Beyond Noise Team
London-based DJ/producer/vocalist Bklava shares their anticipated club-ready mixtape, c u l8r, alongside previously unheard track “Don’t Rush” – a driving blend of house and techno featuring Bklava’s stand-out, powerful vocals, it’s a track primed for big, sun-filled outdoor festival and club spaces this summer.
Bklava shares, “If I had to choose one song that really makes me the most proud on this mixtape, it’s Don’t Rush. It’s completely produced and written by me and I’m always aiming to do more of that as an independent artist. I wanted to push that euphoric sound that gives me goosebumps in the crowd. Every time I hear or play Don’t Rush, I feel the need to close my eyes and I really connect to it. It’s without a doubt the best production I’ve laid down! I’m just so proud of it”
Out now on their label, Spin Suga, the project is an homage to club culture and its rich history, as Bklava celebrates scene legends and champions new-gen talent with collaborations with garage pioneer MJ Cole, and Sheffield bassline and Niche music icon, Big Ang sitting alongside vocal features with Frizz Price, plus tracks with Soul Mass Transit System and bullet tooth. Aptly named, the title, ‘c u l8r’, emulates the excitement before a night out – texting your mates as the anticipation to see them in the rave builds.
Across 14 tracks ‘c u l8r’ promises hefty club bangers with banging bass, uplifting vocal house and garage with left turns into breaks, bass, diasporic club sounds and polyrhythms and back again. Note the skippy 2-step, wobbling basslines, amen breaks, piano house chords, MC features and more throughout – all strong salutes to their biggest inspirations including Big Ang, Todd Edwards, Tuff Jam, Disclosure, Joy Orbison to name a few. Bklava takes inspiration from the history of dance music over these bouncy, bass-driven bops, adding their inimitable, powerful vocals and teaming up with collaborators along the way, taking their version of UK club music into fresh territory.
In their own words, “This mixtape is my truest body of work to date. I’ve drawn on all my inspirations from the music I grew up with, the records I’ve collected and the clubs I’ve attended over the years. The drive behind this project was to focus on creating music for the club and channel the many emotions you go through in a night that makes people want to return to those spaces week after week.”
Bklava has been undeniably on a roll this year, with a string of hefty club singles including UK breaks & bass-laced banger, “turn this car around”, sun-soaked Garage Bop, plus “all around me”, “free”, “make it work”, “makes me (wanna move)”, all preceding the mixtape. Having already gained widespread tastemaker support from Crack Magazine, DJ Mag, Mixmag, Wonderland, CLASH, Noctis, Kaltblut, and more, the project marks a fierce return for the Lebanese-Irish artist.
Bklava launched their very own label, Spin Suga at the end of 2023, and its a sign of the level of ambition fans can expect from Bklava. Originally set up in Brighton, which began as a platform for spotlighting female, trans and non-binary artists, Bklava has taken the next step, opening the label arm, which has proven a perfect home for some of their more underground productions. As a newly independent artist, the process has empowered Bklava with autonomy over the entire process of writing, producing and releasing a full and authentic body of work that reflects their sonic and aesthetic vision and aligns with their selections as a club DJ.
Bklava’s love affair with music began early, their parents’ contrasting interests combined with their respective roots in Ireland and Lebanon introduced Bklava to a melting pot of styles and two distinctive musical heritages. Breaking through with their self-titled debut EP Bklava (2020), Bklava has continued to enamour listeners with an intoxicating sound self-described as “non-stop bops and flava”, and a unique hybrid DJ and live performance that incorporates their powerful vocals.
With an impressive arsenal of releases (Defected, Ministry of Sound) and remixes for giants including Todd Edwards and Jessie Ware, Bklava has also played iconic venues and events including Pikes, Primavera, Snowbombing, and AVA Festival (here, they performed their debut Boiler Room to raucous reception) and also made their mark in the States with several US tours. An incredibly talented, multi-faceted artist, Bklava is an incredible force, flying the flag for the new wave of UK club music, respecting its global roots and culture all the while. With renewed energy and feeling empowered through the autonomy of becoming an independent artist, the project marks a fierce return for the Lebanese-Irish artist.
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