New Zealand-born, Berlin-based producer Philippa delivers a raw and melancholic slice of deep house, drawing inspiration from Ridley Scott’s science-fiction classic Blade Runner.
With almost three decades immersed in dance music, Philippa McIntyre has developed a sound that draws on the warmth of classic deep house while embracing the possibilities of analogue synthesis. Originally from New Zealand and now firmly established in Berlin, her musical journey has taken her from Wellington’s early house scene through Auckland and into the clubs and studios of the German capital.
Previous releases on Freerange, Local Talk and SlothBoogie have demonstrated her ear for rich harmony and expressive electronic production, qualities that come together beautifully on her latest single, “I Dream of Electric Sheep”.
Taking inspiration from Ridley Scott’s 1982 masterpiece Blade Runner, the track carries a distinctly cinematic quality, although there’s nothing overly polished or theatrical about it. Instead, Philippa builds a wonderfully raw and hypnotic piece of deep house around a throbbing Moog bassline and a series of increasingly intricate melodic layers.
An off-kilter organ stab provides much of the track’s character, cutting through rolling pads, restless keys and beautifully washed-out strings. There’s a real sense of movement in the arrangement, with the different elements weaving around one another rather than competing for attention.
As the track develops, the layers become increasingly absorbing, creating a slightly unsettling atmosphere that sits somewhere between melancholy and late-night introspection. A spoken male vocal enters later in the arrangement, adding another dimension of tension and colour without disturbing the hypnotic flow.
It’s that balance between the mechanical and the emotional that makes “I Dream of Electric Sheep” so compelling. The driving low end keeps everything firmly rooted on the dancefloor, while the sweeping strings and shifting harmonies give the music a depth that rewards repeated listening.
Raw, deep and wonderfully emotive, this is the sort of record that gets under your skin and stays there. A proper late-night earworm from Philippa.
Release Date: 15 October 2026, buy it here.
Label: QF009
Catalogue: QF009
Format: Digital
Written, Produced & Mixed: Philippa McIntyre
Mastering: Tim Xavier, Manmade Mastering, Berlin