The appeal of “Restless” is its engineering of momentum. ZOCO plots a straight line from idea to impact: write a song about killing routine, gather a cast that can play it with feel, and record it where the energy lands on tape. Sessions rolled through Los Angeles (Licorice Pizza Records) and Milan (Massive Arts Studios), with vocals produced and recorded in Nashville—three cities, one coherent picture. Gunnar Nelson produces (and sneaks in harmonies), Kerry Brown oversees, and Stephen DeAcutis mixes for punch and headroom; Howie Weinberg masters with the kind of top-end confidence that survives playlists and broadcast alike.
Players matter: Carmine Rojas’ bass lines are fluid and song-serving; the drum chair is shared—Slim Jim Phantom brings brush finesse, London Hudson adds modern weight—giving the track its dual character of glide and thrust. Marco Zocco’s baritone sits center, guitar work drawing clean lines rather than monuments. The chorus—co-written and sung with brothers Paolo and Matteo—is engineered for participation, the “whoa”s cueing the room.
“Restless” reads as a mission statement for LUMANISTA (Part 1) (January 2026): alternative rock with cinematic side-lighting, pop-scale hooks without the plastic. It’s independent music with professional torque, and that combination tends to travel.
Northern singer-songwriter Sam Macdonald dropped his first solo single ‘Distant Light’ on September 23, 2025, taking a big leap into independent territory. Coming from Carlisle, Macdonald has been creating music for over a decade, and has shared stages with heavy hitters such as The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Telescopes, and Dead Skeletons, while building a name for himself in the indie scene. His sound pulls from childhood staples—Buddy Holly vibes and his dad’s old 50s and 60s tapes—mixed with Scouse and Northern icons like The La’s, The Coral, Shack, Echo & the Bunnymen, Oasis, and The Stone Roses. Add in classics from Neil Young, R.E.M., Teenage Fanclub, The Rolling Stones, plus Motown’s groove and hip-hop’s rhythmic punch, and you’ve got a foundation that’s shaped his knack for blending melody with beat.
The track itself is a quirky fusion of rock, pop, and soul elements, delivered with a melodic twist that’s anything but straightforward. Macdonald channels those varied inspirations into something intimate, sharpening the edges for a personal touch. Lyrically, it weaves themes of chasing freedom, transformation, and glimpses of what’s ahead, all wrapped in a sound that’s concise and punchy with an alternative slant that sets it apart from his group efforts.
This shift to solo work highlights Macdonald‘s drive for self-direction, moving away from team dynamics to own every beat and visual. Sam Macdonald shared: “I have learned a lot about what I want to make. This is a movement towards something that is not driven by trying to appease other people’s ideas of what is right and wrong. The basslines, the drums and everything else is all at my direction. The make-up of everything, audio, visual is all driven by myself.” He wrapped up his mindset with: “Rarely is anything set in stone or black and white I think is certainly one thing. And making the most of what is right for you in an artistic sense, staying true to yourself.”
Friday saw the arrival of ‘Reebok Fantasy‘ by indie rock outfit Valley Onda, via Valley Onda Records. This follows their recent ‘‘Minacious’‘ single and its video rollout on CLASH Magazine, adding to a catalog that’s pulled in 350,000+ streams since the trio’s 2019 start. Their thoughtful alternative sound has landed nods from triple j and pubs like The AU Review, Happy Mag, Where The Music Meets, and Clunk Mag, alongside tour support from The Money War and Brightness. The lineup features Jordan Wilson handling vocals and guitar (previously in Georgia Fair, supporting Paul Kelly, Laurel, and John Mayer), Michiya Nagai on keys (stage time with Lamalo at The Grass is Greener for 15,000 fans and a TEDx Melbourne soundtrack gig), and drummer Galen Sultmann. Hailing from Sydney’s Gadigal land, the band took shape in a quiet restaurant meetup after tours, with Jordan and Galen jamming until Michiya joined to blend his trained piano and production into a textured indie rock style echoing Radiohead, Alt-J, Mansionair, Bon Iver, Muse, and Gorillaz—resonating with REM, Cage The Elephant, and The Verve crowds.
Valley Onda‘s new track ‘‘Reebok Fantasy’‘ unfolds as a tense, emotive indie rock ride, shifting from low-key strain to a sharp, energizing break. Jordan‘s strong vocal presence anchors it all, with acoustic guitar lines and soft, rippling elements wrapping the words in a distant, smokey haze.
