Stelios Phili Explained

Stelios Phili
Birth Name:Stelios Phili
Origin:New York, New York
Occupation:Producer, Songwriter, Composer
Years Active:2013–present
Associated Acts:A$AP Ferg, Young Thug, Lolo Zouai

Stelios Phili[1] is a Cypriot-American songwriter, record producer, and composer based in New York, New York.[1] He has produced tracks featuring artists such as A$AP Ferg, Young Thug, Lolo Zouai, SZA, MIA, and Big Sean.[1] [2] [3]

Songwriting and production

According to an interview with MTV,[1] Stelios Phili met rapper A$AP Ferg while working at GQ in 2013. The two began collaborating after fellow A$AP Mob member A$AP Nast passed along one of the producer's beats, which would later become the A$AP Ferg song "Ja-Rule" featuring Big Sean. In 2014, Phili produced the first single from A$AP Ferg's mixtape, Ferg Forever. The song, "Doe-Active", was met with positive reviews.[4] [5] [6] [7] Pitchfork Media described the song as "a minimalist beat that could've slid right into Yeezus", Stereogum called it "a total nutso banger", and Complex named it a "certified banger, with club-destroying drums". Phili's production was featured on four additional tracks on Ferg Forever.

In 2015, Phili produced DonMonique's debut EP, Thirst Trap. The New York Times described it as "full of transfixing slo-mo production by Stelios Phili somewhere between modern-day Internet-rap sparseness and the hard, murky slap of mid-1990s New York street rap."[8]

In 2017, Phili began collaborating with New York-based artist Lolo Zouaï. Their first collaboration, "High Highs to Low Lows", topped Spotify's Fresh Finds Best of 2017 list.[9] Since then, he has co-written and produced Zouaï's two albums on RCA Records, 2019's High Highs to Low Lows and 2022's Playgirl.[10] [11]

In 2018, Phili produced the Young Thug and Elton John collaboration "High". According to Rolling Stone, the song came together after Phili read an interview with Elton John, who expressed his admiration for Young Thug. After Phili built a new beat around an edited version of the "Rocket Man" a cappella, 300 Entertainment A&R Geoff Ogunlesi played the song to Young Thug. On September 24, 2018, "High" was released on his EP On the Rvn.[12] The song was awarded Best New Music by Pitchfork Media, with The Fader describing the song's reception as "swift and rapturous" and "a return to iconoclastic form for Young Thug."[13] [14]

Soundtracks and scores

Fashion

In 2013, Stelios Phili composed the runway music for En Noir's Spring/Summer 2014 show.[15] [16] In early 2014, he composed the music for designer Mark McNairy's Fall/Winter 2014 show.[17] [18]

In 2018, Phili founded of the sound design studio SCÈNES. Through his studio, Phili has scored campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent, Nars, Calvin Klein, Nike, Vogue, Adidas, Tom Ford, Estée Lauder, and Louis Vuitton.[19] In 2020, he remixed Lady Gaga’s “Sine from Above” for Valentino’s Voce Viva campaign, directed by Harmony Korine.[20] In 2022, Phili produced a remix of Queen’s “A Kind of Magic” for a global Coca-Cola campaign that launched Coke Studio.[19]

In 2022, Phili composed the music for designer Kim Shui's Spring/Sumer 2023 runway show.[21] [22] [23]

Film and TV

Phili's music has been featured in TV shows such as Euphoria, Insecure, and The Afterparty.[24] [25] For Apple TV’s The Afterparty (2022), he composed an EP for the fictional rapper, Xavier, played by Dave Franco.[26] [27] He has also contributed music to the award-winning films Lowland Kids (2019) and The Fallout (2021).[28]

Musical style

Phili's production style is described as fresh and understated. According to Pigeons & Planes, "Stelios Phili is one of those producers you can recognize from the jump—he utilizes a unique collection of sounds that is both muted and aggressive: murky synths and pillowy cymbal taps are cut by a fierce snare, or a saxophone seamlessly transforms into an electric guitar. Its all about subtlety with SP, and he's got it down to a science."[29]

