As I have stated many times on this blog recently, although Milwaukee is typically seen as a place for Hip Hop, the music scene here goes way beyond that. Don’t get me wrong, there is a ton of great Hip Hop in Milwaukee, and it has been super awesome to see artists from here finally start to get the national shine they deserve. But when you look beyond Rap music, Milwaukee has so much more to offer. Artists are making Rock, Pop, and Electronic music here who are just as talented as anyone anywhere, and these artists deserve to get just as much notoriety as the great Hip Hop artists from Milwaukee. An up-and-coming Electronic artist from Milwaukee that I wanted to shout out today is Philia. He is a music producer with a riveting sound that can appeal to House music lovers around the world. Philia has said that he originally gained a love for music singing in church and vocal ensembles, and that upbringing being showered in classical music has also shaped his view on how he makes his art. Philia originally got into Electronic music by listening to artists like Flume, Odesza, and Aphex Twin. These kinds of influences are apparent in his music, as his experimental approach(which is inspired by those three very unique artists) to what he makes helps him stand out in a big way. Philia has been putting out music under this moniker for a few years, and he has made an impact in the underground Electronic music scene with the quality of his releases. His first releases on Spotify and Soundcloud go back about 4 years. Over the last couple, however, Philia has gained traction in the underground Electronic music scene, with songs like ‘Facing’ and ‘Dumb Love,’ both of which feature Alaina May, doing well on streaming services. This year, Philia has gotten off to a hot start, releasing a new single called ‘In My Head’ back in February, as well as a remix of ‘Welcome To London,’ Below, I wanted to briefly highlight these two new cool tracks from Philia. I also want to talk about ‘When We Were Ten,’ an upcoming song out on May 24 that once again features Alaina May. Please let me know in the comments below what you think of these tracks from Philia, and also comment the names of any other underground or indie artists I should check out!

‘In My Head’ was the first single put out by Philia in 2024, having come out back on February 2nd. If you are into Groovy Deep House music, this is a song for you. It is the kind of song that will light up any dance floor when it comes on. In fact, it is tough for me to not get up and start dancing around my apartment and I sit here writing about it. I really like how layered the melody is on this track. It has synths with a low and gritty undertone that provide the basis for the melody, with brighter and sweeter synths on top of those to make this melody feel so full. ‘In My Head’ has this funky element to the melody and beat that are so mesmerizing. This song is complex and simple at the same time somehow, making it engrossing and welcoming ‘In My Head’ is the kind of song I could have on loop for hours because it has so many layers that I will never get tired of it. Philia’s second release of the year, which came out about a month ago on Soundcloud, is a remix to the iconic Track ‘Welcome to London’ by Flowdan. Considering how harsh and intense the original version of this track is, I was curious how Philia would put his own spin on it; I have to say, I really love what Philia did here. Philia’s version of ‘Welcome to London’ is a bit softer and more rhythmic, but still keeps the gruff elements of the original to help it hit hard. Apart from the change in tempo, one of the main differences between the original version of ‘Welcome to London’ and Philia’s remix is the addition of a soothing melody. Philia’s version of ‘Welcome to London’ feels a lot more trippy and atmospheric because of this melody. The saturated, cozy synths that drive this melody make me feel like I am drifting through space. The drums on Philia’s version are a bit lighter than the original, making this song perfect for any dance floor. Overall, on his ‘Welcome to London’ remix, Philia took an already very cool track and put his spin on it to make it all the more inviting and interesting. The last track I wanted to mention is a song that is not actually out yet. ‘When We Were Ten’ is a single that Philia will be releasing at the end of this month with his frequent collaborator Alaina May; this song will serve as a single for an EP Philia will be putting out later this year. ‘When We Were Ten’ is such a warm and inviting song. Everything about this track, from the melody to the vocals to the drums, will make anyone who is into Electronic music at all feel so good. I love how sunny and vivid the synths and keyboard riff are which drive this melody. This melody makes me think of a warm sunny summer morning; it makes me want to drive around with the top down on a beautiful day. This song is not as upbeat as the first two tracks I covered, but it still has an entertaining tempo that gets me moving when I listen to it. As nice as this melody and the drums are, my favorite thing about ‘When We Were Ten’ is the vocals from Alaina May. Her tone is heavy yet tranquil. The way she sings on this track makes it feel so all-encompassing as if good energy is swirling all around me. ‘When We Were Ten’ is a great track that induces feelings of happiness, and I am so into that. With these three tracks, Philia proves that he is an artist who deserves a ton more attention. Philia is a rising producer with a sound that can appeal to any House music lover, and I am really excited to see what he does next!