SUBSHIFT adopts his new alias on the release of a forward-facing tech house two-tracker by the name of ‘My Mind / Let Me’ via IN / ROTATION.
On his newly updated bio, the fast-emerging house producer succinctly captures the ethos of his project with a prime choice of words: “A constant state of change.” It not only speaks truth about his philosophy to keep the house scene on the forefront of the evolutionary chain, but in this specific instance, it also applies to a swift name change that perfectly suits the sound he’s been crafting since the start of 2020. SUBSHIFT—formerly known as Foulplay—is a UK-based artist who has been making his own modifications to the influences nestled between bass and tech house. His debut appearance on Insomniac’s house-centric imprint was unknowingly his last under that previous pseudonym, which saw him guiding house-heads down the quirky grooves on “Let Me,” as part of the fifth installment of the label’s ‘Rotate’ compilation. He’s now looping back around with a standalone single that serves to open up a new chapter for the hybrid house head.
“My Mind” may be the first offering following his rebrand, but don’t even think about calling it a transformation. The fresh ideas are still flowing in the same cutting-edge direction as before, only this tech house number manages to worm itself inside the cranium while still keeping its control over the rest of the body. Across its three-minute run, SUBSHIFT taps into some serious clairvoyant abilities by fashioning a dark, hypnotic groove that packs a subliminal punch. Staying one step ahead the entire way through, he funnels subconscious brainwaves into a mesmerizing amalgamation of shuffling percussive patterns, laser-sharp flourishes, hurtling basslines, entrancing rolling riffs, and a head-spinning vocal loop bouncing between the folds of your frontal lobe. As the chopped-up hook “if you could read my mind” spirals around the rhythm with pinpoint precision, it’s almost impossible to not entertain the idea that this track was somehow crafted somewhere deep in the confines of your inner psyche.
“For this track, I wanted to just make a really weird sounding track, that you could still dance and vibe to,” says SUBSHIFT. “I found the lead groove almost straight away and the trippy ‘My Mind’ vocal was just a perfect fit. I know IN / ROTATION love to showcase experimental house music and felt like I had to send it to them!”
Before the name change, he was making considerable headway in the contemporary house music realm under his FOULPLAY moniker. The 22-year-old producer has been honing his signature style through a flurry of releases that have put him on the radar of an impressive list of tastemaker artists, such as DJ Snake, Zeds Dead, Malaa, BROHUG, Tony Romera and more. He’s already blown through a number of quality labels like Sans Merci, Crucast, Mixmash Deep, and he’s now made back-to-back appearances on IN / ROTATION. You don’t have to be a psychic in order to see big things in his imminent future, so don’t be surprised when you start to see the name SUBSHIFT pop up in your on the regular.
