Channel Tres
Head Rush
RCA
In recent years, the Compton-born hip-house artist Channel Tres has gone from behind-the-scenes production work and DJing to major-label emcee with the help of his impeccable style, which is on full display on his debut album Head Rush. Tres, who made a name for himself producing for the likes of Kehlani, JPEGMAFIA, and Duckwrth, and DJing the latter’s concerts, has created a distinctive style that cannibalizes aspects of house, like its signature bass drum and off-beat high hat, and club music, blending it with West Coast hip-hop and R&B—it’s an inviting, innovative mix of that makes his music uniquely infectious.
Tres has been concocting this unique recipe for hip-house dating back to his self-titled debut EP in 2018, slowly figuring out what spices and flourishes to ultimately use for this plat du jour. It helps that the zeitgeist has finally caught up with his vision, that house is going through a bit of a revival, making Head Rush an opportune release for summer 2024. And it has everything a great summer record should have, too: engrossing syncopated beats, exciting features (Toro y Moi, Teezo Touchdown, Ravyn Lenae, and Thundercat are among the artists on the guest list), and unconventional loops and riffs that tantalize the ears.
There are times when Head Rush leans more into hip-hop convention, such as on “Black and Mild” with its spark of West Coast G-funk and a mellifluous synth that plays that horror-inducing chromatic mediant riff you find in Dr. Dre productions. It’s a big part of Tres’ ability to suck you into his world. He recontextualizes energetic house-inspired tracks within other genres, cleverly balancing the listening experience and making his pieces feel novel and transfixing.
Still, the record’s West Coast inclinations don’t overpower its club music elements, as Tres opts to turn up those nightlife proclivities at the right moments. “Cactus Water” is one of those instances, but instead of taking the easy route, Tres uses bits and pieces of disco and funk, cleverly referencing the origins of house music while juggling elements of psychedelia to word-paint its peyote reference. “Chain Hang Low” switches tempo mid-song without losing momentum and goes from a club vibe to hip-hop halfway through without feeling jarring.
Head Rush is an experience—it’s something to get lost in much like people do at warehouse raves at 2 a.m. And Tres channels that experience brilliantly, creating a dance album that takes the essence of an underground party and puts it into album form on a debut that’s very much worth the wait.
