Your favorite monthly music discovery feature is back. Focus Five Volume 71 sees us showcasing a multi-genre Mexican producer, an Indian bass master, a duo delivering a dose of summer grooves, a sound design destroyer, and a Kiwi producer with some stellar UK sounds. Get familiar with all five below.
Alexis B
Alexis B is a Mexican producer who has been setting SoundCloud ablaze with a multitude of firey UKG and DnB cuts. My first exposure to the artist came when listening to borne’s exceptional Deep End EP. ‘Don’t Go’ sees Alexis B joining borne for an absolutely beautiful garage anthem. The combination of emotive vocals, masterful vocal chops, stirring keys, and booming bass with stripped-back drops is nothing short of exceptional. Proving his skills on the solo side, the artist has been unleashing a barrage of incredible bootlegs and flips including ‘ Don’t Phone Me,’ ‘Too Much Sauce,’ and ‘TODO.’ If you’re in the mood for dark and moody cuts that’ll get you moving Alexis B is an absolute must-listen.
-C
Baajewala
It’s been a little over five years since FUXWTHIT’s last mention of Baajewala, so I’d say now’s as good a time as ever to shine the spotlight back on this monster of a producer. Hailing from Betul, India, Baajewala’s tunes exude an eclectic mix of influences ranging from Bollywood bangers to American dubstep and everything in between. This is the kind of gritty, granulated bass that arrests your ears’ attention away before you even realize what’s happening. The rhythmically undulating basslines, combined with Bollywood vocal samples and traditional instrumentation like the sitar and tabla, make for some emphatically groovy beats that make it hard to sit still.
I recently stumbled upon his TOKEN EP and was positively blown away the second the first drop hit on ‘BOSSMODE.’ There’s something about the minimalism of a flute sample over 808s that drives me crazy in the best way. On the other end of the spectrum are more dub-heavy tracks with bouncier drum patterns like ‘AAO BABU,’ released only a few days ago as part of LoFreq Records Cypher Vol. 5. I sincerely hope the sound that Baajewala and others have been so carefully curating in India continues to make its way overseas. Presently, it feels like there is so much music out there in the world, that it’s become increasingly more difficult for anyone to create a standout, unique sound. Everything is derivative to some degree. Yet, here are these producers in India experimenting with sound design in a way that reminds me of the early days of trap music here in the States, and that’s really refreshing to hear. Big ups to Baajewala, can’t wait to see where the future takes you.
– BG
canary yellow
Spring is going full speed in the northern hemisphere, preparing the ground for the advent of another summer. Nature has awakened, as have our biorhythms. Our bodies quiver and the ancestral rhythms that nestle within us have resumed their primordial dance. So what could be better than a good dose of groove to tune with this rite of passage? canary yellow‘s music is the perfect match. I got to know this producer duo thanks to the good people at Tabula Rasa and since then they soundtracked all my early morning walks. Their glossier and progressive-oriented interpretation of garage (which evolved from their initial deep house releases) is the ideal point of contact between the overdrive of the traditional UKG sound and the softness of many of the deep house producers I follow. Within their discography, you can find some bangers too, but canary yellow’s creativity shines bright when vocal chops and psychedelic arpeggios roam free over broken rhythms and crispy drum patterns. Close your eyes, press play, and get ready to fly high with canary yellow.
-AA
JPKy
Shattering barriers of sound with swift and relentless powers of mass destruction, JPKy has been delivering some of the craziest electronic music. One after another, each of his tracks will make your mind explode while being transported into the earth’s core, exploring unexplained forces that will take over your soul with each second. Comprised of different unique qualities and impressing many to the highest degree. His sound design is unmatched, setting nothing but a beautiful example for many upcoming musicians. From remixes of nvadrz, Knock2, Tisoki, and more, to unleashing energetic singles to match the rest, you do not want to miss out on anything this artist is cooking. He’s even released two full mixes of unreleased music that completely show his diverse range! He’s next up.
His remix of Charli XCX is a deadly and uncontainable force of nature. From a fun and sporadic club environment to that heavy bass lead within the chorus, it’ll leave you with a pure smile on your face while desiring more and more. Not to mention those drums are truly well chosen and fit perfectly with the overall structure. His newest remix for KLAXX’s, ‘getup’ via MONTA highlights some of the best techniques and raw organic power JPKy has up his sleeve. He completely honored the original’s vision while making it his own. Adding a flare you’ll find only from the artist. The movement and pacing of this one really makes you want to hear this one live on large loud speakers. One thing is for certain, things have only just begun for the young artist. And we have the utmost confidence that he’ll be continuing to explore new realms while creating electronic music you won’t forget. Making the underground proud.
-JD
munro, formerly known as Ian Munro, recently put out a reel highlighting local Kiwi talent in honour of New Zealand Music Month. While the shoutout was brief and the snippet was short, his mention of Severus instantly caught my attention, and I knew I had to learn more about the artist. Originally from New Zealand and now based in Australia, the Severus project appears to have been born in early 2022. Since then, the releases have been somewhat scarce, but the three tracks that are out are enough to prompt readers to keep an eye out for the artist. ‘Break My Heart,’ the track munro featured in his reel, was my first introduction to Severus, and gave me a feel for the insanely catchy UK grooves that the producer is able to create. The layering of smooth samples above an emotive garage-leaning beat was enough to get me hooked. Diving into his other two tracks revealed a knack for concocting hypnotizing drum and bass rhythms. While unexpected, it was a pleasant surprise to come across an artist with such a varied sound palette despite the minimal discography. Let’s hope there’s more to come soon!
-SC
Written by Alessio, Braden, Colin, John & Steph
