Get to Know BOMBAYS and His Sultry House Sound

BOMBAYS swung by to chat about his upcoming release “Voyeur,” his production techniques, and his thoughts on shows returning!

Based in the bustling city of Los Angeles, BOMBAYS is a fresh face in the scene. Brimming with potential and bringing a distinctive house sound to speakers with his releases, listeners have been captivated over the past year and a half since he began his rise through the ranks. And to further his growth in the dance music realm, his relentless release schedule has kept him at the top of everyone’s minds as he puts his unique take on deep house on full display.

BOMBAYS wasted no time in 2020 as he dropped a staggering six singles along with his BELIEF EP for the masses. Releasing on Insomniac’s IN / ROTATION, the EP gave us thumping house tunes such as “MANTRA” and “KARMA” that lit up rave caves near and far. Now, he’s continuing the momentum into the new year with even more music as he released the vocal-infused tune “ALLURE” and is set to deliver his latest single, “VOYEUR,” on Friday, April 30 via Thrive Music.

With a promising future ahead of him and some already catchy tunes underneath his belt, we knew we had to chat with BOMBAYS about his upcoming release “VOYEUR,” the production techniques he uses in the studio, and even some of his thoughts on shows returning. So pre-save the new tune, listen to this exclusive guest mix from BOMBAYS, and read on for the full conversation!

Stream EDMID Guest Mix 269 || BOMBAYS on SoundCloud:

Hey BOMBAYS, thanks for chatting with us! Let’s dive into your backstory a bit to kick things off. Who were some of your biggest influences that led you to loving music? Was there a moment you realized you wanted to produce music professionally?

What’s good, thank you for having me! Some of my original inspirations were artists like Kaskade, Gesaffelstein, and Steve Angello. Later on, as the electronic scene started to evolve, artists like Tchami and Zhu were up there as my biggest influences. I think the moment I realized that I wanted to pursue music professionally was Coachella 2016––it was my first Coachella and was such an insane experience. The vibes there are just unreal, everyone is stoked to party and you’re surrounded by crazy productions left and right. I was lucky enough to catch Tchami and Zhu at the Sahara tent––both absolutely killed it, from then on I knew that this was the road I needed to take.

Last year you released your BELIEF EP on IN / ROTATION and your track “MANTRA” was placed on their Best of 2020 compilation album to end the year. In a time where so much is going on in the world, how important is it for listeners to be able to connect with your music?

IN / ROTATION is such a great label––so thanks to them again for adding MANTRA to that compilation album. I think it’s very important for listeners to connect with my music––I work really hard in the studio to create records that are fused with character and originality, ultimately taking listeners to a place they haven’t been before. It’s so great to see how many people connected with MANTRA during the whole quarantine period, I’m super stoked for the clubs and festivals to open so I can take fans and listeners on an even deeper journey with live performances.

Your latest release, “VOYEUR”, releases on Thrive Music on April 30. How did this release come about and what was the production process like for it?

The inspiration for this record stems from pushing the boundaries of my creativity and of house music. VOYEUR is a record crafted around groove and emotion––ultimately resulting in a production layered with raw basses, synths and a hypnotique vocal. Each element continues to evolve through the duration of the record, creating a one-of-a-kind journey for all listeners.

I really enjoyed your remix to Kylie Minogue’s classic “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”. What drew you to this tune specifically to put your spin on it? Do you approach remixes differently compared to your original releases?

Thank you that’s so awesome to hear! I’ve loved the original record for many years, amongst my friends and I, it’s always been a song that gets any party going. For this remix in particular, I really wanted to retain the original chords, melody and arrangement, so I kept most of the notes the same but then redesigned the synths and bass to give it a much more badass touch. Really stoked to hear that you like the remix––cannot wait to play it out live.

Listening through your catalog of tracks, one thing that stands out to me is your use of sultry vocals and your ability to splice up these vocals to add unique elements to drops of your songs. Do you start your tracks with the vocals first or with the overall groove of it?

I spend a lot of time looking for the right voice and the right tone, so I’ve built up a bit of a catalogue of a variety of different vocals to make it easier when I get to work. But essentially, I like to start with a basic groove of drums, bass and some synths, then I go into my sample library and hunt for a vocal that I think would fit well. Front there, it’s a lot of back and forth production work––I try a bunch of different variations with the groove and vocal until I get a push and pull that clicks.

What are your thoughts on the return of shows and festivals in certain parts of the world? Did you miss getting behind the decks in front of a crowd?

I could not be more excited for the return of shows, festivals and reopening of night clubs––nothing compares to listening to loud, pumping house music. My team and I have been waiting for the right opportunity to debut the first live show, so I’m very stoked that everything is beginning to reopen––stay tuned on the first show, it’s going to be crazy.

As an artist who is rising through the ranks of the scene in Los Angeles, what’s the biggest hurdle you’ve faced so far?

I think the biggest hurdle is cutting through the noise and being heard by the people who can take your project to the next level. I really prioritize a routine to stay focused and driven––the idea of continuous improvement is ingrained in my head. From the music, to the brand to the merch, I’m always looking at how I can improve for the next time. Lastly, I think it’s important to not get distracted by other artists. It’s good to be inspired but when it comes to your project in particular, focus on paving a road that is completely unique to yourself.

If you could offer up an inspiring message to your fans during this uncertain time, what would it be?

Never give up! Have a vision and plan and work everyday at chipping away at it.

With a fresh start upon us with the new year and with “VOYEUR” out, what are some additional goals you’d like to achieve in 2021? Can we expect more music out from you as the year continues?

The biggest goal is debuting the first live show for the project––I cannot wait to throw down and create a one-of-a-kind experience for the fans. As far as music goes, you can expect a string of insane records set to release through the remainder of 2021!