In Rhythm, page 17
Tekko continued. “I had to have my agent cut some shit. I wanted to actually enjoy some of the countries I’m visiting instead of jumping in and out all the time.”
“Facts,” Velvet related. “Our Asia shows were crammed tighter than anchovies in a jar. All we did was perform and sleep.”
There was glam to their life for sure but when they weren’t traveling or performing, they tried to catch up on sleep. For solo artists like Rob and Tekko it was even worse. After being juiced from a performance or getting loads of attention at clubs and parties, they’d go back to the solitary confinement of their hotel rooms. Sometimes with company, but most DJs worked or slept. Velvet at least had Candy to share things with. It was one of the reasons they always shared a room. Her mind wandered to Zazzle. He was part of a trio but with his EMETAH routine, she hoped the isolation helped him and that he didn’t drown in loneliness.
“I like my schedule this year. It’s tight but there’s some wiggle room baked in,” Rob said. “How have things been with Tres Armadas? The tour is all anyone is talking about. And peep this. There’s some chatter about this bangin’ DJ duo called Bedazzled Beats that’s bringing the house down and making it hard for TA to follow.”
“We wish. We’ve just been doing our best to give the fans a good show, win them over, and pray they vote for us for Temptation. They make us feel good and chant for us. It’s been really cool.” She loved the support her friends gave her and Candy but Bedazzled Beats still had work yet to do before Temptation voting started.
“The modesty is killing me.” Tekko stabbed at his heart with an invisible knife.
“What? What am I missing?” Velvet’s eyes ping-ponged between the two men.
“This.” Rob pulled out his phone and showed her an article in EDMworld, an online publication, about her and Candy. Velvet scanned the article. Words like showstoppers, uplifting, hypnotic, and best show in town jumped off the page.
Candy came over and read over her shoulder. “When did this drop?”
“This morning.”
“I don’t think Sonny saw this or she would have told us,” Velvet said. “By the way she says hi.”
“Yeah?” Rob grinned and scratched his beanie-covered head.
“Did she say hi to me, too?” Tekko asked.
“Nah. Sorry, boo. I think Rob finally wore her down.”
Rob beamed and his chest puffed. He truly was the cutest thing on two feet.
“This article really pumped up our Ibiza shows.” Candy continued to read.
“If it has the desired effect, your shows are going to be outstanding.” Rob threw his head back for emphasis.
“I think with some of the in-fighting with TA that’s been reported, they’re focusing on the positive. I’m down with that.” Tekko pulled his long black hair into a man bun.
Velvet served him duck lips. “Talk to me some more about this in-fighting.”
Tekko arched an eyebrow. “Intrigued?”
“Thoroughly,” Velvet answered.
“It’s mostly between Zaz and Christian. I don’t know all the details but there’s some jealousy about Christian going solo.” Rob grabbed his iced coffee from a side table and offered her and Candy some.
Velvet shook her head.
“No, thanks.” Candy looked from Rob to Tekko waiting for one of them to continue.
“And of course, there’s some contention since Zaz’s drug days,” Tekko added.
“Recovery is tough. Zazzle works really hard at staying sober. Support is such a big part of it.” Velvet didn’t know all the details but everything in her body barked that there was more to this story.
“He’s definitely come a long way. You guys remember that video? Scary stuff.”
How could she forget? The video of Zazzle, the chaos, the women, his rant, all caught on tape. “I saw like five seconds of it. That shit was straight awful.”
“The media often ask him about it.” Tekko punched some buttons and then shifted to his computer. A mad scientist in his laboratory came to mind. “You know, they love to pump you up when things are good and kick you when you’re down.”
Bedazzled Beats hadn’t shared much press space with Tres Armadas. As the main act the trio were the meat and potatoes, and Bedazzled Beats the appetizer kept on a separate plate. In addition she and Candy were their own artists. They may have traveled with the trio, but they were an act on the rise and vying for a spot at Temptation. However, the questions Velvet often heard asked of Zazzle were about being back and how he was “doing.”
“I’ve noticed some stuff but they still perform really well together and Zazzle is still entertaining onstage. He needs to give me dance lessons.” Candy tapped her chin. “You never know what’s happening in people’s walk-in closets.”
“Well, we should get started,” Rob announced. “You ladies sure you don’t want anything?”
“I shall partake in snacks as advertised.” Velvet pretended to wave her hands to her underlings.
“Yes, thanks.” Candy pulled her computer out of her backpack and Velvet did the same.
“You guys can plug in here.” Tekko pointed to the ports on his equipment. “We’ve laid down some stuff for you ladies to check out and see how it vibes with what you sent us. If you like it, then we can edit and play with it, but this is your track. Whatever you want, just let us know.”
“We just want you to bring that fiyah,” Velvet exaggerated.
Candy plopped into a chair. “Nice. Let’s hear it.”
The four of them labored over the track for about two hours until they got a product they liked. Velvet and Candy’s original house sample with their vocals drove Rob’s drum and bass bars into a creative dubstep break. Tekko’s electro house tied-in. It was a lovely mess of genres melding together.
