I went to Urban High on Page St and Masonic just below Height... this song does have a lot of SF flavor

Reminiscent of little fluffy clouds - Both Pt 1+2 are ace! Cue Cafe Mambo...MV

Touch of Class Records is proud to present “Once Upon A Time” an EP recorded by producer, vocalist, DJ, Navid Izadi. Hailing from San Francisco, Navid Izadi makes it an art to combine multiple influences in his music, his earlier experiences constantly resonating through his productions. Here he brings us a two-part track, with remixes by Tone of Arc and Kenneth Scott. Recorded in the Lower Haight district of San Francisco, this EP is the imprints fourth release, heralding the musical qualities that the label stays true to: a combination of sophisticated and eclectic rhythms executed with style and poise.

Part one of the original track is laid down with a moogy bass line and met with classic 808 style percussion textures mixed with provocative vocals and laughter about a night out-- taking us on a groovy ride through the colorful and transient streets of San Francisco. Part two evolves from a sexy and playful escapade to a stripped back, dreamy after-thought with the sounds of a xylophone in the background and Tone of Arc delivers a 303 bass line remix that electrifies. Kenneth Scott’s remix delivers an early 90s vibe taking it back similar to the classic sound of The Orb’s Little Fluffy Clouds Cumulonimbus Mix by Pal joey. The entire EP embodies a family affair with contributions by all San Francisco bred artists.

This last year was a big one for Izadi with releases on Wolf & Lamb & Soul Clap Records, but his creative output doesn’t stop there. Besides performing live, Dj’ing and producing quality tracks, Navid Izadi has done vocals featured on tracks alongside Deniz Kurtel, Soul Clap, Signal Flow, and close friends PillowTalk.

Artist: Navid Izadi
Title: Once Upon A Time feat. Aya
Label: Touch of Class Records
Catalog Number: TOCR004
Format: Vinyl & Digital
Beatport Exclusive: April 21st
Vinyl & World Wide: May 5th

A1. Once Upon A Time Pt. 1 feat. Aya
A2. Once Upon A Time Pt. 2 feat. Aya
B1. Once Upon A Time feat. Aya (Tone of Arc’s Late Night Storytelling Mix)
B2. Once Upon A Time feat. Aya (Kenneth Scott Remix)
Digital Only. Once Upon A Time feat. Aya (Signal Flow Pad-a-pella)

Once Upon A Time Pt 2 feat Aya

Navid Izadi is a young man who possesses wisdom and natural flair beyond his years. The funk is embedded in this performer’s DNA; he commands the stage with charisma, contagious energy and overwhelming presence, channelling the spirits of his idols while presenting a contemporary take on forms of music that speak to your very soul. We’re talking true funk, soul, disco, hip-hop, music from the heart, from the streets, from real people with real emotions – intertwined with the analogue power of synthesizers and modern-day software, which take the sound into the future… 

As a member of the Crew Love entourage, this former San Francisco club kid has flourished, taking full charge of his dynamic live show and presenting it to audiences all over the world, from Tokyo to Colombia, to London, San Francisco, Milan, Montreal, and everywhere in between. His touring has been extensive to say the least, and each experience has fed back into both his live set - which improves and evolves with every new performance - and his studio experimentations. Together with this, the visual aspect of his performances is also crucial to Navid’s output; exotic headdresses, flamboyant outfits, crowd interaction, rigorous dance moves, infectious energy and rousing vocals delivered in tandem with the dopest rhythms. 

Rolling as a DJ, singer, rapper, and producer of music that effortlessly weaves between influences, you’re never quite sure what to expect from Navid. Aside from collaborations with the likes of Psychemagik, Deniz Kurtel, Soul Clap and PillowTalk, Navid has also handled remix duties for artists like Miguel Migs, Midnight Magic, Pezzner, No Regular Play, Wolf + Lamb and more. Last year also saw the artist pick up the coveted Essential New Tune award on Pete Tong’s Radio 1 show, when Heidi selected ‘Feelin' Purple (Soul Clap Remix)’ as her choice during a cover show. 

The future holds much more in store with more EPs lined up for the Crew Love family of labels (W+L, Soul Clap Records, W+L Black, and Double Standard) as well as a full-length album that will see the young Renaissance man stretching his musical legs far and wide. If you think you’ve heard it all, think again, Navid’s musical locker is brimming with influences and inspirations – from the psychedelic funk of the great George Clinton, through to rugged rap legends like Rakim. The album promises to be a compendium of everything that makes Navid what he is and more, as he retraces the steps he’s taken to reach the point he’s at now while keeping a firm focus on where he’s headed. Expanding beyond genres, his opus will be closely aligned with the unifying element between all of his influences; black music with soul, which permeates into so many different styles of music today. 

In the meantime expect an eclectic slew of new music flowing out of the Izadi laboratory; a collaborative EP with Deniz Kurtel, contributions to the Crew Love compilation, some undercover hip-hop productions, Turkish funk edits, a dark wave-inspired soundtrack LP, P-funk and much more. There’s no stopping this whirlwind of creativity now he’s started.

With just the right balance of confidence, determination, skill, musical knowledge and intellect Navid, is carving out his own niche and an artist who will leave you with indelible memories of each scintillating performance…

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Gold Phillings

Mikel Douglas

lee nuss

Matt Veil

Holloway...

EDDO

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