A Universal Language: Maddy's Story

article originally published in phsicsmag's A Universal Language issue available for download here

Following their successful debut EP in 2011, Sound Fx grew to become one of hip hop’s hidden treasures. The duo would go on to release 2 EPs and 3 mixtapes. It was in 2013 that Sound Fx would bid farewell to their fans through the release of Empathy, a powerful and thought provoking body of work. Upon initial contact with the guys, I managed to get through to Sound Fx member Maddy McFly. Our first exchange was short and thorough. He was excited about my invite to be part of the AUL feature story. Maddy would later confirm with me that Empathy was it; Sound Fx would be no more.

Empathy taps into the soul of its listener. Apart from igniting passion, this album is also able to almost imprison you, causing feelings to fluctuate throughout its flow. Accompanying its solemn storyline is a musical album with melodic cords, imaginative basslines, samples which were appropriately selected and impeccably chopped, and an almost ‘sequential harmony’. Empathy speaks the universal language; whether it’s the universal language of love, pain, or frustration. To put a full stop on Sound Fx is perhaps premature at this stage. I’m waiting for the day these two will be back in studio working together again. Maddy McFly is more than an art-piece figure on the wall of music. His passionate discourse in the AUL documentary film reflects on his hunger and drive.

phsicsmag (p): Based on your understanding,what would you say constitutes to the idea of “a universal language”?

Maddy McFly (MM): I believe a universal language is a language that transcends the barriers of race, culture, politics, and religion.It is a language that is understood by all regardless of background. A universal language is felt and not spoken, it is relatable by pure emotion because that is the greatest and deepest level of connection we can have with one another as humans.

p: Do you feel music is still the “universal language” it once was, or are artists better off creating musical niches for themselves? 

MM: I do believe music is and will always be a universal language because rhythm is felt and not spoken. With the growth of technology we see more and more people turning to music as a form of communication so i do believe music is still a universal outlet. We don’t all speak the same languages but we all feel the same emotions and good music is emotional. It connects us all whether we are aware of it or not.

For more on the AUL Story:

A Universal Language Film can be watched here
Phsics Media online platforms Digital Timeless Facebook / Youtube / Twitter 

PhsicsMag Issue no.4 - A Universal Language

Working on this fourth annual issue made me be that person who forced their way into very uncomfortable situations. As people we are afraid to get uncomfortable. I found myself having to convince people who have never heard of what I do that they could work with me to produce something as remarkable as this publication. I’ve also introduced film to be an extended medium of this magazine. 

Waking up knowing that your film is in its second day of production, and everything is up in the air will have you asking yourself “what did I get myself into?” and frankly speaking,there’s nothing glamorous about feeling that way. You actually find yourself in a very uncomfortable position, and the only thing you can do is to put your life jacket on and hurry along. In the end, the greatest feeling comes when your product comes out exactly the way you had envisioned it to be. Even if only two people share it among themselves, knowing that you pushed through that very difficult storm to be where you are is the best feeling in the world. The creative process is similar to sailing through an endless ocean. There are moments of calmness, and there are moments of “we’re about to sink!”, but nowhere can you give in. The escape is just too perfect. A friend of mine challenged me. She’s about to launch her resort bag collection which was assembled in Ghana and Burkina Faso. She left her air-conditioned London home to be out there under the sun, on the grind, far from the glamour! If you had to ask me what other fashion people are doing right now? Probably picking outfits for Instagram or browsing the web for “inspiration”.My problem with glamour is that it’s very short sighted. 

