Rian Brazil: The Earworm Wizard from Brighton
Not many can claim to have DJed at the Venice Biennale, but as of last weekend, Rian Brazil is among them. The Brighton-born producer is renowned for crafting earworms by blending sample-heavy electronic beats with sugary vocal highs and bassy lows, giving an authentic voice to England’s fringes. His sound is a fusion of UK underground influences, notably from his longtime collaborator Fakemink, and his own distinctive vocal style.
On initial listen, one might mistake the wide range of his melodies for Auto-Tune; however, impressively, Brazil’s raw voice is vocally modulated to deliver deeply vulnerable performances that distinguish his sound from his rap-focused contemporaries.
Across his upcoming Engine Heartbreak EP, set for release on 20 May, Brazil explores a sonic world that is both addictively online and yearning for real-life connection. The EP features tracks such as the drum’n’bass love-song "Bullet Caught in a Spiders Web," the gospel-inflected "Things 2 Make U Smile," and the glitchy "A Butterfly Was Born." Amid the radio-style chaos of his production, which recalls Jai Paul’s infamous 2013 Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones) and the new-generation sounds of his peers, Brazil incorporates sonic relics and lyrical references from his youth in the backend of England, specifically Hollingdean, Brighton.
Here, listeners find the soul-inflected sounds of church, happy hardcore music played by a former raver mother, and ripped MP3s streamed on the school bus through inexpensive headphones. The result is a sound that propels listeners through the present while reminding them of their origins. In Brazil’s own words:
“a futuristic version of the grime-obsessed kid who grew up smoking ciggies on Barrow Hill”
Letty Cole
This Week’s Best New Tracks
Jorja Smith – What’s Done Is Done
Jorja Smith delivers a potential song-of-the-summer with "What’s Done Is Done," acting as a coroner for a dead relationship over a heavily bassy beat. The track features plucked strings and skippy hi-hats reminiscent of UK garage, but it avoids nostalgia, presenting a fresh sound.
Helado Tropical – Tocando
On the duo album by Helado Negro and Fabi Reyna, "Tocando" captures a once-certain relationship slipping away. The sweet guitar, lo-fi fuzz, and unruffled vocals convey the story without urgency.
Show Me the Body – No God
The hardcore punk trio rejects religion in favor of earthy immediacy on this brutally funky, massively danceable track. "No God" is a neck-snapper perfect for energetic live performances.
The Avalanches – Together (ft Nikki Nair, Jessy Lanza and Prentiss)
Exploring themes of infatuation and disappointment, this electro-pop track includes the lyric "you could never picture me at home crying over my telephone" and features a beat partially composed of a camera shutter click, creating a candyland atmosphere.
Overmono – Lockup
The returning duo masterfully invert the typical formula of combining chopped-up, pitched-up vocal samples with bass-driven tech-house, delivering chaotic head-rush detail that anticipates festival season.
Alys – Effervescence
Berlin-based Brazilian producer Alys presents a bass-heavy track that feels more perilous than its bubbly title suggests. The song features ricocheting splintered vocals and increasingly overwhelming drums.
Ivy Knight – Beacon
Produced by Deer Park, "Beacon" pairs crisp acoustic guitar with amorphous bass as NYC singer-songwriter Ivy Knight evokes a spectral mood.
to ’s rolling Add to Playlist selections on Spotify or transfer them to other services.
