Music is powerful. Whether serving as an instant mood elevator or an audible transport to another realm, the right tune can quite literally change everything. For his latest single “Chucks,” GRAMMY-nominated, multi-hyphenate Terrace Martin takes us along for a groovy ride to the Westside. Named after the classic Converse basketball shoe, he teams back up with fellow Los Angeles native Channel Tres for the vibrant ode to the city that raised them.
The throbbing bass line and percussion – which will bring the 1982 Indeep classic “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” to mind – sets the pace from the first note and propels the listener into an almost hypnotic state of funk and fury on “Chucks.” Rather than disrupt the vibe-induced trance, Martin’s saxophone and Tres’ bars dig even deeper, leaving the listener completely under their spell.
While Martin’s roots are a constant reflection in his art, he chose to capture his beloved city in its current state for this latest offering. Via press release, he shared, “The song ‘Chucks’ is a sonic picture that represents New Los Angeles. The driving pulse of the song represents the tempo of traffic, the bass line is the attitude of a true Angeleno, the space that Channel commands with his vocals closely relates to the motion of water. At the end of the day, it’s going to make you move and feel good about being alive.”
His Compton comrade took a different approach for his contribution and chose instead to look back over his past. “For me, this record is about reminiscing and grieving my past,” Channel Tres explained. I grew up on Long Beach Blvd and a lot of things took place there. I tried to best articulate that feeling with space and groovy production. Chucks were also my choice of shoe growing up.”
“Chucks” follows Terrace Martin and Channel Tres’ previous collaboration on the song “Tapped” with Celeste for Martin’s 2021 album DRONES. Lose yourself in their latest link-up when you listen to the song and view its vibrant ’80s video game-style lyric video below. Add the track to your collection from your preferred digital platform.
SoulBouncers in the Tri-state area can grab tickets to catch Terrace Martin and his super-talented friends Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper and 9th Wonder, collectively known as Dinner Party, on March 9th at Terminal 5. Fans on the West Coast can party with them and many others at Coachella in April.
