COMPOSER MICHAEL VINCENT WALLER RELEASES NEW SINGLE: 4FIT FEATURING VALEE, CO-PRODUCED BY LEX LUGER
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A sui generis collaboration [MVW and Lex Luger] have unlocked a bridge between their two worlds – NYS Music
one of the more unique cuts…heard in awhile – Elevator
a unique blend of styles – HotNewHipHop
Contemporary composer Michael Vincent Waller (MVW) teams up with trap producer extraordinaire Lex Luger and Chicago’s Valee on 4Fit, a new song that blends minimalist classical compositions and ominous strings with the hypnotic hard-hitting textures of trap to create a fresh new sound. Chicago rapper Valee lends his signature laid-back vocals with luxurious raps about foreign cars and expensive fashion. 4Fit is the third single from upcoming Classic$ releasing this Fall.
MVW explains, My core intention on Classic$ is to get classical music into hip-hop without dissolving either. It’s about allowing the production and samples to breathe organically.
4Fit follows Classic$ second single Still Do described as one of the more unique cuts heard in awhile by Elevator while HotNewHipHop confirmed that it is a unique blend of styles. Still Do gained airplay on SiriusXM’s Shade 45 program The Drive and 4Fit was selected for the Play dat Back section of the show. Lead single from the project Survey Says is an energetic track that celebrates the pride and joy of unity and self-love featuring vocals from Shanique Marie of Jamaican collective Equiknoxx. MVW was recruited by Shanique to produce, arrange and layer strings on her song Ballad from her latest album Gigi’s House. Wire Magazine said the stand-out track had hard beats with beautifully creamy arrangements and is a sublime highlight from the project.
LISTEN STILL DO
LISTEN SURVEY SAYS
Classic$ is the first hip-hop release from Michael Vincent Waller after three classical albums distributed by classical labels Unseen Worlds, Recital and XI Records. His 2019 album Moments was revered as absolutely sparkling (Exclaim!). Meanwhile Pitchfork raves that every note and gesture on ‘Moments’ seems to be deeply felt and philosophically weighed before a hand touches a piano key or lifts a mallet.
Michael’s music has filled venues including Carnegie Hall, ISSUE Project Room, Roulette, Palais de Tokyo Museum, and SXSW brought to life by soloists and ensembles a la R. Andrew Lee, Stephanie Ginsburg, Dante Boon, the S.E.M. Ensemble, and Ensemble Dedalus. He collaborates with musicians and producers across multiple genres including critically-acclaimed electronic musician Jlin. In 2020 he was named New Artist Of The Month by Musical America Worldwide.
Connect with MVW via their website, Instagram and Twitter.
About MVW
Michael Vincent Waller uncovers the nexus of classical music and hip-hop on Classic$ [AWAL], his 2021 debut EP as MVW. Like a string quartet beaming chamber music out of the trap, the project integrates elite beat-craft, bulletproof bars, and classical composition into an inimitable and irresistible hybrid.
We’re not simply trying to add orchestral heavy strings, explains MVW. Instead, we’re relying on dark and episodic chamberal moments, which fit naturally. I hope people are like, ‘I didn’t know classical music could be so funky. I can’t believe trap is so sensuous and beautiful.’
A composer from New York City, his classical music has been described as lyrical and introspective, drawing inspiration from impressionism, post-minimalism and world music. In 2015, he unveiled his debut album The South Shore on XI Records, the label founded by composer Phill Niblock. 2017’s Trajectories gained traction on streaming services as Lines eclipsed 348K Spotify streams. Two years later, Moments garnered widespread tastemaker praise from the likes of WIRE Magazine and Pitchfork. The albums have generated nearly 1 million total streams across his solo catalog.
On Classic$, he recruited multi-platinum producer Lex Luger [Waka Flocka Flame, Kanye West, Rick Ross]. Luger was drawn to Michael’s classical music and the two unlocked immediate creative chemistry. They’ve produced multiple songs for the project and have built a foundation for unparalleled innovation. I want to take the same attention to detail associated with classical and chamber music and apply it to one of the most viable, listenable, and casual genres, i.e. trap, explains MVW. It’s got freshness and energy, but there are a whole bunch of nuances and details you don’t typically hear in modern rap. I’m trying to take the best of both worlds.
