Human Life

As the lines between cool underground electronic music and savvy, accessible pop continue to blur, a trio from Southern California arrive to strike while the iron’s hot and show the world the slick, engrossing electro pop that they’ve been honing over the last few years.

Human Life are made up of veteran house music producer Joshua Collins, and musicians and singers Matt Wasley (a producer of solo work for the likes of Bedrock, Nettwerk and of several rock bands) and Rachael Starr. The trio cut a fine line in cool, catchy, potent electro with pop vocals and strong song writing. Citing influences including classic French and Chicago house and pop music as diverse as Genesis, Toto and Depeche Mode along with Prince and Happy Mondays, theirs is a sound which combines the best of the underground and the overground without contriteness or awkwardness – and it’s one that’s already been catching the attention of French legend Alan Braxe, Radio 1’s Jaymo & Andy George. Carte Blanche, Grum, Aeroplane, Sasha, A-Trak and Crookers.

Josh and Matt were introduced at a mutual friend’s birthday party (a certain Swedish tech house producer), and quickly established that they were both interested in making music that was detached from the usual megaclub styles. Studio sessions swiftly followed, and when Josh showed friend Rachael the results, she asked if she could come on board for this exciting new project with her multitude of experience as a vocalist, engineer, producer and DJ.

“I would describe it as French Touch influenced Electro-Pop,” says Matt, “but some of the other labels people have used are Dreamwave, Nu-Disco or Indie-Dance. Really it’s all about combining melodic music with dance oriented elements.” Originally from Boston, Orange County and Chicago respectively, Matt, Rachael and Josh all now live in Southern California, with LA nightlife providing another strand of influence in their dynamic sound.