“Something’s missing,” Candy announced.
“I concur. It’s good but I keep wanting to hear something tribal, maybe even dancehall,” Velvet agreed.
Tekko nodded. “If you ladies are cool with it, I want to bring in one more heavy hitter.”
Velvet and Candy deadpanned to each other. “Yeah.”
“I’m phoning a friend.” Tekko thumbed a message and when it alerted, he smiled. “He’ll be here in an hour. Just enough time for us to have dinner, and let the music breathe.”
Rob already waited at the door. “Yeah, we’ll come back with fresh ears. Let’s chow.”
“Wait, who’d you call?” Velvet asked.
Tekko rubbernecked. “Zazzle, who else?”
Chapter Eighteen
The thought of seeing Zazzle lit Velvet up like a smartphone flashlight. She, Candy, Tekko and Rob shared Sofrit Pagés and Zarzuela de Mariscos at a small Ibizan restaurant in town. Unlike most people who ate less when their nerves hit, she ate more. Candy noticed as she attacked the traditional dishes.
“Hey. You okay?”
“Yup.” Velvet shoved a roasted piece of sausage from her Sofrit Pagés into her mouth. “This is so good.”
“Anything to do with Zazzle coming to work on the song with us?”
“Nope.”
“If you don’t want him to come, just tell the guys. It’s our track, they’ll understand.”
“That’s the thing, Candy. I do want him to come.”
Candy’s smile widened as she prepped a mussel from her Zarzuela de Mariscos. “You want to see him?”
“I see him all the time.” Velvet tried to dismiss the question, even though she’d already admitted her feelings.
“Yeah, but something had to happen for you to want him to come. Deets, sister, now.”
Velvet gave Candy the quick and dirty about the kiss, but conveniently omitted the parts where she and Zazzle searched for her in three clubs.
“He’s better now. Why not give it another chance?”
“Nope.” She sounded like a toddler.
“Velveteen?”
“Candy Cane?”
“I’m just sayin’... You put up this wall of judgment sometimes and it’s okay to let it down. I know being with someone in recovery is tricky for you after Reynard, but maybe things could work if you give it a try. You know what not to do now.”
“Knowing and living are two different things.” Velvet already saw her obsession with his routine and her interest in his mood. Now that she wanted to be closer to him, all signaled to past behaviors that were bound to get out of her control. But how could she keep denying the way they plugged into each other like headphones into a jack.
“Don’t rule it out. You fell for him from the start. But right now, the guys think he’s the key to unlock this track. This will be interesting.” Candy twirled her fork before she gathered food on it.
Velvet let the words sink in. When she and Zazzle kissed there was nowhere else Velvet wanted to be. Their attraction from the start never left her, like someone had surgically opened her heart and put Zazzle in there. Similar to healing tissue, all her experiences grew around him, making him part of her and she couldn’t get rid of that feeling.
Two hours later, they arrived back at their makeshift studio at the hotel. Velvet smelled lavender and upon entering the room, the visual of him lounging in a chair with a to-go cup of tea resting on his belly greeted her. He had a day of scruff on his cheeks and chin and though Velvet liked him clean-shaven, she could get used to this look, too. He climbed to his feet when their group piled into the room.
“I hear you have a track you think I might be able to help with.”
“Hey, man.” Tekko gave him a hug.
Rob followed. “Lookin’ good, man.”
“Ladies, glad to see you arrived in Ibiza okay.” Zazzle addressed both her and Candy.
“Thanks.” Candy waved and grabbed her computer.
Zazzle moved over to Velvet. “How are you?”
His fragrance worked magic on her, like it had countless times. “I’m good. You?”
“Happy to be useful.” He scratched his chin. “You okay with me being here? I would have texted you but I still don’t have your number.”
She handed him her phone. He punched in his number and called himself.
“Problem solved,” she said. “And yes. I’m okay with you being here.”
“Let’s play the track and get to work,” Tekko interrupted with his plans for the session.
She planted herself down next to Candy and played the track. They were all in view of each other’s screens.
Velvet and Candy were at the helm behind the digital audio workstation Tekko had set up for them and evaluated the song with more discerning ears. She noted areas they could do a bit more but the hole of a lost element remained.
Zazzle listened to the track from beginning to end. “Play it again, please.” He opened up some mixing software and worked on a pad controller and created beats as he listened. He moved quickly.
“You know the drop, here? Stop there.”
Velvet paused the track.
“Let me do this.” Zazzle layered in a Caribbean beat that was quick like soca but dynamic as calypso. “Rewind it back to just before Rob’s dubstep break and fade it in.”
Velvet did as he asked and then gradually sped it up to match the electro tempo of Tekko’s section. Candy layered an effect to meld the two.
They continued with the rest of the track to signal Zazzle’s grounding beats and hinted at the motifs in other parts of the track to make it more cohesive. They listened, nodded and smiled.
Zazzle danced off to the side. “That’s really nice. It makes the drop more interesting. Unexpected.”
