Flemish Trumpet Savant/Jazz-Hop Producer Phlocalyst Shares ‘Insights EP’

Today, Flemish lo-fi producer and trumpeter Phlocalyst shares his new LP Insights. The eight-track project is a voyage of muted trumpet and mystical beats slathered in funky melodies. 

“Insights is a jazzy instrumental hip-hop collage that describes my current lifestyle,” he shares. “While everything revolves around music, I try to have my main focus on the people and life around me. A huge amount of musical positivity with a touch of nostalgia.”

Prior to the release, the Insights singles have racked up several retail successes. Lead single “Daylight” was placed at #3 on Spotify’s massively popular lofi beats editorial (4.8M likes). Additionally, second single “Blue Fraction” was added to lush lofi on Spotify (998K likes), and third single “Zeal” received strong support in Europe on Amazon Music’s Lo-Fi Hip Hop playlist.

Phlocalyst began making music in 2017, and his rich catalog has surpassed 200 million streams on Spotify alone. He has also been a pioneer of bringing lo-fi beyond the computer screen, having done DJ sets with live trumpet in Belgium, Spain, Germany, France and more. Fans are likely to recognize him from his curly blonde hair and signature blue baseball cap; although sports-wise, he prefers soccer and darts.

Insights is available at digital retailers here: https://phlocalyst.ffm.to/insights

PHLOCALYST BIO:

Flemish artist Phlocalyst plays classical music with a professional orchestra in Munich by day, but his creative pursuits see him moonlighting as a lo-fi producer and trumpet player. To release stress from his classical career, Phlocalyst turned to hip-hop and listened to artists like Pete Rock and J Dilla. Fiddling with an iPad to remake a beat quickly got Phlocalyst hooked on the hobby, leading him to the world of lo-fi production. He’s gained a reputation off of trumpet-heavy compositions, which makes sense as he’s played the instrument since he was five years old.

Insights, Phlocalyst’s debut LP with Nettwerk Music Group, was conceived during a period of quarantine this past February after creating lo-fi and jazz-hop beats for the past five years. While the first two days of being ill weren’t easy on Phlocalyst, he says his best music is usually created when he’s feeling unwell, where he can embrace and express those sometimes overwhelming and raw emotions. 

Insights is for the guaranteed good days. For the days with the soft sun hitting like an eternal gold hour, friends gathered together with easy-going jokes, and something strong and refreshing filled in each person’s cup. The jazzy LP is to be thrown into the background while people jibe with one another, enjoying their company and basking in these casual moments. It’s less of a celebration of life and more of an admiration for the present and what’s to come while acknowledging the hardships of the past. -Gia Yetikyel