Westend and Max Styler Reveal Electro-Inspired Tech House Collab “Rhythm Machine” on Insomniac Records
Westend and Max Styler are ready to reveal their highly anticipated collaboration “Rhythm Machine,” an electro-powered house single arriving as their next outing with Insomniac Records.
Fully equipped to make the dancefloor gears turn from pure adrenaline, the new single between NYC native Westend and seasoned producer Max Styler has positioned itself to become one of the most in-demand IDs over the last few months. Paying respect to the influential sounds that proved vital during their formative years, “Rhythm Machine” reprises quintessential elements from the electro and fidget house eras.
“Rhythm Machine” is propelled by an irresistible robotic vocal lead whose premise underscores the feeling of getting caught inside the torrential current of a new love interest. Electrifying to the highest degree, the track’s computerized groove is relayed over a matrix made of punchy drum programming and retro sonic textures, which are accented by high-pitched vocalizations, ‘90s dial-up samples, plucky synth fills, and well-oiled horn stabs that drive the energy into high gear. It’s nostalgic yet modern approach has made it a secret weapon in the sets of tastemakers from the likes of John Summit, Tiësto, Dom Dolla, Gorgon City, CID, Azzecca, and the list continues to grow.
Westend breaks down the collaborative process that brought the single to fruition: “I had sent Max a short idea to get a vibe going and he came back with these incredible vocals. From there, we quickly hopped on a few Zoom calls to finish the track. We had to change up the arrangement a few times to get a product that would go off on the dancefloor. We played it out and it sounded great but we both thought, ‘We should switch the kick drum.’ For some reason that little swap brought the track to a whole different level. We can’t help but lose it every time we play it because it sounds so BIG. This track really feels like an ode to the earlier electro/fidget house that got both of us into dance music.”
Westend was excited by the chance to pay tribute to some of his earlier influences with “Rhythm Machine.” He might have cemented his place in the house music pantheon, named by Beatport as one of the all-time best selling artists in the tech house genre, though he also points to noughties electro legends like Justice, MSTRKRT, and Bloody Beetroots as his chief musical inspirations. The New York City phenom is a veteran on the Insomniac Records catalog, with numerous appearances stretching back to 2020, including his most recent “Push To Start” collab alongside Noizu and No/Me, amassing 20.7 million streams to date, as well as receiving choice remixes from t e s t p r e s s and T78 at the end of 2023.
Max Styler has been blazing through the house circuit in his own right. The prolific producer debuted on the Insomniac Records catalog last year with a back-to-back run of releases, which took the form of the euphoric vocal-driven “Amazing,” and followed up with his hypnotic track “Satisfy.” The pair of singles surfaced amid a breakthrough year that saw him rocket through a whopping 50-date headline tour across North America, whilst simultaneously dropping a barrage of new music each month, earning him accolades from tastemaker colleagues like Dom Dolla, Fisher, Gorgon City, Tiësto, Calvin Harris, Vintage Culture, Nora En Pure, MEDUZA, and Wade.
With “Rhythm Machine,” Westend and Max Styler create a compelling fusion of fidget and electro house that will unload its intoxicating mechanical power to both club and festival spaces throughout 2024.
