material reality.

Keen to orchestrate tracks that resonate with seasoned clubbers and casual electronica fans alike, the only thing that is more monumental than the cross-over appeal of the single is the synaesthesia which will ensnare you from the first tonally rich progression.

Hertz will be available to stream and download on all major platforms from July 26th; stream the single on SoundCloud first.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Diehard Romantics Will Meet Their Match in Kaleb Cohen’s Bluesy Indie-Folk Release, Our Eyes Met on Friday

Posted on 26 July 2024

Kaleb Cohen is set to become the second biggest Cohen in folk after the release of his bluesy indie single, Our Eyes Met on Friday.

After opening with an introspectively tender extended prelude, inviting listeners into a defining moment that captures the essence of a soul finally finding its home the song unfolds through increments of upbeat folk elements reminiscent of the Lumineers and Mumford and Sons which surge through the ingenuity within the genre-bending energy.

This release showcases Kaleb’s profound ability to make loungey piano keys bleed pure raw emotion, complemented by his seraphically timbered vocals that masterfully blend the gruff with the smooth. The continuous sonic reinventions throughout the track play havoc with rhythmic expectations, yet each new arrangement is as euphonic as the last, exhibiting the devilishly playful innovation of an artist who could easily skate by on his larynx of gold but chooses instead to go the extra aural mile to beguile.

Kaleb Cohen, an indie-folk-rock prodigy from Connecticut who writes, records, and self-produces his music is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film & Television Production. As an omen of the illustrious path he is destined to pave, his first-ever show in New Haven was a sell-out with fans coming as far as Pennsylvania to witness one of Indie Folk’s most promising names etch their legacy.

Our Eyes Met on Friday will be officially released on July 26; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get into an intimate RnB groove with ILL PHIL’s seminal single, Abo(U)T [Cinnamon]

Posted on 25 July 2024
THE MEMOIR by ILL PHIL PRODUCTIONS

The lead single, Abo(U)T [Cinnamon], from ILL PHIL’s EP, THE MEMOIR, which dropped on July 8th, is locked and loaded with vibe-heavy vulnerability. The track opens with an aphrodisiacal R&B intro that instantly locks you into a melodious groove that will leave you out of the proverbial palm of this illustrious artist’s hand.

The candour within the ode to a soul he doesn’t feel worthy of filling invites you to live vicariously through the passion that mused the mellow declaration of unflinching affection. The lush and laidback production that allows hints of hip-hop roots to pull through the soul-swathed melodies is a testament to the dynamic artist’s ability to use his own worldview to create vignettes which reflect wider emotional phenomena. Anyone who has ever felt the inflection of inferiority in the presence of someone who appears to be rendered in perfection will find visceral resonance in every honeyed vocal note in Abo(U)T [Cinnamon].

Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, ILL PHIL is a seasoned producer and artist with over a decade of experience in the hip-hop and R&B scenes. Known for his versatility, ILL PHIL excels in producing, songwriting, beat making, mixing, and mastering, crafting high-quality tracks that resound with creative authenticity. Abo(U)T [Cinnamon] is the ultimate example of how ILL PHIL is holding dominion over the NYC RnB scene.

Abo(U)T [Cinnamon] is available to stream on Apple Music and Bandcamp.

Follow ILL PHIL on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ben Thuesen mastered the art of indie pop euphonic immersion with ‘Angel Face’

Posted on 19 July 2024

In his latest indie-pop release, Angel Face, the affectingly irreplicable Ben Thuesen channelled the soul-wrenching mourning of a love lost into a composition that haunts with its lyrical depth and intricate melodies.

The Sacramento-based singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer exhibited how he has perfected the art of euphonic immersion with this vignette of the bittersweet aftermath of affection. The anthem for the lovelorn echoes the melodic poignancy of artists in the same vein as Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen, while ensuring that no influence overshadows the uniqueness of his distinctly cultivated sonic signature.

By weaving guitar strings and heartstrings together, the independent artist crafted a sonic landscape that mirrors the isolation of heartbreak. The stinging clarity of his guitar lines cuts through the nightscape with the precision of a seasoned jazz musician, his roots bleeding into each note, offering a raw, unfiltered emotional narrative which reflects the alienatingly quiet hours of introspection that often accompany the loss of love.

Angel Face will be available to stream on all major platforms from July 19; stream it on Soundcloud first.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Batka – Ałive: An Electronic Odyssey Between Serenity and Storm

Posted on 7 July 2024

BaŁka went down a cinematic storm in their latest release, Ałive, featuring PRESPHNE. The seductively progressive hit opens on a note of ethereal transcendence with the intricate instrumental layers efficaciously complementing the quiescent harmonic whispers, but it isn’t long before the intensity builds within the momentum of the tour de force of seamlessly chameleonic shifts in tone and tempo.

The head-spinning hits of Drum ‘n’ bass contort Ałive into a pulsative juggernaut of an anthem; the industrial rock aesthetics which follow act as further attestations to BaŁka’s ability to move sonic mountains with virtuosic melodic manipulations.

From the exponentially expansive crescendos to the transient installations of nature-infused cathartic tranquillity which follows like serenity after a storm purges the atmosphere, Ałive is definitive proof that few artists are as capable as BaŁka in depicting the duality between the brutality and ferocity of the human experience.

The inspiration for his powerful sound design is so much more than just an abstract concept. The thematic essence of his work hits you as hard as the beats, which goes a fair way in explaining how in six months within the industry, he’s already had an official release on MONTA Records, been signed by the LA-based music group, Cage Riot, and garnered over 30k streams.

Stream Ałive on all major platforms, including Spotify, now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

EmiTQM has made an ethereal debut with his installation of Latin indietronic pop, IGUAL Y ME PENSASTE

Posted on 5 July 2024

Latin pop sensation in the making, EmiTQM, has made an indelible mark on the Latin pop scene with his dreamy indietronica debut single, IGUAL Y ME PENSASTE, which arrests with ethereal melodic waves in the same vein as Cigarettes After Sex, and originates via tenderly warm and exploratively 8bit-adjacent sequences which envelop you in a sonic world of kaleidoscopic colour and soul.

Translating to ‘maybe you thought of me’, IGUAL Y ME PENSASTE is a reticently sweet embodiment of hope and yearning to reverberate around the mind of the person who ceaselessly occupies every waking thought.

The single is an affectingly unforgettable introduction to the Mexican pop singer-songwriter and producer’s unique style which has already seen him amass a loyal army of fans who relish in his ability to visualise universally resonant facets of the human condition.

The emotions that will flood through you as you follow EmiTQM’s lead through this future-forward earworm reach the pinnacle of visceralism. The hazy love-drunk hues translate with perfect articulation as the lines between reality and imagination blur.

One of the only things with more promise than his music career is that the sun will rise tomorrow. We are already stoked to hear what he has in store for his sophomore release.

IGUAL Y ME PENSASTE was officially released on June 27; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast