bad tuner is challenging the mold when it comes to thumping house music. He may not be a household name quite yet, but the influence of this Brooklyn-based, multi-instrumentalist has been rippling across the industry all year and he continues to bless us with music that feels brand new but simultaneously crawling with nostalgia. From a portfolio that boasts remixes for TOKiMONSTA to Two Another and performances alongside A-Trak to Bon Entendeur to name a few, bad tuner is definitely one we’re keeping up with for 2021 and beyond.
“Relationship Is” is his latest, released today on LG105. It’s an exuberant, celebratory heater that is exactly what you want to spend your nights dancing to in the summer months. It’s full of passion and uplifting lyricism, thanks to the Mandinka vocal sample provided by Senegalese singer Marietou Kouyate. bad tuner douses it with his signature DIY style, spicing things up by giving us a well needed jolt of energy to shake us awake from our weary half-sleep of the past year. It’s his third release this year, most recently delivering the emotional UK-house inspired “Back to Me” from a few months back. He’s gearing up for the release of his debut EP on August 20, and we’re right there gearing up with him.
Speaking on the new record, bad tuner says “‘Relationship Is’ is a house track centered around a rolling piano progression and the sampled vocals of Senegalese singer Marietou Kouyate. The last year has been absolutely isolating and this song is about the need for human connection. Her vocals are mirrored with a melodic line played on the vibraphone, a response to her refrain. I like the way in which working with different languages presents a fresh perspective on how to create electronic music. You are not confined to the limits of traditional song writing and can use vocals in a creative way.”
.jpg)
