PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT: Sefru, ELAYE, Deeza & Lucianblomkamp

Our latest 'Producer Spotlight' segment highlights four producers from around Australia who have been taking massive strides in developing the sound down under and leaving an impact on the global music market. Spotlighted today are two Sydney-based producers, West Sydney's Sefru who has come up alongside the impressive stack of talent native to the region, and ELAYE whose personal successes include being a #1 Billboard producer. Adelaide's Deeza has proven time and time again to be an elite talent within the domestic scene, whilst Melbourne's Lucianblomkamp is pushing the Australian scene into uncharted directions with his collaborative efforts.

Sefru

Producer and DJ Sefru embodies versatility and sophistication of sound. A well-entrenched cog in the Western Sydney machine, Sefru has been instrumental to the development of some of the region’s finest acts including Jessica Jade, Mistah Mez, Kennyon Brown, Ill P, Sailor Goon and Jaecy just to name a few. No matter the style, Sefru is able to both adapt to an artist and present them an avenue that pushes them outside of their comfort zone, which in turn contributes to elevating the Australian scene as a whole. His work with Claymore’s The 046 on their single ‘Runnin’ Game’ and Melbourne’s HP Boyz on ‘After Party’ showcases this balance perfectly, as Sefru creates a beat that gives both acts a chance to flex their melodic muscles. In addition, Sefru has achieved significant international success with his recent placement on Chris Brown’s latest album ‘Breezy’ – via the track ‘Slide’ – demonstrating the sheer extent of his ambition, talent and drive to reach this point.

ELAYE

Certified platinum and #1 Billboard producer ELAYE has steadily risen with every imposing move he’s made in the world of hip-hop and trap music. The young producer has producer for or contributed to tracks by international acts such as Smiley (‘Buy Or Bye 2’, OMB Peezy (‘Love Is Blind’), Bleu Vandross (‘Yeah Right’, ‘Soul Cry’, ‘Don’t Wanna Lose’ and ‘Get Slatted’ alongside other producers), and achieved certified platinum status through his work on Lil Durk’s album ‘The Voice’. ELAYE continually displays the production finesse of a seasoned expert, and has further joined forces with Australian hip-hop and R&B veterans and up-and-comers like Jai Waetford, Manu Crooks and Jeida Woods alike. His ear for procuring a banger can also be heard on YP’s triumphant return to music ‘Out Of Sight’, which ELAYE produced alongside Sid Mallick, 99Hurts and shanks. Moreover, ELAYE released his own producer tape ‘Heartless’ in April of this year, making him one to pay close attention to in the years to come.

Deeza

An Adelaide staple, recording and mixing engineer Deeza has built up a hefty catalogue of work for artists based in South Australia and beyond. Proving himself continually to be an engineer equally adept at helping to craft moody R&B anthems and unapologetic lyrical demolitions, Deeza has been an ever-consistent presence within the Australian scene over the past few years. His reliable aptitude as an engineer accentuates his capacity for bringing the best out of an artist on a track, regardless of the sonic template and musical direction set by the artist. Just listing off the names of the artists Deeza has worked with both in Adelaide and beyond is a reflection of his impact and dependability as an engineer. From the likes of Sacredd, Indigomerkaba, Grco and Rhiannon Renea in Adelaide, to acts around the country like That Kid Kearve, Shadow, Talakai, Skrub, Huskii and Wombat, Deeza is a go-to figure in the local scene for a reason.

Lucianblomkamp

There is unreservedly no other like Lucianblomkamp in the Australian scene. The Melbourne-based producer typifies the new wave of musical thinking that is found in abundance across the Australian scene, with his fearless approach to music-making reflecting a production mind that is unbound by genre limitations. His latest album ‘Where In The World Is LUCIANBLOMKAMP?’ is a microcosm of the Australian scene’s potential. Stacked exclusively with boundary-pushing Australian artists, the project encompasses Lucian’s ambition to elevate the scene through collaboration and bringing together the hip-hop and R&B forces of the future. Moreover, Lucian’s genre less musical approach lays the foundations for artists to come together with him without any preconceived notions of what they ‘have to make’ based on the sounds they have previously traversed. It is this kind of mentality which is wholly evident in his work alongside Wollongong artist Stevan in co-producing his 2020 mixtape ‘Ontogeny’. The mixtape navigates contemporary R&B and neo-soul sounds with themes of heartbreak, loneliness and disillusionment, and shows exactly what Lucian is capable of even before his marvelous recent album.

Photos by @itschrisdahmen (Sefru Photos), @kotasatoo (ELAYE Photos), @adlmindtrix (Deeza Photos)

Words by Matthew Badrov