The Philharmonik

The Philharmonik is the moniker used by singer-songwriter and keyboard player Christian Gates. At a high level, his music is a combination of R&B, pop, soul, and funk, with some hip-hop elements woven into his sound. He tends to combine these components at their vintage peak: it is '60s soul with '70s funky rock grooves together with '80s R&B inspired pop and '90s hip-hop, all of which he has cooking side-by-side in his stew. It is a mixture that he manages effectively, creating a malleable sound rather than an eclectic curiosity, and part of that has to do with his ability to find the underlying connections between these styles and textures. His remarkable knack for creating catchy tunes and bright hooks also helps a great deal in giving his work that extra oomph.