1. Breathe

This month’s release marks a new horizon for me. During Amsterdam Dance Event last year, I had the pleasure to meet several amazing vocalists to get to know each other and chat about collaborating. One of them who I connected with was MIDI Kittyy. She’s an amazing talented artist and if you don’t know who she is, you should check her out! We decided to collaborate on a vocal tune and Breathe was born. This is my first time releasing an original vocal track and the result is special. Breathe sends a beautiful message meant for everyone who knows the chaos of life. There are a lot of challenges we face and by taking time for ourselves and demonstrating patience, we can weather the storm.

September 26th

I know I mentioned this during my last newsletter and I want to say again, if you live in the central Texas area, mark your calendar for September 26th. We have an amazing show planned at a great location. Its a release party, an ADE pre-party, and just a downright party rolled into one. I want to see you all there and celebrate the good times that 2026 has brought!

More Music

As we get through 2026, I can say that there is a lot more Makoom music headed to your ears. I am excited to say that I have several more vocal tracks coming, a collab or two, and some great solo work planned to close out a great year. I’m already looking towards 2027 to plan new opportunities to share great music across the world with everyone! Keep spreading the love.

Makoom’s Menagerie

This month’s Makoom’s Menagerie is my live set from The One when I was direct support for Miyuki. I love playing for a dedicated trance crowd and it was even more touching when Miyuki and her husband told me how much they enjoyed my set! I hope you enjoy it too 😃

3. Working with Vocalists

In recognition of my first original vocal track, I want to share how I personally work with vocalists. Everyone has their own style and this is mine, I think it works because it lets every artist make their mark on the track. I always approach vocalists with a melody/chord progression and have an open discussion about how to bring the idea to fruition. I provide some references tracks and then listen to what they think. I believe this is critical to making great vocal tracks because it lets the vocalist your working with put their style and imprint on the song. This isn’t them singing exactly what you want, I prefer to have a dialogue and find the common ground where we are both proud of our work. In my opinion, this is where the best tracks come from and ensure connection with the fans!

If you have any questions or would like to have a DJ or production lesson with me in person, please reach out!

4. Photo of the Month

Leaving the US Army in March was a huge change for me. I spent my entire adult life until that point as an Army officer and I wanted to give myself a gift to celebrate the new chapter. My job hunt took a lot longer than I initially anticipated and I had to delay my gift. I finally found a new job, and I was able to buy myself a custom studio desk to replace the folding table I used for over 6 years! It felt amazing putting it together and making my studio a little more polished. Plus, I have space on the desk for my Oxygen keyboard which makes testing out new sounds even simpler. Thanks for sharing this happy moment with me and I’d love to hear about things that bring you joy as well!