Heavy

HEAVy is a Brooklyn-based duo consisting of Casey Benjamin and Nicky Guiland, both alumni of the prestigious LaGuardia High School and The New School's jazz program. Their sound identity is defined by a 'power-duo' dynamic where high-level jazz proficiency meets a DIY electronic aesthetic.

Casey Benjamin, a renowned saxophonist and keyboardist who later became a key member of the Robert Glasper Experiment, provides a production backdrop rich in vocoders, synthesizers, and complex rhythmic structures. Nicky Guiland contributes a vocal style that ranges from traditional soul belting to detached, ironic pop delivery. Emerging in the early 2000s alongside the 'Afropunk' and 'Future Soul' movements, they occupy a space similar to J*DaVeY and Sa-Ra Creative Partners, prioritizing sonic experimentation over commercial R&B tropes. Their work is characterized by a blend of Prince-inspired funk, Herbie Hancock-style fusion, and a quirky, indie-pop sensibility. Critically, they are viewed as 'musician's musicians,' highly influential within the jazz-fusion and alternative R&B circles for their early adoption of electronic textures in a soul context.