The Rhythm of Chaos: Inside Snowfox’s Jazz-Funk Experiments

When you listen to The Soundry Tapes – Jazz Funk Experiments, you can hear movement before melody. It’s music that sways between order and disorder — where each groove feels alive, like the sound of a city finding its pulse.

The mind behind this sonic tapestry is Snowfox, a bedroom producer and classically trained musician from Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. His creative approach is a mix of precision and improvisation — structure meeting spontaneity — shaped as much by his cultural roots as his obsession with rhythm.

A Sound Rooted in Jazz, Grown Through Experimentation

Jazz has always been about evolution. Born in the early 20th century out of African-American expression in New Orleans, it’s a genre built on improvisation and collaboration — constantly bending to new influences.

Snowfox draws from this lineage but threads it through today’s modern lens: hip-hop swing, neo-soul smoothness, and electronic texture. His take on jazz-funk feels both nostalgic and forward-leaning — the sound of a jam session spliced through Ableton.

“It’s part of a movement that honors jazz’s past while fearlessly reshaping its future,” he says. “Blending broken rhythms, lush harmonies, and modern production.”

Artists like Yussef Dayes, FKJ, Domi & JD Beck, and Athletic Progression inform his world — but his interpretation is distinctly local, grounded in his own sensory experiences.

The Interview: Snowfox on Rhythm, Culture, and Chaos

Tell us about the history of this style of music. Where did it originate? What is the culture or story that surrounds its development? Are there related genres or styles that it merged or evolved from?

This style is rooted in the deep traditions of jazz, which everyone knows is a genre that originated in the early 20th century within African-American communities in New Orleans. The music of Jazz has always been about innovation built on improvisation, emotional expression, and rhythmic complexity and over the decades, it evolved into countless forms, continually absorbing influences from other cultures and genres.

The sound behind this sample pack draws inspiration from today’s new wave of jazz, where live improvisation meets the energy of hip-hop, the smoothness of neo-soul, and the textures of electronic music. It’s part of a movement that honors jazz’s past while fearlessly reshaping its future, blending broken rhythms, lush harmonies and sounds, and modern production.

Some related styles include fusion, broken beat, experimental soul, and contemporary beat music — all of which helped shape this vibrant and boundary-pushing sound.

Who are the key innovators of this style of music? What noteworthy artists are incorporating influences from it today?

For me, the key innovators of this style include artists like FKJ, Yussef Dayes, Domi & JD Beck, and Athletic Progression. They blend intricate jazz rhythms with elements of hip-hop, electronic music, and neo-soul. Today, this sound continues to inspire a new generation of musicians, pushing the boundaries and creating fresh, genre-defying music that merges organic instrumentation with modern production techniques.

How would you define the sound of this style? What specific instruments or musical patterns does it employ most often?

The sound of this style is a blend of intricate rhythms, experimental textures, and rich harmonics — fusing jazz with modern sonic elements in a way that feels fresh and organic. It often plays with surprising beat divisions, like 5 or 7 tuplets, alongside off-kilter rhythms that push the boundaries of traditional rhythm.

The live drums are groove-heavy and syncopated, paired with smooth, expressive keys and deep, resonant basslines, while subtle synths and processed sounds bring an extra layer of innovation. The melodies remain fluid and unpredictable, striking a perfect balance between spontaneity and precision.

What makes this style of music special to you? What inspired you to create sounds that revolve around it?

This style of music is a game changer to me because it represents a breakthrough in my approach to rhythm. As a musician who loves rhythm and strives to innovate within it, this sound allows me to explore new possibilities in how rhythms can be structured — or at least in my own music.

Aside from drawing inspiration from the new wave of jazz artists mentioned earlier, weirdly enough, this pack is also inspired by the local wet market here in the Philippines. I’d often visit to buy fresh produce and meat — there’s a constant buzz of activity, and despite the chaotic environment, an underlying order or rhythm emerges from the unexpected and spontaneous.

What started as a random idea slowly came to life, shaped by this environment. This unique blend of freedom and structure is what I wanted to capture in this pack — where unpredictable elements flow together to create something new and exciting, yet still grounded in a sense of order.

Tell us about yourself – what led you to production and creating samples?

I’m a bedroom producer and musician from Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, and I go by the moniker Snowfox. Even though I’ve been classically trained, I’ve always been drawn to exploring ideas outside the usual — pushing beyond traditional structures.

What led me to production and creating this pack was my deep love for rhythm and the endless possibilities it offers. I’ve always been inspired by the everyday sounds around me, especially the organized chaos of places like our local wet market. These places made me realize how natural and unexpected rhythms can coexist, and it sparked a curiosity in me to capture and create something interesting in my own way. Production became a way to turn those inspirations into something tangible and shareable — blending my love for both structure and spontaneity.

A Modern Language for Jazz

The final result — The Soundry Tapes – Jazz Funk Experiments — is a living snapshot of that tension between chaos and groove. It’s what happens when you treat rhythm as conversation rather than calculation.

“It’s a breakthrough for me,” Snowfox says. “As someone obsessed with rhythm, this style opened new ways to structure and feel time.”

Every element, from the syncopated drums to the electric bass and Rhodes layers, feels like part of a larger jam session that just happened to get recorded — unpredictable but deeply intentional.

About the Pack

Crafted in collaboration with Soundsmiths, this collection features live drums, bass, Rhodes, synths, guitar, and vocal textures recorded in Caplan City, PH. Delivered in 24-bit / 44.1kHz WAV format, it includes a wide range of BPMs (85–110) and keys, designed for producers who want to push beyond genre lines and explore new rhythmic languages.

Explore the pack → The Soundry Tapes – Jazz Funk Experiments

About Snowfox

Snowfox is a Filipino musician and producer known for his experimental approach to rhythm and sound. Blending jazz, funk, and modern production, his work bridges live musicianship with digital precision — capturing the pulse of everyday life through texture, movement, and groove.