Discography

Production and writing credits

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A$AP Ferg's Ferg Forever Mixtape: A Track-By-Track Breakdown. https://web.archive.org/web/20141202055935/http://www.mtv.com/news/2011172/asap-ferg-forever-mixtape-breakdown/. dead. December 2, 2014. MTV Rap Fix. Nadeska. Alexis. November 29, 2014.
  2. Web site: Rettig. James. Download A$AP Ferg - Ferg Forever. Stereogum. 28 November 2014. 30 November 2014.
  3. Web site: Strauss. Matthew. DonMonique "Tha Low" [ft. Slayter and Danny Brown]]. Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media. 4 August 2015.
  4. Web site: Strauss. Matthew. A$AP Ferg, "Doe-Active". Pitchfork.com. Pitchfork. 29 November 2014.
  5. Web site: Breihan. Tom. A$AP Ferg – "Doe-Active". Stereogum. 17 November 2014. 29 November 2014.
  6. Web site: Garvey. Meaghan. Listen to A$AP Ferg's "Doe-Active". Complex.com. Complex Media.
  7. Web site: Price. Joe. A$AP FERG – "DOE-ACTIVE". Pigeons & Planes. Complex Media.
  8. News: Caramonica. Jon. New Releases From Bea Miller, Sublime With Rome and DonMonique. The New York Times. 29 July 2015. 4 August 2015.
  9. Web site: Spotify's Fresh Finds Best of 2017. Spotify. 1 December 2017.
  10. Web site: Howard . Jackson . Lolo Zouaï - High Highs to Low Lows . Pitchfork . 24 October 2022.
  11. Web site: Saywitz . Rachel . Lolo Zouaï - Playgirl . Pitchfork . 24 October 2022.
  12. Leight. Elias. The Long and Surreal Road to Young Thug (and Elton John)'s 'High'. Rolling Stone. 25 September 2018. 25 September 2018.
  13. Web site: Pierce. Sheldon. Best New Track: Young Thug High ft. Elton John . Pitchfork.com. Pitchfork Media. 28 September 2018.
  14. Web site: Darville . Jordan. How the Young Thug and Elton John song actually happened. thefader.com. March 23, 2016. The Fader. 28 September 2018.
  15. Web site: Feldman. Electra Fay. COAL WASTELAND: EN NOIR SS14. milkmade.com. Milk Studios. 29 November 2014.
  16. Web site: Wilson. Gaby. En Noir Spreads Street Goth Love To Womenswear For Spring 2014 NYFW. https://web.archive.org/web/20130912124003/http://style.mtv.com/2013/09/09/en-noir-womenswear-spring-2014-nyfw. dead. September 12, 2013. MTV.com. Viacom. 29 November 2014.
  17. Web site: Wilson. Gaby. How Mark McNairy's Fall 2014 Soundtrack Mixed Miles Davis With Beavis And Butt-Head. https://web.archive.org/web/20140307101350/http://style.mtv.com/2014/02/13/mark-mcnairy-fall-2014-nyfw-soundtrack/. dead. March 7, 2014. mtv.com. Viacom. 29 November 2014.
  18. Web site: Bazner. David. Meet the Man Behind the Music at Mark McNairy Fall-Winter 2014. GQ.com. 12 February 2014. Conde Nast. 29 November 2014.
  19. Web site: Scènes . Scènes . 24 October 2022.
  20. Web site: Lady Gaga Fronts Valentino Perfume Campaign Directed by Harmony Korine . Little Black Book . 24 October 2022.
  21. Web site: Kim Shui and Afterpay Brought a }} Crowdsourced Runway Show to Grand Central Station ]. hypebeast . September 22, 2022 . 23 October 2022.
  22. Web site: Moen . Matt . Kim Shui Crowdsourced Her Latest Show . Paper . 23 October 2022.
  23. Web site: Monroe . Michael . Tidal Creates New Stage for Rising Artists at New York Fashion Week . Contrast . 23 October 2022.
  24. Web site: Stelios Phili. iMDB.
  25. Web site: Sgherri . Gabby . Lolo Zouaï Is Ready to Chat: Musical Soulmates, Fashion, & IDGAF Ethos. Beatroute . September 19, 2022 . 23 October 2022.
  26. Web site: Shanfeld . Ethan . Dave Franco Talks 'The Afterparty' and Making Music as Fictional Pop Star Xavier . Variety . February 2, 2022 . 23 October 2022.
  27. Web site: Reiff . Alex . Get a Different Point of View: How the Creators and Cast of "The Afterparty" Accomplished Changing Genres in Each Episode . Laughing Place. February 11, 2022 .
  28. Web site: Short Film of the Day: Lowland Kids . Shorted . 23 October 2022.
  29. Web site: Moore. Jacob. 10 RAP PRODUCERS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW (BUT SHOULD). Pigeons and Planes. Complex.com. 26 July 2015.
  30. Web site: Young Thug (Ft. Elton John) – High.

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