Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on October 18, 2025
Denver-based producer Manic Focus has long been revered for his soulful fusion of funk, hip-hop, and electronic music. Across the past decade, the trained magician and seasoned electronic music veteran has enchanted fans with his kaleidoscopic sound — deftly melding electronica, funk, soul, and new-era hip-hop to create his infectious signature groove. Now, Manic Focus enters a new era with his 10th studio album, Other Side of Paradise, out today.
A culmination of years spent refining his craft, Other Side of Paradise showcases Manic Focus’ ability to push the boundaries of his own sonic identity while honoring the roots that built it. The 15-track LP bridges funky trip-hop rhythms, blues-inflected melodies, and futuristic bass design into one cohesive journey. As Johnny “JmaC” McCarten (Manic Focus) describes it, “I wanted to showcase the breadth of the MF project from its inception as a breakbeat bass act to a broader funky project with a strong foundation in classical and blues elements. From front to back it’s a journey, but each song I firmly believe stands on its own.”
Fans have already gotten a first look at Other Side of Paradise through standout singles “Lay Me Down,” “River Road,” “Flight School,” “Bag,” and “In The Dark,” each one revealing a different layer of the album’s emotional and stylistic depth.
The project features a stellar lineup of collaborators including Phyphr, Borahm Lee (Pretty Lights, Break Science), Megan Hamilton, and Marvel Years, each contributing their own energy and texture to the record’s expansive soundscape.
The album opens with “Candy Apple,” a lush, melodic midtempo cut that fuses funky trip-hop grooves with ethereal vocals and surging basslines. “Definition Of Ill” follows, diving into chill, downtempo hip-hop with glitched-out, angelic vocal textures. From there, the listener is pulled into “In The Dark,” a fever-dream bass anthem marked by fearless vocals that ring out through a swirl of distorted synths and deep sub-bass — an exhilarating descent into the mind’s nocturnal corners.
“Posted On The Block” (feat. Phyphr) continues the journey with spacey hip-hop energy and funky midtempo bass, while “Let Up Waves” (feat. Borahm Lee) showcases the versatility of the album as it takes a sharp left turn into deep progressive house territory — a wavy, club-ready track defined by spacey synths and atmospheric production.
Across the album, Manic Focus’ bluesy and soulful influences shine. “River Road” and “Hey Boom Boom” blend organic trip-hop and electronic production with twangy blues riffs and feel-good lyrical mantras, “kill ‘em softly with kindness and gratitude.” Meanwhile, “In My Heart” and “Enough” (feat. Megan Hamilton) tug on the heartstrings — the former a sparkling, upbeat self-love song that blurs house and midtempo, and the latter a sweeping emotional cut about vulnerability and self-worth.
The LP crescendos with “You Are My Sunshine” (feat. Marvel Years) — a modern electronica reimagining of the classic tune, built around Marvel Years’ guitar-driven melodies and faraway vocal refrains. It’s a striking closer that perfectly encapsulates Manic Focus’ genre-fluid artistry.
“Over the past two years I’ve tried to come up with a more solid definition of the sound of Manic Focus, but I often find myself exploring more and more the enormous musical landscape before us and can’t stop experimenting with various synth elements and genres. I’ve always leaned more on the production side than the DJ side, but this album has a lot of good mix in/out points for DJs wanting to showcase the MF style. I hope you enjoy it. Much love!” –John “JmaC” McCarten
Fans will be able to hear the new album at Manic Focus’ remaining three shows of the year, including dates in Lincoln, NE and Iowa City, IA with The Widdler on November 14th and 15th, followed by a Dallas, TX performance with Vincent Antone on December 5th.
With Other Side of Paradise, Manic Focus once again proves why he remains one of the most compelling voices in modern electronic music — an artist unafraid to evolve, experiment, and invite listeners to experience the full spectrum of sound, emotion, and groove.
Manic Focus tour dates
11/14/25: The Royal Groove | Lincoln, NE
11/15/25: Gabe’s | Iowa City, IA
12/5/25: Deep Ellum Art Company | Dallas, TX
Follow Manic Focus:
Instagram | Spotify | Soundcloud | Facebook | X | Website
About Manic Focus:
Denver-based producer Manic Focus is an artist of many talents. As a magician, he uses sleight of hand to amaze and dazzle. As an electronic artist, he executes similarly impossible sonic acts with his vibrant, genre-defying music. But his strengths lie not only in the musical and magical: what also makes Manic Focus stand apart is his mental triumphs.
Manic Focus’ unique style – defined by a hybrid of electronic, funk, soul, and hip-hop – has helped the producer cultivate a fervent fanbase captivated by his immersive studio trickery and vibrant creative spirit – a combination that has led him to performances at festivals such as Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Hulaween, North Coast Music Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, Camp Bisco, Wakaan Festival, Summer Camp Music Festival, and multiple opening slots at Red Rocks in support of Zhu, Emancipator, Pretty Lights, and more.
With Other Side of Paradise, his tenth full-length album, Manic Focus continues to expand the boundaries of his ever-evolving sound. What began as a breakbeat bass project has grown into a vibrant fusion of funk, soul, blues, and electronic music — each release redefining what Manic Focus can be.
Across this sonic journey, John “JmaC” McCarten showcases the full spectrum of his musical identity, weaving lush melodies, intricate production, and timeless grooves rooted in classical and blues influences. Each track stands confidently on its own, yet together they form a cohesive story — one that reflects both his artistic growth and his relentless curiosity as a producer.
The result is an album as diverse as it is deliberate — equally at home in deep listening sessions or peak-time DJ sets. With Other Side of Paradise, McCarten delivers some of his most inspired work to date: a heartfelt exploration of the many layers of Manic Focus, inviting listeners to lose themselves in the journey.
