If Chris Sawyer’s latest release, ANIMA FLUX, was designed to inspire and ignite anticipation, consider the mission accomplished. The New Jersey-based producer might have been 19 when he sculpted this genre-fluid forcefield of sound, but the level of control he wields over every pulsating synth line and funk-slick groove is beyond his years.
From the moment the rhythm kicks in, waves of 8-bit-adjacent energy collide with booming, organic drums, setting a relentless pace that refuses to settle into predictability. Sawyer’s dedication to sonics and texture is evident in the way every beat, melody, and modulation seems scrupulously placed yet electrically spontaneous. The soulful melodic layers don’t just sit in the mix—they pierce straight through it, amplifying the heart-racing momentum before a synth solo brings everything down to a simmer without losing any of the track’s intoxicating heat.
For an artist carving out a sonic identity as unflinchingly distinctive as this, ANIMA FLUX is a statement piece. A glimpse into both his past and his future, it’s a raw yet polished testament to his ability to fuse emotion with innovation. If this is a preview of what’s next, then whatever follows is bound to land with seismic impact.
ANIMA FLUX is now available to stream on all major platforms.
Review by Amelia Vandergast