Westend Drops Tech House Heater ‘Dive In
Tech house has been blowing up dance floors since the early 1990s. Genre - a subset of house music that combines elements of techno and house with melodic melodies, vocal beats, steady beats and bass lines that has emerged in the mainstream in recent years.
In a highly competitive world, the 29-year-old New York native has emerged as one of the West End's most promising artists, cementing her position with her energetic, fresh and forward-thinking lyrics. The tastemaker brings his best vocal signature to "Dive In (Featuring Notel)," released on September 29.
It makes it boring. "I think it's a good example of my voice," said Westend, who officially goes by the name Tyler Morris. "I wanted to make fun music that you can listen to in a club or a festival, but at the same time you can go to the gym and play it or listen to it in your car."
"Dive In" is Morris' debut release on his own label, Trace Amounts. According to the sound designer, he started publishing because he had built a huge platform. He said he plans to sign many artists' music and release his albums there.
"I felt it was the right time to have a separate brand to create and manage a more creative identity for myself," said the producer. "For me, it's another creative avenue I want to explore."
The name TRACE AMOUNT refers to how tap water contains traces of chemicals, while the imagery pays homage to his childhood in Manhattan. His futuristic tour flyer features greens and blues with the beauty of urban waterways, as well as a half-baked New York City and fish swimming around. Morris' love of the Big Apple extends further: the name is a nod to the beloved side of the city that was responsible for nurturing his music lessons as a teenager. He even attended the Bronx High School of Science, the same institution that synthesizer inventor Robert Moog attended, furthering Morris' interest in dance music.
Beyond his vocal talents, Morris is also the founder of Kick & Bass, an online production school and community he founded for income during the pandemic because spinning in hoops wasn't an option. He was recommended to take a music production class on Zoom, so he began his quest to learn Tech House 101. The manufacturer then began receiving requests from manufacturers all over the world. Kick and Bass lasted two years on Amplification before breaking up, allowing the artists to create their own genre of choice. Discord comes with a monthly subscription, which gives access to Morris and Koch, who post new videos every week and comment on members' music.
"One of the biggest challenges as a producer is making a song, and especially when you're learning, you don't like to say there's right and wrong in music," says Morris. But of course there is a way to do it. Make things better."
A former member of The Debate has had success getting a song signed by Mars Brand of Le Fosse Republic. That launched the former student's career, and he's since performed at music festivals like Hard Summer and Splash House, Morris said.
Before working at a tech startup, Morris studied public policy. The Duke University graduate says that if he hadn't become a producer, he probably would have entered the music industry in some way in technology. Beatport is a successful foray into the music world for Morris. In addition to dominating the charts for weeks, his hit records like "Jumpin'" entered the vaults of MK, Diplo, Fosse, John Summitt and Sonny Fodera. The producers have performed at clubs and festivals around the world including Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, CRSSD, Shamble, The Brooklyn Mirage and Electric Daisy Carnival Mexico. He embarked on his first North American tour with the label, making more than 30 stops. His performance at the prestigious Academy venue in Los Angeles will be his first open-to-close show, with a promoter supplying the entire show. The show will be held on September 30.
However, his rise to fame was not without challenges. Morris' biggest life hurdle was quitting his job at a tech startup to become a full-time producer and broadcaster. The tech worker lives at home during this time, losing almost all of his income to become a music tech entrepreneur. "There were definitely doubts over the years and I wondered if it was going to happen to me," Morris said of imposter syndrome. Despite these concerns, he has received the recognition he deserves for his outstanding work thus far.
Morris attributes his success to his production skills, as well as his ability to teach, launch imprints, top the charts for weeks, appear on internationally recognized labels and overcome challenges in his artistic development. It's true, the West End is worth a visit.
