Eric Sharp (feat. Zhao) – The Gift
Unity is at the forefront of Eric Sharp’s music and worldview. Cohesion and serenity have propelled the house music maestro’s 16-year long career—a remarkable journey that has seen the producer hold down a coveted residency at LA’s Sound Nightclub, perform at festivals like Coachella, SXSW, and Outside Lands, collaborate with Anna Lunoe, remix acts like Major Lazer’s Jillionaire, Grammy-winners Jars Of Clay, and Atlantic Records‘ Melanie Martinez, and top Hype Machine charts.
Evocations of oneness are once again the tenets of Eric Sharp’s sound on “The Gift,” his follow up single to the spell-binding “Like Water.” “The Gift” features Zhao, a Chinese-American, genderqueer artist, who provides a thought-provoking spoken word piece that complements Eric Sharp’s brand of melodic club music. Sharp’s storied history in dance music shines throughout the song as he blends modern production techniques with timeless sensibilities, hearkening back to a time when house and techno were not so divided, and the lines between them were blurred. When it comes to Eric Sharp, a sense of consonance is never far off, both sonically and philosophically.
Eric Sharp’s aesthetic ethos extends to the most important elements of his life. In alignment with the producer’s commitment to sobriety, health, veganism, Jewish heritage, surrealism, and, of course, his trademark facial hair, “The Gift” reaches equilibrium through a remarkable sense of sonic balance. The track’s pulsating kick drums and introspective synth chords meld with sections of glitchy, techno-inspired tones. These elements blend together to create a cosmic, dance-fueled harmony, occasionally falling to a simmer to give way to Zhao’s poetry.
Zhao’s lyrics, which were written in 2020 and inspired by the atmosphere of social upheaval at the time, reflect on the commodification of art ahd humanity, as well as the inherent contradictions of such a dynamic. “If the opposite of wasting is spending, what does that leave for us? Where does the rest go?” Zhao recites. On “The Gift,” Eric Sharp explores that question through ethereal soundscapes, searching for meaning outside of transactional exchange. In the process, he breaks down sonic barriers to create a humanistic and holistic musical experience. Music and art don’t have to be reduced to their monetary value—they are a gift.
“The Gift” is the final single leading up to Sharp’s upcoming Emergence EP, and it continues his established sound of emotive, kaleidoscopic house music and follows a successful string of releases including “Like Water,” “Body On My Body” (Create Music Group), “Monday Blues” (House Music With Love), “Love The Rain” (Kitsune), “Contemporary Arp” (Understated Recordings), and Eric Sharp & Friends EP + Eric Sharp & Friends Remixed (Little Assembly).
