Brooklyn-based Multi-Genre Producer Chris Stath Drops ‘World on Fire’ & Interview

Brooklyn-based multi-genre writer and producer CHRIS STATH is capping off his 18 month, 135 song release rampage with WORLD ON FIRE, a 25 track smorgasbord of dance sounds sprinkled with underground influences that will keep both Deep/Tech House and Hip-Hop fans satiated as the planet clamors for answers amidst the chaos of 2020.

Listen to ‘WORLD ON FIRE’ on Spotify!

STREAM / DOWNLOAD

Long recognized for his “experimental mastery of rhythm” and “Dance-meets-Hip-Hop” aesthetic, Bostonborn Chris Stathopolous has worn many music industry hats since he exploded onto New England’s “college” scene as DJ BadLuck in late 2014. After sharing stages with a spectrum of acts up and down the Eastcoast, including Bone Thug-n-Harmony, G-Eazy, Juan McLean, Twista, The Game, and Waka Flocka Flame, Chris hunkered down in various Brooklyn studios to spend 5 years weaponizing himself to keep up with audience demands for ‘Chris Stath’ original production. To date, Stath has dropped 10 solo albums, 5 EPS, and 3 featured singles, and it is WORLD ON FIRE that brings more than a decade of firepower to bear at a time when his fans need him most.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Tell us about the first track that put you on the map in the electronic scene and the journey since. How did you get started?

I’ve been drumming since I was 4 years old, the first couple tracks that put me on the map were a part of an album called the extraordinary pleasure of being someone else by Brian ‘Sene’ Marc. Sene showed me a lot of love when I lived to Brooklyn in 2015. Booked me a bunch of shows and put out some projects together. Couple of the tracks just passed over a million views which feels amazing.

Tell us about your latest project World On Fire.

World On Fire is a bunch of electronic tunes, a diverse set of melodic top lines, experimental vocal chops, and dancier feels. A lot of the work was finalized in quarantine, so I was able to draw inspiration from the weird time, but also pull ideas from unreleased stuff. I’m proud of the project’s color palate and range, and it’ll be fun to look back at it and remember the times in which it was created.

Tell us something we wouldn’t normally find out about you?

I played hockey for many years through college, it even took me to Europe a few times! I still make it a point to go skating in the city every winter.

What single night out has been most memorable for you as a DJ and producer?

Probably sharing the decks with G-Eazy or Waka Flocka Flame, but I’ve had some memorable nights spinning all types of music. I’ve had some memorable night son the decks playing all types of music. The best feeling is to mix dance with hip hop, Latin, and pop vibes, just really put your own spin on things.

Give us the name of one track that never gets old for you no matter how many times you listen to it?

Be Real – DJOKO

Dream collaboration and why?

Sam Divine, or Prunk. Both dance legends, melodic and soulful. I’ve always felt at home with their sounds, and they’ve been drumming up a lot of hype in the Bushwick scene in Brooklyn. Minimal and house are very prominent in basements and rooftops even during Covid. Feels like prohibition for partying.

 If you could play any festival, which would it be?

It would be sick to play a Cercle event! Like on a mountain or skyscraper. Of course, we’d have to go very underground and deep

How do you get a track started? tell us about your production process

Depending on my inspiration I’ll start with drums, a melodic idea, or chord progression or a sample. I’m very random and don’t work out of templates so each track has its own atmosphere and settings. I like to build a large percentage of the track’s elements in only a couple bars. This usually happens very quickly and the majority of the work is creating backwards and making different bridge sections or variations. It’s a fluid, wild process, but always a blast.

Latest project? What are you currently working on?

We’re currently shopping a few small EPs to some big dance labels, and I also have a few tracks coming out through Sony with a couple friends, so I’m pumped to make some announcements soon.  There will be a ton of music released at the end of the year, and into 2021.

The relationship between a DJ and the audience is crucial, and yet is seems to be a fragile one – how do you see the balance between giving the crowd what they want and treating them to something new? 

I’d say a healthy balance is best! It’s nice to mix the old and the new. I’ve been known as a fusion artist and I think the key to that is maintaining a large spectrum of music and not disrespecting or ignoring any trend, new or old. I do my best to stay humble to the music itself, so I’d rather master every trend the best I can in a musical sense. Plus, the culture around music will always be changing- adapt, or create something new, there are no absolutes !

As Stath moves forward with a loaded feature collaboration schedule with New York City names like Òlah Bliss, Connie Diiamond, and Brian “Sene” Marc, WORLD ON FIRE will long be remembered as a touchstone dance tape that was produced in a time of global uncertainty, and a time where the world turned to music for honesty, freedom, and inspiration. But true to CHRIS STATH, the music is simple: “it’s just dance- put your headphones on.”

WORLD ON FIRE is now available on Spotify and Apple Music.