MUMBAI: House maestro Eric Sharp represents a holistic picture of dance music. His emphasis on the club being a conduit for both dance-ready tracks and exercises in songwriting and composition have propelled the producer and DJ to a rare 16-year-long career. This remarkable journey has seen Sharp hold down a coveted residency at LA’s Sound Nightclub, perform at festivals like Coachella, SXSW, and Outside Lands, collaborate with Anna Lunoe, remix acts like Major Lazer’s Jillionaire, Grammy-winners Jars Of Clay, and Atlantic Records’ Melanie Martinez, and top Hype Machine charts.
Now, on Sharp’s new Emergence EP, the artist melds his sharply-honed production and songwriting abilities with the skills of his collaborators to create dynamic, spellbinding house tracks. As a result, the five-track package weaves complementary, united musical elements into tapestries that both intrigue listeners and drive dance floors wild.
Emergence flexes every facet of Sharp’s musical and philosophical vision. The EP kicks off with the previously-released single “Like Water,” the stillness-focused, new-age house track featuring meditation teacher Doe Paoro.
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The second track is “Scream & Shout,” a collaboration with soulful vocalist Laurent John that blends house and techno into a vibrant, groovy soundscape, using the track’s energy to evoke feelings of simmering frustration and protest. “Scream & Shout” is undoubtedly the EP’s centerpiece; a song that’s as catchy as it is entrancing, with an instrumental that perfectly balances John’s euphoric vocals. True to his dedication to songwriting craft, “Scream & Shout” encapsulates Sharp’s ability to activate electronic music exhilaration alongside pop music comfort.
The final original collaboration on Emergence is “The Gift” featuring Zhao, a powerful political statement on the commodification of art that blends techno with spoken-word poetry. The track’s pulsating kick drums and introspective synth chords meld with sections of glitchy, techno-inspired tones to create a cosmic, dance-fueled harmony. Both “The Gift” and “Like Water” released previously as singles, and have collectively amassed 50K streams across platforms.
The EP caps off with two special renditions of Emergence’s original collaborations. Plus (the producer project of Kyle McCammon) transforms “Like Water” into an infectious groove featuring Jersey Club drum patterns and an 80s synth-pop atmosphere, while Sharp reworks “Scream & Shout” into his own dub version that removes John’s vocals to further emphasize the song’s bass undertones.
On Emergence, Sharp’s musical mastery showcases his intrinsic ethos and inspirations, aligning with his commitments to sobriety, health, veganism, Jewish heritage, and surrealism. The EP is a full representation of Sharp’s artistic vision, blending composition and songwriting with dance floor sensibility.
Sharp will host a free, open-air release party to celebrate Emergence at Mirus Gallery Los Angeles on Friday, April 29, from 10 p.m. – 2 a.m, RSVP here.