The band shared: “Do you know that feeling when you’re walking down the street feeling isolated and everyone else is looking cool in their designer clothing? So you pull into a Nepalese Restaurant and order a tea to hide out for a minute. Maybe open a paperback or meet someone interesting. That’s the vibe of ‘Reebok Fantasy’.”
From the gritty streets of Detroit to the sun-soaked vibes of Cannes, Jairic has carved out a fierce spot in hip-hop as a self-made musician, producer, and storyteller, blending raw lyrical punch with genre-bending production that draws from icons like Nas and Wu-Tang Clan, alongside Detroit underground edges, classic funk, 60s rock, and film scores. With nearly 2 million streams across platforms from his fully self-written, self-produced, and self-performed tracks—paired with visuals that mix luxury and grit—he’s a rising star at the crossroads of music, film, and fashion, having delivered standout performances at elite spots like Château Les Alouettes in Cannes, Villa Balbiano on Lake Como, and the Paris premiere of the short film Azur, while his work spans France, Italy, Prague, and the U.S.
His latest drop, ‘Don’t Let Me Put A Track On You’, hit on September 5, 2025, via Rich Air Music, premiering on CLASH Magazine and earning props from EARMILK, packing quick-witted bars, chaotic sound design, a Caribbean pulse, and a bridge with warm female vocals that echo his unfiltered energy.
We sat down with Jairic to dive deeper into his journey, influences, and this bold new track.
What’s it like growing up in a musical family in Detroit, and how did that shape your early days in hip-hop?
I’m incredibly grateful I had music around me from such a young age. In Detroit, rhythm was everywhere — every get-together had live music, and I grew up playing drums and piano. That foundation shaped everything I do in hip-hop.
How did you transition from producing beats for local Detroit artists to creating your own independent sound?
I loved producing for others, but I love writing too much to stay quiet. It’s therapeutic and engaging — I had to find my own voice.
Can you talk about the influences from Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, and classic funk that show up in your music?
Part of me is always chasing that standard — a beat as timeless as ‘C.R.E.A.M.’ or lyrics as poetic and hard-hitting as Nas. Classic funk adds the groove that ties it all together.
What’s been the biggest adjustment living and working in Cannes after coming from Detroit?
The toughest adjustment has been being away from family. I was performing and working on a project in the South of France, and ended up missing part of my daughter’s soccer season — that was hard.
How do you blend elements from film scores and 60s rock into your hip-hop production style?
When I produce, I see it like a film scene — every track feels like part of a soundtrack. That’s where the cinematic elements slip into the hip-hop foundation.
Tell us about performing at places like Château Les Alouettes and the Azur premiere—what stands out from those experiences?
I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with incredible people — but at the end of the day, it’s the relationships, the audience connection, and the places themselves that stand out most.
What inspired the lyrics in ‘Don’t Let Me Put A Track On You’, especially that “don’t run up on me” vibe?
Someone in my family was going through a really tough time — they got attacked for doing the right thing, and I had their back. As it started to spill onto me, I thought, ‘Oh no, you don’t want any of this.’ That energy sparked the track, and from there it took on a life of its own.
How did writing this track in the south of France bring in that Caribbean pulse and contrast between smooth and chaotic elements?
I was staring out at the Mediterranean, layering these wild percussion. It felt peaceful and soothing, but underneath it was a fight song — I was missing my family. That ‘manic, full of nonsense and grammatical’ section is where it really explodes. The bridge had been written for another track, but against that ocean sunset, it finally clicked and came together.
Can you walk us through the sound design choices in ‘Don’t Let Me Put A Track On You’, like the stirring intro and the bridge with female vocals?
The intro is actually a king cobra — a subtle nod to danger. I love layering percussion; sometimes I overdo it, but that’s where the beat takes me. The bassline has a reggae rhythm that locks in with the drums, then halfway through the verse it explodes into chaos — my favorite part. For the bridge, I originally sang it myself, but I wanted a female voice to bring contrast. Her harmonies and background vocals really added to the tension and build of the track.
If you could collaborate with anyone from your influences on a future track, who would it be and why?
Nas would be dope. I saw his Illmatic anniversary show in Germany with my son last year — legendary and effortless.
![Jairic Talks High-Impact Performances at Elite Venues, Blending Film Scores into Hip-Hop Production & More [Interview]](https://rcrdlbl.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Jairic_Dont-Let-Me-Put-a-Track-on-You_@Lukas-Merka_1000x1500-467x700.jpg)
