After extensive time in the studio, Sam Silver and ALRT have announced their new project Leap 96 with the release of their single ‘Back It Up’ featuring Michael Aristotle. This exciting news has energized the dance music scene, and the track itself demonstrates why.‘Back It Up,’ released by LA-based TH3RD BRAIN Records, is an electrifying blend of UK garage and high-energy dance beats, highlighted by Michael Aristotle‘s dynamic rap performance. Whether you’re in a club, at a festival, or driving, ‘Back It Up’ is set to be the ultimate summer anthem for 2024. This track is also the first single from their forthcoming EP ‘Leap 96,’ scheduled for release on October 18th.
“I met Irad (ALRT) when I first moved out to LA and was writing and producing new material,” Sam Silver explains. “One night, we were both at Gravity Studio in West Hollywood, where I had just started working. We instantly connected, and this was the first of many records we produced together over the past three months. We became obsessed with blending the chill, upbeat jazzy vibe of the Rhodes electric piano with pretty pluck sounds. We found a captivating sample to bring in right before the drop. Once the track was done, I added a vocal from an unreleased rap song I had cut back in NY with my good friend Michael. It took the song to another level. I always love putting the pieces together in the production process. My personal belief is that Michael made the record pop because his voice and the message of the lyrics really are cohesive.”
ALRT shares: “I remember when we just started this track, I immediately had a good feeling about it. It’s a fun, feel-good track with a lot of attitude. It works for festivals and clubs, but you can also just rock it in the car.”
Michael Aristotle expresses his excitement: “I’m honored to be a part of this song. I honestly think it’s just a fun song about being better and doing better despite whatever obstacles are in front of you. I don’t expect everyone to get that off rip because it’s a fun song you can dance to, where you may not pay attention to the lyrics, but I’m saying some real stuff on there. That’s also why I think this song is dope all around. It’s energetic and moves any issue to the back of your mind.”
Leap 96, the brainchild of Sam Silver and ALRT, draws inspiration from the vibrant rave scene of the late ’90s and early 2000s, where garage and drum and bass began to flourish. This project merges vocal-driven dance music that fits both uptempo and downtempo settings, offering a nostalgic yet fresh sonic experience.
The name Leap 96 holds special significance, representing the mid-year between Sam and ALRT’s birthdays and marking a leap year. This period symbolizes the fusion of their distinct musical journeys: ALRT, rooted in the thriving old-school rave scene, and Sam, emerging from the new-age garage, rap, and ethereal house movements.
Their music blends elements of garage, rap, and drum and bass with an indie pop sensibility, bringing a contemporary twist to dance music and appealing to a broad audience.
Sam Silver and ALRT’s partnership began unexpectedly in a Hollywood studio, co-founded by ALRT and renowned artist/producer JOYRYDE. What started as a casual co-writing session quickly evolved into an intense two-month co-production period, resulting in four powerful tracks for their upcoming EP and numerous works in progress.