The Stoned - Lost In Sound (Harmonious Discord)

Contrary to popular belief, the climate is not the only thing generating heat in South Texas. A rise of humble, promising artists is budding up throughout the state. The Stoned is a father-son duo who leverage collectively both years of experience along with an ear to the newest trends. Somewhere between traditional house music and cosmic territories lies the Lost in Sound project. Providing support for these delicious selections is tech-house hero Joshua Collins and Austin, Texas, resident and dirty disco don Ajay Kapoor. Slide into this EP with a plethora of grooves and tension.

The title track “Lost in Sound” provides punchy drum constructions alongside spacey leads and tense layers. The song progresses with vocal elements reminiscent of early David Byrne records. “Get Away” compliments equally in the equation. Strong drum mixtures alongside melodic leads float blissfully alongside each other. Tech titan Joshua Collins (Afterhours, King Street) carries the torch with a rich, pulsating modern techno interpretation. Shifting melodic sequences alongside driving percussion temper into a satisfying solution. Alternatively, Ajay Kapoor strips away the layers into their most true and raw forms incorporating live bass and classic disco drum construction. This hauntingly beautiful redux elevates gradually with the introduction of anxious arpeggios. Closing our journey is “Feel,” a melodic reprise with late-night layers. Deep-minded pad automation synced with a persistent groove presents a perfect mixture of jazz and urban influences.

Tyler Stadius (Deepen) – “All of the tracks are really good. I love getting new tunes from The Stoned.”
Jaymz Nylon (Nylon Recordings) – “Lost In Sound is a gorgeous piece of music.”
Duserock (Various Labels) – “The originals are where it’s at!”
Anthony Pappa (Bedrock) – “The Josh Collins Remix is really cool.”
FineCutBodies (MR2 Hungarian National Radio) – “I love the Ajay Kapoor Remix on here.”
Nutritious (SpinSpinNYC) – “Diggin’ it. Supporting the Ajay Kapoor Remix on my Play/Pause show for Magnetic Magazine.”

Available Now From: Beatport, Bandcamp, Traxsource, And Spotify.

Steve Balance - Shade One (Harmonious Discord)

Harmonious Discord’s first selection of the year is from Austin-based tech-house producer Steve Balance (Headset, Bunchlox). Steve is a foundational pillar of the vibrant city’s underground. His humble nature and thoughtful approach have always been front and center in his music. Shade One is Steve Balance’s first project with Harmonious Discord and features remixes from Jeff Scroggin (Denied Music) and newcomer Ajay Kapoor.

The clever “Wander Ring” starts the release, a syncopated, tracky number with finely-enveloped synth washes. The disorienting nature of the musical components are well-tempered with the playful nature of the accompanying drums. Bearded Viking-prince Jeff Scroggin returns to the label to remix “Wander Ring” into a Detroit-style mindful tech masterpiece. Jeff uses vocal sampling and reverb tails to drift from section-to-section while sonic elements dance back and forth.

“Shade One” shares the syncopated structure but adds a dash of jack. Pervasive, almost chanting, drum collisions roll into a muddled cascade of arpeggiated synthesizers. Ajay Kapoor joins the label as a fresh-faced talent with an evil disco sound. Ajay borrows the synthetic structure of “Shade One” on his rework but plays with the pitch to create a harmonic, moaning cadence. Coupled with the heavy disco drums, this remix occupies a unique hour in the night.

The release closes with “Resplendent,” an industrious, dark, and troubled love song. Steve Balance flexes multiple muscles in this handy dance floor expedition.

DJ P-REZ (Not So Fast Records) – “Some good stuff for those naughty late nights.”
Lee Jones / Country Gents (Buslife) – “Ajay Kapoors mix is really cool.”
Haris Custovic (Laus Music) – “Lovely deepess…”
Deepshizzol (Deepvibes Radio) – “The Jeff Scroggin remix is nice.”
Kosta (Vibe FM) – “Intense and flexed music on this one.”
DJ Hal (EQ Magazine) – “This is a solid release.”
Nico De Ceglia (Hyena Stomp) – “Nice one!”
Andrea Rraqi (Black Angel Promotion) – “Wonderful!”
Sharlese (KEXP, Seattle) – “Fun Tech house & synth grooves.”
Snooba (Radio Panik) – “Infectious & haunted folklore”

Available Now From: Beatport, Juno Download, Apple Music, And Spotify.