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12"
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HEIST 065EP
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The embodiment of modern-day electronic funk and a true wizard on the keys: Atlanta raised cool guy Byron the Aquarius. Now, after a solid string of releases on labels like Shall Not Fade and Purveyor Underground, Byron is making his solo appearance on Heist. His Akira EP goes from dark basement grooves to dreamy broken beats and features a remix by New York dance music wizard Kush Jones. The Akira EP kicks off with "I love yo", a track that juxtaposes dreamy samples with rough percussion and vocal chops with a clear nod to the work of Mr. G. The melody is mellow, but don't be deceived; clever drum programming and plenty of sub take this track into the club vibe just the way Byron likes it: warm, hazy and sexy AF. Enter "Get up". There's everything you love about house music: smart vocal chops, driving percussion, classic house keys, and a booming sub to get you bumping to this beat. Byron up the tempo and takes a deep dive into bass territory with "Love". In this track, there's lush pads running over a percussive broken beat and chopped R n' B vocals to add some serious sex appeal. Going back to classic house mode, you get "Success": a spoken word house track that fits right in with the classics. Byron sets the mood with some bumpy key-and synth work while brainstorming about originality and blackness throughout the track.
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2LP
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AX 091LP
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Limited 2021 repress. "The overall goal was to create something that bared the traits and signs that would catch the attention of a music lover. Someone that has danced themselves into a relationship with music that is unconditional and undeniable." --Jeff Mills
Byron The Aquarius is no stranger to true music fans. In January 2020 he gathered his friend musicians in Atlanta for a session of a few days at Patchwerk Studios under Jeff Mills's supervision. The result is a fantastic mix between soulful house and jazz music with a touch of blues. When Byron The Aquarius talks about live frequencies, his enthusiasm is infectious. A keys player by trade, one can detect echoes of the likes of Keith Jarrett, Jan Hammer, and Herbie Hancock. With a tinge of pitch bend and the early release of words, you can hear the rhythm in the way he speaks. This might be a common trait coming from one who lives in Birmingham, Alabama and has been greatly educated on jazz by his grandfather. In his music, he reminds the listener how precious the single note can be again and this makes the attraction to his music irresistible. Proudly put, his music does wait for anyone's approval and this is exactly what makes this man and what he creates so unique. Byron's love for melody and harmony has consistently drawn the attention of electronic music's leading labels and producers and he's worked along with some of the best. In 2015, Byron released a ten-track solo album on BBE entitled Planets of Love. When he wasn't working on his own music, he was playing keys in the studio with Atlanta-based house DJ/artist Kai Alce. These creations soon fell upon the radar of the Detroit maestro Theo Parrish, who loved the sound of his sublime jazz-infected house and selected two tracks to release on his legendary Sound Signature label in 2016. The resulting Highlife EP has been hailed nothing less than "stunning", "intoxicating", and "essential." In the years since, Byron has released a consistently high level of music on Wild Oats, Eglo Records, and more. He has toured the planet playing festivals such as Dimensions, Dekmantel, Suncebeat, Lente Kabinet, All Points East, and many more as well as a plethora of the world's best clubs. Despite the limitation brought on by the pandemic, 2020 has been a busy one for Byron.
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LP
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MI 016LP
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Mutual Intentions present Astral Traveling, Byron The Aquarius's debut album. A stunning piece of fusion built from everything between jazz, soul, hip-hop, and house makes Mutual Intentions a perfect platform for the release. String compositions is an on-going theme throughout the album. From the first chord on "Love Is 4U", until the very last second of "Spazzing Out", where Byron raps over a beautiful backdrop consisting only of Fender Rhodes, electric bass and strings. Byron jumps seamlessly between different genres throughout the whole album. From the acid house inspired "Sorry Kari", to '70s prog jazz sounding cuts like "Lost In Love". Once you put the needle on side B, you'll hear "Deep In That *****" featuring MDMA which sounds pretty much like if Dexter Wansel took MDMA in 2019, inside Legowelt's studio and tried to re-create his classic cut "Theme From The Planets". Byron released his first project in 2007, then studied music for nine years. In 2016 Byron re-emerged through great labels such as Eglo Records, Kyle Hall's Wild Oats label, and Theo Parrish's Sound Signature label. He's a well-traveled DJ and live musician, and he plays some of the most prestige festivals around the globe. Also features Will Slick and Brandon Banks.
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