Rising FENRA is preparing to release his sophomore EP CHICAGO on March 13, 2026 via Base Layer Records, led by its hypnotic focus track “CHICAGO PM.” The new project revisits and transforms the source material of “CHICAGO,” originally featured on his debut EP Delusional, reshaping its stems into three entirely new compositions while preserving the emotional core of the original.
The initial track earned praise from publications including Electronic Groove, CLASH Magazine, and Magnetic Magazine, with a progressive house reinterpretation from Oliver Schories premiering through tastemaker platform When We Dip.
Born in Santa Rosa and now based in Portland, FENRA is the electronic alias of producer B Laws. Growing up surrounded by art, he first developed a fascination with harmony while listening to hymns in church with his grandmother. After teaching himself guitar at 14 and later experimenting with synths, vocals, and drums in bands that toured across the United States, Europe, and Asia, he has now entered a new creative chapter focused on immersive electronic production.
Drawing inspiration from artists such as Caribou, Four Tet, Floating Points, Bonobo, and DJ Koze, alongside the minimalist compositions of Philip Glass, FENRA crafts music that merges cinematic atmosphere with deeply personal storytelling.
The CHICAGO EP builds upon the original footwork-leaning breakbeat foundation of “CHICAGO,” driven by shuffling percussion, airy synth motifs, and choral textures. Each track expands the concept in a different direction. “CHICAGO AM” unfolds as a vast, cinematic piece, while closer “CHICAGO REM” drifts through surreal textures and dreamlike atmospheres.
At the center sits “CHICAGO PM,” where rhythm takes the lead from the outset. The track places percussion firmly in the foreground, favoring momentum and forward motion over expansive ambience. Tight, looping drum patterns build gradually toward a hypnotic peak, illustrating just how far the motifs of the original track can stretch within a club-ready framework.
Reflecting on the creative process, FENRA explains:
“The EP started as an experiment: I took the stems from my track ‘CHICAGO’ and tried to reinterpret them three completely different ways. One became cinematic and slow-moving, another leaned fully into a club context, and the last drifted into something more dreamy and abstract. I was interested in how far the same source material could be pulled while still feeling connected.”
With CHICAGO, FENRA continues refining his genre-blurring sound, offering a thoughtful exploration of how a single musical idea can evolve across mood, tempo, and texture while remaining part of the same emotional landscape.
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