M. Vaughan ‘Keep in Touch’ EP: Embracing Indie Roots & New Influences

M. Vaughan’s ‘Keep in Touch’ EP sees the acclaimed Portugal-via-Berlin-via-Brooklyn producer/songwriter move away from the club and towards the emotional Indie of his roots, embracing influences like Mount Kimbie and The Cure.

“This record is about these past few years of transition, trying to reckon with my own musical roots while making sense of life abroad, and eventually landing in a new place and making it home…The songs on this record are a fusion of my experience as a dance music producer and rock songwriter. Compared to True Life, my last LP as M. Vaughan, they’re more songs than tracks. Even if they have more of a pop structure, I couldn’t help but bust out the synthesizers and fuck up some samples—I use the tools of electronic music to make rock songs.“  – M. Vaughan 

The Lisbon via Berlin via Brooklyn artist M. Vaughan (aka Class Portrait) grew up playing in Indie Rock bands before spending a decade crafting Electronic music. His productions on labels like Freerange, Monologues, and his own Super Tuff imprint fused warped synthesizers and raw percussion into a fresh take on House music. He earned praise from top publications and DJs alike, and relocated to Berlin to capitalize on his early successes in 2021. Once living in what he describes as “the Mecca of Dance Music,” Vaughan found himself surrounded by stoic ravers, feeling deeply out of place, and growing detached from the Dance music world.

This foreign-ness drew him closer to the familiar, early inspirations from back home, like The Microphones, Mark Kozelek, and Alex G. Stepping out in a new musical direction, he stopped DJing, and put his label on hiatus. He began to work on the new material that eventually became June 14th’s ‘Keep in Touch’ EP, which he would complete after relocating to Lisbon, Portugal.

Welling up from feelings of disconnection, the EP’s soaring vocals, glistening piano, and rhythmic intensity hint at a new sense of excitement and musical self-discovery for Vaughan, as he embraced new influences like Mount Kimbie, Tirzah, and Blood Orange.