Ali Rez’s mantra is to live ‘with purpose’, using his art as a force for good. A leading community activist with pioneering production chops, the Queens-based Iranian-American has tapped into sounds across the genre spectrum since his 2020 debut. Lacing his latest with the essence of dance music, drawing comparisons to everything from electronic-R&B to French house, Ali releases Simon Phoenix.
Track after track, Ali brings nostalgic feelings, hyperactive beats and intricate synth design. First two tracks, ‘Simulation’ and ‘Pleasures’ bring a dark, floor-filling atmosphere, built for dim, colourful lighting and dense club settings.
‘Killgore’ moves onward, sprinkling the soundscape with synth wave intentions. Pulsating bass lines that swell to aggression and glittery top-line pads ebb and flow to momentous climaxes before fading into ‘Dark Matter’. This track takes it slow, with vocal-driven processing and a space-aged feel.
Next up, ‘Have It All’, which brings back a slice of joy, with sleek, funk-fuelled bass lines and subtle instrumentation. The final track, ‘Get Me Out’, leaves audiences with a rising feeling, balancing the grittier elements with hopeful optimism, bringing a sonically diverse masterclass to an end.
Ali Rez takes a dive into the project, sharing, Our intention was for this album to have a higher-energy, dance-oriented feel. I think as soon as you hear the songs, you have no choice but to move your body! We aimed to capture the euphoria of getting ready to go out with your friends – embodying the feel-good music you’re playing when you all get in the car to hit up that newest club or bar. Our visual inspiration was the 90s film Demolition Man where ‘Simon Phoenix’ is the film’s villain, portrayed by Wesley Snipes.
A lot of our writing themes focused on the new advancements that had been happening at the time – living in the ‘new’ world revolved around AI, Tech, and Social Media whilst exploring how these ‘advancements’ may affect our lives. Simon Phoenix is executively produced by Bankwell – a long-time collaborator of mine; we met whilst working at Brewery Studio in Brooklyn, owned by producer Dot Da Genius (Kid Cudi, Kanye West).”
Give ‘Simon Phoenix’ a listen here…
