Long-standing Exploited artist Joyce Muniz returns to the label with a killer new track, featuring vocals from Circus Company talent, Aquarius Heaven. Continuing the brooding feel of her recent output, it looks set to do big things.

Aquarius Heaven’s warped vocals make for the perfect accompaniment to Joyce’s electro-infused techno production, where jagged synth arpeggios rub up against her sharp and snappy percussion and bass hovers menacingly below. It’s got a big room feel thanks to its rasping reverbs and dramatic vibes, with moments of real intensity as the synths swell and the percussion becomes more insistent. A powerful yet spacious production, it punches hard in all the right places. 

A remix comes from upcoming LA techno producer, Shaded, who recently enjoyed support on John Digweed’s Transitions radio show. Powered by undulating waves of sub bass, it builds up from a minimal patchwork of bleep tones and intricate percussion to incorporate the dizzying synth work of the original and the bugged-out vocals. It keeps a low profile, inducing hypnosis via its consistent, insistent slow-burning energy, making it one for the more heads-down dancefloors.

Joyce recently released on DJ Hell’s International DeeJay Gigolo Records and Culprit, and produced British pop star Little Boots’ new single Shadows. She will also release a very special remix of a Paul Simon track via Sony Music later this year.

Early Feedback:
Ewan Pearson: Love love the original of Chapter 4. Awesome.
Maxxi Soundsystem: This is wicked. Looking forward to testing. 
Perel: Original for me.
Upercent: Great track.
Tone Of Arc: Original for me. 
Ruede Hagelstein: Cool one.

Chapter 4 Feat. Aquarius Heaven

Joyce Muniz - Chapter 4 Feat. Aquarius Heaven (Exploited)

The metaphor of life as a journey is deeply embedded in most cultures. But it’s
particularly apt for Joyce Muniz. Born in Brazil, she moved to Vienna in her teens and now
splits her time between there, where she has her studio and a show on national radio station
FM4, and Berlin. She started her career as a DJ and MC at Vienna’s Flex club, then found
fame as a vocalist, touring alongside Major Lazer, before dedicating herself to
production, supported by labels such as Exploited, Get Physical, Kompakt, Permanent
Vacation, International DJ Gigolo and Pets. Most recently, she took her music on theroad,
performing live with different orchestras across Germany as part of the Synth
Live project, the first woman to join them. All this is alongside continual DJing,
recently touring Australia to tick off playing every continent – bar the
less-than-club-friendly Antarctica.
In 2023, her second album ‘Zeitkapsel’, German for time capsule, retraced many of the steps
she’s taken, while also launching her Joyce Muniz Music imprint. ‘Never Brushing
The Sound’, featuring British MC Le3 bLACK. echoed the trip-hop and downtempo
that surrounded her in late ‘90s Vienna. The d&b of ‘Bangalore Girl’, supported by DJ
Marky, recalled the music she first MCed over. And ‘Imagine’, fronted by iconic
vocalist Roland Clark, reflected the deep love of house that inspired her to make
music. The biggest hit, however, was ‘Arrivederci Bella’. A jacking love letter to
electro house, but also a break-up track, it featured Muniz rapping in Portuguese, the
first time she’d used her own voice since her baile-funk-inspired outings in the mid
2000s.
The album’s cover, part surrealist painting, part visionary experience, reflects an
accompanying spiritual path. Diagnosed with cancer in her early 30s, Joyce returned
to Brazil and her experiences with plant medicines reconnected her to her
grandfather’s shamanism. This rebirth reconfigured her attitude to creativity and life.
When Covid hit she explored the breadth of her music making – resulting in
‘Zeitkapsel’ - and sharpened the technical skills that make her a go-to workshop host
for Native Instruments. She also completed a Bachelor's Degree in radio presenting.
These avenues mean Joyce can roam where she chooses. Remixing Chicks On
Speed and collaborating with the UK’s Detachments, she’s re-exploring the electro
roots that brought her to the attention of DJ Hell many years ago, now a mentor. But
with the on-going support of Âme, Dixon, Claptone and Green Velvet and more, as
well as thousands of Shazams each week, she continues to explore sounds,
collaborating with artists across the world.
Last year, Joyce Muniz released the infectious single ’No Haters’ on Permanent Vacation
with fellow Brazilian Producer Renato Cohen. This was followed by the huge ‘Beats & Lines’,
with Sara Bluma on Kompakt (Joyce Muniz’s debut Kompakt release), which spent several
weeks at No.1 in Beatport’s Indie Dance Chart and was supported internationally by many
major DJs.
Joyce Muniz will release the Afro electro single ‘Mo Dupe' on Exploited in April 2025. She
will return to Kompakt in June 2025.
Alongside weekly gigs in Europe and frequent visits to America, Joyce often returns
to play Brazil. This was rewarded with the cover feature of her proud nation's
Mixmag. Winning new fans each visit to her birth country of over 200 million, there’sno doubt
she has plenty more road to travel.

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