“That’s fucking spectacular.” Tekko jumped out of his seat, his long hair flying out of its bun and about his shoulders and back.
“That’s so cool.” Candy grinned.
“I love it!” Velvet cheered as she listened.
“Your label might have a sound engineer make some final changes but this track is straight fire,” Tekko said.
“Exceptional track, ladies.” Coming from Zazzle, the compliment meant more than she admitted.
Velvet tipped her hat and Candy bowed several times.
Rob slapped Zazzle on the back. “Nice job, bro.”
The idea she came up with in Stockholm popped up like a dialogue box by her head. “We should test it out tomorrow night at the festival.”
“I’m into it.” Rob raised his hand.
“We can surprise the fans, come on for that track, and do it live,” Zazzle suggested and Tekko agreed.
Velvet blinked so quickly even she noticed. “You’d do that for us?”
Tekko rubbernecked and then pointed to her while frowning at Rob. “Of course.” Tekko’s obviously tone made her regret even asking the question.
“It’ll be a fun ride,” Zazzle offered.
“You guys should totally play with us.” Candy clasped her hands in prayer and only clapped her finger.
Rob pumped a fist. “The crowd is going to go ape shit.”
Velvet, Rob and Candy all started reciting the words to The Carters’ “Apeshit.” Zazzle wasn’t an insider to their friend group and missed the cue, watching in fascination.
“Okay, okay. ‘Be You’ is our final song so I say, let’s do it two or three songs before the finale. The middle will be expected and we want to really surprise them.” Velvet couldn’t sit still.
“Perfection,” Candy sang, moving tracks around on her computer. They’d have to mix into their set to see where exactly the song fit but Candy did the work while the ideas flowed.
“We’re geniuses,” Rob said, his gray eyes shining.
“This guy.” Tekko smirked.
“What are you guys gonna call it?” Zazzle asked.
Velvet thought of their songs and the positive vibes they wanted to send out. The summer was here and they wanted the track and the title to grab their fans. “‘Love Me Love You’?”
“I love it,” Candy concurred.
“Bong!” Tekko slapped an imaginary something.
“That’s not on brand at all.” Rob stretched and winked so hard Velvet thought he may have hurt himself. “Now that’s all sorted. Any suggestions on how I get Sonny to go out with me?”
Crickets.
“O-kay.”
“You’re on your own. I think we’ve done our part there. The ball is one hundred percent in your court. So... Good luck.” Velvet grinned at Rob.
Candy sent the final downloaded track to the record label and copied Sonny and Boombox.
Velvet sauntered over to Zazzle. “Thanks for your help tonight.”
“My pleasure.” He smiled as he packed up his computer.
“Christian is the one who is forging a solo career, but you’re really good at this. You have skills, too. Maybe you should think about doing more production outside of TA.”
“I’ve done a few features. I’ve thought about it before. Maybe I’ll do more. We’ll see how this one’s received.”
“I’d like to hear more and I know the fans would.” His onstage performance couldn’t be matched, but he had offstage skills, too. If no one reminded him of that, then she would.
“Thanks.” He cupped her shoulder and his smile warmed her heart.
“We’re going to catch the sunset at Cala Escondida. One of the locals put me onto it the last time I visited. It’s a little harder to get to but less populated,” Rob presented to Zazzle more than to the rest of the group who already knew the post-session plan.
“I’m in,” Zazzle responded.
Velvet turned her back to her friends. “I know you have your own schedule so it’s cool if you don’t want to interrupt that.”
“I can see you’re surprised.” Zazzle smiled. “I don’t want to intrude.”
“No, no. I think it’s great.”
“Great, huh?”
“It’s great for all of us...not only for me... I mean me, too.” She ran out of steam in her attempt to qualify anything else that came out of her mouth. “I’m just going to put my stuff away.” Her sharp movements must have been as dizzying to watch as they were for her to experience.
The sound of his humor haunted her steps.
* * *
Half an hour later, Velvet and her crew were at Cala Escondida watching the sun disappear below the endless waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The spot was popular with nudists, which she and her friends found out with plenty of supportive visuals.
“I respect the clothing optional situation,” Velvet said as she walked through.
However initially surprising, their global travel and cultural exposure left them curious yet unphased.
They were only about fifteen minutes out from San Antonio but the seclusion and expanse of the water made the location its own little planet. Far away from the inner chaos, the parties and the dense population that descended on Ibiza summers, peace settled over her.
“Is this cool, man?” Rob asked displaying an Isleña beer bottle.
Tekko, Rob and Candy shared the popular Spanish beer.
“Yeah, do your thing,” Zazzle responded, giving them the all clear to drink.
Velvet drank water and sat next to him on the rocky surface.
“You want one, Asha?” Rob asked.
“Nah, I’m still dehydrated from the plane ride today. Maybe later,” she responded, but deep down she wanted Zazzle to kiss her again. If he did, she didn’t want to inadvertently give him a taste of alcohol.
He nudged her shoulder. “You can drink, it’s okay. I have my tea.”
“I’m cool.” She waved it off.
“You’re very supportive.”
