Ryan Viser

Master trumpeter Ryan Viser today unveils his Metamorphosis album. Somehow, the producer and instrumentalist found time between long stretches on Filibusta's live band tour to assemble a thirteen-track monster that combines elements of funk, trap, and plenty of that NOLA sound.

Standouts like "Datura," "Things Are Gonna Change," and opener "Here Comes the Hurt," have plenty of trumpet, tons of southern flavor, and a pinch of Latin America with exotic melodies amidst all the bass. Viser has picked up plenty of influences from his long road trips as trumpeter and co-collaborator with Troy Probst aka Filibusta, and you can hear it all in this album. By the way, we take full credit for that match made in sonic heaven. The album, we take zero credit for, but know it's going to be a gamechanger, nonetheless.

Tonight (June 2), Ryan Viser takes a break from the road, playing his hometown of Shreveport, LA at Ernie's for Techno Tuesdays, which he's been instrumental in building up to a solid performing weekly event. The show will function as the big release party for Metamorphosis, and signal a brand new chapter in this hustling artist's career. - The Untz

Metamorphosis is defined as a process through which an animal develops after birth, resulting in abrupt changes to its physical structure through cell growth and differentiation. This is the absolutely perfect way to describe this album, and the man Ryan Viser himself. Ryan grew up in Brazil, where they introduced students to musical instruments at a much younger age than here in the States. By the time Ryan moved to America, he was bumped up to play trumpet at the high school level when he was still in middle school. Ryan continued to evolve as a musician, performing vocals and trumpet in the “bayou reggae” band Stiff Necked Fools.

Ryan then proceeded to become The Untz Challenege V Staff Pick winner, which allowed him to play a handful of festivals in 2014. After linking up with the popular vote winner of the same challenge, Filibusta, he has done a few tours and festivals with the Filibusta LIVE Band. Meanwhile, he kept on his solo grind and fantastically formulated his debut album Metamorphosis.

The album itself is truly a dynamic evolution of electronic production infused with live trumpet instrumentation. This album does not restrict itself to the boundaries of one single genre, as it includes elements of Hip-Hop, Glitch-Hop, Jazz, Reggae, Dubstep, Funk, and so much more. The trumpet is not an “accompaniment,” it is an essential element to each song that doesn’t distract from the production, but instead adds even more passion and emotion as that smooth brass sound tickles your soul. - Funkadelphia

Now in its fifth incarnation, The Untz Challenge strives to give hustling electronic acts the chance to get on major festival bills and get a leg up in their career. This year, more than 300 submissions to the competition were whittled down to a strong list of 75 finalists. In the weeks of fan voting, the race was fierce, and many artists were neck-and-neck going into the final stretch.

During the course of the competition, more than 3,700 votes were cast, and the top recipient in the fan voting segment of the competition was Filibusta. A longtime competitor in The Untz Challenge, Troy Probst submitted a future funk tour de force that lifted him up to an outright victory.

When it came to making our staff selection in The Untz Challenge, we looked at several factors, including quality of the initial submission, effort to get out the fan suport during the voting period, and abillity to perform a memorable set. After much debate and some close calls, TheUntz.com staff eventually landed on Ryan Viser as our staff pick.

Ryan brings a GRiZ-meets-Russ Liquid vibe to the table, with funky electro-soul topped with live trumpet flair. We think Viser's live sets are going to absolutely explode when he hits these festivals, and we are confident we picked the right guy for the job. - The Untz