British producer Chaney delivers his disco-flecked label debut on Insomniac Records, arriving in the shape of his new single “Out of My Depth,” featuring the enthralling vocals of Nu-La.
If anyone knows how to pick out a killer topline from the lineup, it’s CHANEY. The Swindon native spent his formative years paying the bills with a publishing deal from Warner as a teenage singer-songwriter, constructing hooks so large they could practically replace the coat rack.
He has since switched seats over into the producer’s chair, where he has found tremendous success at assembling house grooves praised by commercial and underground circles alike. On his first foray with the Insomniac imprint, CHANEY is making an homage to the disco influences that reshaped his world around the turn of the millennium.
Enlisting the luscious pipes of English artist Nu-La (otherwise known under her eponymous alt pop project Nuala), “Out Of My Depth” is unapologetically catchy. Belting from the deepest reaches of her soul, Nu-La wallows in the remorse of a love destined for disaster.
Her silky tones are so smooth and intoxicating, it’s almost easy to lose track of the tragedy at hand. Bubbling underneath the discomfort is a feel-good rhythm, which displaces the somber subject matter with its warm piano chords, funky guitar riffs, sashaying drums, swirling string sections, and woozy synth lines that make the proverbial deep end seem just a touch more hospitable.
Speaking on the creative process behind his new single, CHANEY shares: “‘Out Of My Depth’ is a little snapshot of my early 2000’s disco and house influences—an ode to the likes of Jamiroquai, Blaze, Dave Lee, Junior Jack and all the rest from that very fun era. My good friends Nuala and Lawrie Martin had written a topline idea which I first listened to on the train back home. It was magic. I knew exactly where I wanted it to go (string sections over rolling basslines) so dived straight in as soon as I got back. It ended up taking a lot of experimenting with different versions and arrangements until I was eventually satisfied with where it was. So here it is, in all its glory, featuring the wonderful voice of Nu-La.”
Operating out of southwest England, Theo Altieri is the brains behind the CHANEY name. The prodigal songwriter-turned-producer has been on a near vertical ascent since his inaugural release in 2019, building a buzz around his knack for mining the best bits of funk, disco, tech house and crossover dance music.
With such an eclectic arsenal of sounds, he’s naturally become a personal favorite for on-air personalities including Pete Tong, Sarah Story, MistaJam, Charlie Hedges, and Danny Howard, the last of whom co-produced the two-track “To This Beat” EP from last year.
Insomniac Records is stepping in with his latest cosign, and the timeless quality of “Out Of My Depth” should be evidence enough to prove CHANEY will go down as one of the greats.
CHANEY’s new single “Out Of My Depth,” featuring Nu-La, is available on all platforms via Insomniac Records.
