Interview + Download: http://truantsblog.com/2020/truancy-volume-257-channel-tres/
Soundcloud: @channeltres
There’s few people who currently embody the confluence of modern music like Channel Tres does. On the one hand, the soulful heart of dance music lives at the centre of his music, taking us through from deep Chicago house to dub techno effortlessly. At the same time, his West Coast synths and lyrical nods to mainstream R&B and rap remind us of the limitless possibilities of artists that grew up listening to music laterally, timelessly and free from the confines of genre. In a 2014 interview with Truants, Kerri Chandler expressed his love for the ongoing house revival but felt like newcomers were missing out on an opportunity by not incorporating vocals, singing and live performances into their craft. Perhaps this is exactly where Channel manages to push the envelope in a new way that has enticed us all, with his commanding vocals narrating perspectives that we're not necessarily used to hearing on a 4/4 beat, and live shows that incorporate dance and carefree performance, asking the audience to submit to freedom in a way that the average DJ set doesn't.
With only two EPs and ten tracks in total released under the moniker, his polished output and its magnitude have led him to open up for an impressive array of artists and their respective audiences, from Robyn to Tyler, the Creator. There's a traction surrounding Channel Tres that predicts a vast future for the Compton native. For Truancy Volume 257, Channel takes us through a journey of gratitude starting off with Curtis Mayfield, taking us through the likes of Osunlade and Todd Terje to Ebo Taylor, Tupac as well as his own remix for Tyler. We caught up with Channel on his current journey as an artist, creative processes and his performances.