During my recent trip to Milan I caught up with a friend who knows all about the fashion industry. He told me of how the back-end of the fashion business over there treats and nurtures its talent. On the surface it looks very glamorous, but what actually goes on is unbelievable. In this publication’s fourth edition, A Universal Language, I wanted to broaden my scope. I’m not a music reviewer and I never was. I knew that writing about music would challenge me. I wanted to do a music issue. I wanted to be uncomfortable. From where I’m sitting right now, this issue is more than a music review. It’s personal and it carries a lot of intricacies. I wanted to achieve exactly that be it with the publication, the documentary film, and the Private Life collection; each of these elements of my brand speak A Universal Language. Stay blessed

Download the full magazine here

A Universal Language Trailer: RxDIO’s Story

Taking on a project like A Universal Language requires one to be level headed and articulate. Film production is not easy. A strong motivated team can be the difference between a project’s success and failure. It’s important for me to explore film production so early in my career because I’m passionate about telling the untold story. PhsicsMedia is not an outlet for counter culture; it’s an outlet for universal culture. I want to be able to project honest, tasteful stories. If the magazine is the manual, then Digital Timeless is the embodiment. I was blessed enough to work with Les Deux, a brand which I’ve come to respect and appreciate. We wanted to bring a brand communication that was more than about the clothes. We wanted to make it about people. 

Meet RxDIO, he’s one of the musicians featured in the AUL documentary. In my opinion, his Live A Little EP is the embodiment of substance. RxDIO was able to put together a project that is both personal and graceful. What blew me away about him was his unfilter-able, unedit-able personality. There are no scripts here, and this is what AUL is all about. We encountered a lot of hiccups during the documentary’s production stage, but the team I worked with was simply out of this world. Working on PhsicsMag’s fourth annual issue has introduced me to the intricacies of stories. This journey has taught me to appreciate every little detail that my subject chooses to reveal, and the value it brings to my publication. A Universal Language will premiere early 2014 along with the release of the magazine. You can also lookout for Phsics.Private’s new collection which will be available soon. Subscribe to the Digital Timeless Youtube channel, and don’t forget to monetize those dreams. Stay blessed. 

A Universal Language Trailer: Maddy’s Story

In PhsicsMag’s 4^th annual issue, I wanted to move out of my comfort zone. Writing about music was exactly that. Music is a domain which I don’t normally ‘examine’ because people’s emotions always seem to be heavily invested in it. I find it unfair that artists are rated and ranked based on what they've accomplished. Releasing an album is an accomplishment; it’s like giving birth to a baby. Imagine if all the new born babies in the world were rated and ranked based on what they looked like or how much they weighed or something, that would be messing with people’s emotions. The commercialization of music has created a culture of unnecessary comparison and evaluation based on appeal or segmentation. For those who are interested in media studies, a scholar by the name of Marshall McLuhan once said “the medium is the message”. My interpretation of his statement is that when a music video is streamed on MTV for example, MTV is the medium, therefore it (MTV) is that message; the message is not in the content of the music videos which it streams! It’s an interesting notion for understanding the current state of media and its portrayal of youth culture, religion, race, and anything else you can think of.  

Earlier this year, I established Digital Timeless (Phsics.DigitalTimeless) to be the “medium” that Mr. Marshall McLuhan spoke of. Digital Timeless is a vertical agency for PhsicsMedia. In simple terms, we cover content creation from its inception right to its projection. Digital Timeless allows PhsicsMedia to be a ‘cable network’ that makes films, clothes, magazines and coffees (my good friend Vanessa Bolosier knows this), and still be able to be cool. We’re so secure about what we want to achieve that being in trend isn’t a factor for us. Our Youtube Channel will premiere many of our future works with A Universal Language being our very first. With AUL I want to achieve an effective connection between the Les Deux brand and young, progressive artists from Los Angeles. Maddy McFly (formerly of the duo Sound Fx) is one of them, and we’ll be revealing our other subject in AUL’s next trailer. This is fascinating because Les Deux is a clothing brand from Copenhagen. By bringing the two worlds together, we’re able to align them with a set of values which a globally relevant; humanity, grace, fluidity, respect, and substance. AUL is the first film I’ve ever produced and although this is its first trailer (we’re dropping another one soon) I’d just like to appreciate the contributions of my co-pilots Jared Soule, Andreas von de Hoider, and Kal Mokhtar. The full documentary will premiere on our Youtube Channel along with PhsicsMag’s 4^th annual issue in early 2014. Stay blessed