Heard It Here First

For Volume 143 of our HIHF guest mix series, we’ve got a rising star producer you need to have your eye on. Sylph is next up on the ones and twos, and she’s bringing out all of the stops.

Sylph is a multi-talented artist whose work can be found in both dark, eerie soundscapes as well as bright, shiny, more elegant transmissions. The NorCal native creates grace and ethereal moments in her tracks, and we are so glad to have her on board for our newest mix.

In the past, she’s played the legendary Red Rocks amphitheater as an opener for Of The Trees. She was also a part of his Moonglade Tour, providing support across the country. On top of her shows with Of The Trees, she’s also played alongside more heavyweights in the experimental and deep dubstep spaces, ranging from TRUTH to Visages to Mr. Bill. She’s also performed at iconic festivals like Infrasound and The Untz, and just last week played at Submersion.

For volume 143, Sylph is holding nothing back, flexing dozens of filthy originals. This guest mix is over an hour, so lock in and tune into the sounds of Sylph.

What did you think of Sylph’s newest HIHF guest mix? Be sure to show her some love on socials and read our interview with her below to learn more. We hope you enjoyed this one as much as we did!

HIHF: How did you first get interested in electronic music? What was your exposure to the scene?

I started writing music at 14 as a singer-songwriter on the piano, after my father taught me some basic music theory. I started getting into electronic music a few years later and took to production around the same time. It started with GarageBand in my dorm room at boarding school, and quickly progressed to Ableton and Mr Bill’s early tutorials. I was making mostly synthy, melodic glitch hop at that point. 

Music was always an escape for me, like I could go anywhere by putting in my headphones, and electronic music took that to another level. Ghostly International and Brainfeeder were gateway labels for me, then I discovered artists like The Glitch Mob, Justice, and Skrillex. And I was like, yeah I want to feel like that. I’d go through many genre phases after that, but after the pandemic, I really got into drum and bass.

I was lucky enough to meet like-minded music heads through house parties and shows, mostly back home in New York, and an online Facebook group which would eventually seed the label The Rust.

HIHF: Who are your inspirations for your music? Can you give some electronic inspirations and some non-electronic music inspirations for your music?

It’s always changing, but consistently in rotation for me are Amoss, Visages, QZB, Enei, Wingz and Monrroe. Also, halftime and 140 like Chee, Kercha, VCTRE, KOAN Sound, Saka, and Copycatt. I like a visceral, palpable groove.

Non-electronic, I was an emo kid…so The Used and My Chemical Romance. Def some hip hop influence absorbed via osmosis just existing and going to house parties in the city growing up. I also like some jazz and classical, particularly Bill Evans and Chopin, and some pop music like Marian Hill, Doja Cat, and Glass Animals. 

HIHF: What’s next for the Sylph project? What does 2026 have in store?

I’m releasing this mix just off the back of playing Submersion, with the Colony Takeover, which was so sick and a bucket list fest for me. Next up I’m releasing a dnb single, which is one of the IDs in this mix. It’s a bit of a drivey, neurofunky roller centered around a vocal sample, and will be out on the 24th. I’m planning on doing more single releases in the coming months as well. 

HIHF: What do you want fans to know about your new HIHF guest mix? 

This mix is a sketchbook of finished tracks and my favorite unreleased and WIPs, bridged together by some music that I love from other artists. Many different genres and vibes, and a lot more chill type beats and liquid dnb than I typically play in my sets. I still wanted to impart a seamless, building flow of energy throughout the hour, though. And lots of vocals, including one track with my own voice. 

Making this mix, I tried to soften my edges and let go of control. I struggle with perfectionism and overthinking, so I purposefully wanted to leave some WIPs a bit raw and rough around the edges to kick myself out of that mindset. And I think it’s the best-sounding body of work I’ve put out yet. Really excited to share it with you 🙂

Tracklist:

1. ID x Nine and Dex Flip – Sylph
2. B.R.O.K.E (KU KA edit) – Kucka & K Lone
3. ID – Sylph
4. ID – Sylph
5. Viscera – Sylph
6. ID – Sylph
7. Mercuria – Sylph
8. Lemon Popperz – Samurai Breaks
9. Nicki Flip (Unreleased) – Sylph
10. Icarus – Sylph
11. ID – Sylph
12. ID – Sylph
13. ID – Sylph
14. ID – Sylph
15. Delirium – QZB
16. ID – Sylph
17. Celestial – Pola & Bryson
18. Headspace – Aaron Payne
19. ID – Sylph
20. Dance With Me – A.P.O.L.L.O
21. ID – Sylph
22. Inhala (Feat Rosella) – Forin & Jesta
23. ID – Sylph
24. ID – Sylph
25. ID – Sylph
26. Heart Str – Ninive
27. Let You Down – Sydney Bryce & QZB
28. Long Winter – Living Light (Sylph Remix)
29. ID – Sylph
30. What U Do – Sylph
31. Break The Habit – Charli Brix & Sustance
32. ID – Sylph
33. Way Better – Amoss & Minor Forms
34. Needles – Kasra
35. Icicle – Somatoast (Sylph Remix)
36. ID – Sylph
37. Biggie Flip (Unreleased) – Sylph
38. Walkway – Sylph
39. ID – Sylph

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