lophiile

Producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Lophiile made a name for himself with a unique production style that stitched genres together with creative beatmaking and bass-heavy electronics. Over a long career arc, he would produce songs for a wide variety of rap, R&B, and EDM artists, as well as present his own jazz-inflected sound on singles and the 2019 EP To Forgive.
Ty Acord was born in Washington State, growing up in the Tacoma region before leaving for Los Angeles to pursue music production. While actively involved in cultivating his own sound, Acord played keyboards and turntables for post-hardcore metal band Issues, touring with the heavy act in between studio sessions for his much different solo music. First working under the moniker Scout, Acord crafted a style heavy on bass and drawing from elements as far-ranging as hip-hop, old-school funk, and organic R&B. He gained acclaim as a producer, working with a diverse range of artists such as Skrillex, Ray Blk, and many others. During this time, he met London musicians Marco Bernardis and Fabienne Holloway. The three like-minded artists formed R&B group Radiant Children, fusing Acord’s inventive use of sampling and electronics with a more organic, live instrumentation. After a time, Acord changed his music moniker to Lophiile and switched his style to a slightly more streamlined formula that drew on his far-reaching influences as well as his jazz training earlier in life. His 2017 single “Newno” was one of the first pieces of music issued under this new banner. Throughout 2017 and 2018, he released a handful of collaborations including “Off Top” with Freddie Gibbs and “Common Sense” with Vic Mensa. 2019 brought the release of To Forgive, an EP featuring five new Lophiile songs and contributions from vocalist Sophie Faith and Jesse Boykins III. ~ Fred Thomas