What if you never listened to your favorite music? Sometime, somewhere along the line, someone introduced you to an album or song that changed your life, showed you a new direction, opened your eyes to a lifestyle and your life has been richer for it. For Chase Manhattan, it was when his friend gave him a copy of a Master P album that he entered into the exciting sonic world of hip hop. Since then, Chase has developed his own style of sound. He calls it “Drippy Low-End Gangster Beats.”
Giving his Soundcloud account a listen, you will experience the amalgam of interests and tastes that make Chase distinct. He says that his music is “strongly rooted in electronic sounds, but it has a rap cadence. I love rap.” Born and raised in Portland, Oregon Chase started out listening to ska and punk which fueled his interest in skateboarding. It was when he became a student of Hip Hop, however, that he really found his sound.
When you hear what he does with sounds, you might not be surprised that he has a high level of respect for DJ Shadow. While his style is wildly original, he’s innovating in a lane established by Shadow. “He was one of the first DJ artists that I really respected because he was making his own beats, not just playing other people’s music.”
Coming from an era when you bought CDs at Tower Records, Chase has adapted to the digital era, harnessing the power of Soundcloud and Spotify to put his music out there and to find new sounds. He’s also happy about the current state of digital technology when it comes to performing. These days, Chase can fly into a city with nothing more than a USB and headphones to make his magic happen for the eager crowds who have fallen in love with his style. “The ability to just have a USB and headphones reduces a helluva lot of anxiety.” Headlining Saturday night’s Hotel Paradox Pool Party from 7-8:00pm on Saturday, you can expect Chase to bring some interesting experimental interpretations of West Coast Rap. Join us this weekend at the Santa Cruz Music Festival for tons of great music and dancing.
Check out Chase Manhattan’s Soundcloud account: https://soundcloud.com/manhattanbeats
Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manhattanbeats/
Listen to his Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5BXzYmsjF7TuP4uyrxqQTy
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