Love Injection has never failed to deliver unequivocal happiness to my ears and Gene Tellem’s Phantom Vibrations is another wonderful addition to their catalog. Written with vocalist Teddy Bryant, “Phantom Vibrations” is incandescent, smoldering soul — metaphysical, sensual and heart-breaking at the same time. It’s a timely reminder of why soul remains at the soaring heart of house music.
“My initial focus was on the arrangement,” Gene Tellem tells 5 Mag about the title track. “I wanted to explore writing something with a long intro that carried a street soul essence, gradually morphing into a more straightforward but trippy dance track.”
Following a suggestion from Barbie and Paul of Love Injection to bring in a vocalist, Tellem linked up with Bryant. “His voice carries a soulful quality that echoes the past (think giants like Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers) but feels super modern in its delivery,” she says. “I was instantly hooked on what he sent. We didn’t have many back-and-forths, I barely had any notes.”
Since her dance music debut in 2017, Tellem has earned a rare degree of acclaim for her eclectic but innovative sound. She describes the music for her Montreal-based label Bienvenue as “a place between deep listening and a dance,” which, as Love Injection suggests, applies for much of her own music too. We spoke to Tellem just prior to the release of “Phantom Vibrations,” which is out now and backed with a pair of superb remixes from Kuniyuki Takahashi.
📸 Gene Tellem photo by Sam Trudelle
How did you link up with Teddy Bryant for “Phantom Vibrations,” and were you familiar with his songs and catalog beforehand?
I’ve been following Teddy’s work since his 2021 release on NBN Records. In The Beginning quickly became a go-to soundtrack for many different moments. To me, it’s a perfect LP. His voice carries a soulful quality that echoes the past (think giants like Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers) but feels super modern in its delivery. Across all his projects, his melodies and lyrics have a way of being effortlessly catchy.
Our collaboration came together in a pretty unexpected way. While working on the early versions of Phantom Vibrations, Barbie and Paul [of Love Injection] had the great instinct to suggest bringing in a vocalist. I loved the idea, but wasn’t sure which direction to take.
A few days later, my friend Walla P from Voyage Funktastique here in Montreal casually mentioned he was in touch with Teddy for a release they were working on. I asked if he could kindly connect us, and man, I’m so grateful he did. Not long after, I was sharing the project with Teddy and was met with his generous, enthusiastic energy from the very start.
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Were you both in the same room during the sessions for “Phantom Vibrations”? I am curious how you work with collaborators, especially with vocalists.
This was my first time working remotely with a vocalist. Fortunately, from the very start, I had complete confidence in Teddy and his ability to capture the spirit of the instrumental. I usually love being in the studio to build a human connection with collaborators, but in this case, physical distance made that impossible. Still, I’m so grateful the experience turned out to be such a positive one, Teddy’s warmth made communication easy.
He got back to me with his parts super quickly, and I was instantly hooked on what he sent. We didn’t have many back-and-forths, I barely had any notes. The only adjustments I made were subtle ones, mostly around spacing and timing. Since the track leans more toward the deep house side, there were a few small tweaks needed to make sure the vocals sat naturally in the arrangement. But these were easy to figure out. I find the answer often lies in the vocalist’s own ideas, you just have to listen closely and let the music lead the way.
This was originally published in 5 Mag issue 221: Back To Basics with Mark Knight, Yuu Udagawa, Gene Tellem & more. Support 5 Mag by becoming a member for just $2 per month.
When writing a track, what do you typically start out with? Drums, a melody, etc.? Was it any different for “Phantom Vibrations”?
Honestly, it always depends! With “Phantom Vibrations,” my initial focus was on the arrangement. I wanted to explore writing something with a long intro that carried a street soul essence, gradually morphing into a more straightforward but trippy dance track. That initial intention helped shape the groove and chord progression, and Teddy’s input really locked in the direction.
I also have to highlight the contribution of David Ryshpan, an exceptional Montreal keyboardist I had the immense privilege of working with for this release. It was our first time collaborating, and I’m thrilled it’s led to even more opportunities since. I had asked him to jam out some ideas across the track, and his parts blended beautifully with the newly added vocals.
Sometimes everything just clicks. Other times, it’s more like solving a puzzle, it can take more time to shift perspective until the picture becomes clear.
“Phantom Vibrations” is such a beautiful song. What does it mean to you? Is the title a clue?
Day to day, I like to write down song titles whenever they come to me. It could be an interesting word combination that comes up in conversation, or something I see in passing that sparks reflection. Since dance music is often instrumental, I find that assigning a title after writing the track can feel a bit forced. That’s why I prefer pulling from my running list of titles, choosing one that resonates with what I’m working on, and letting it guide the creative process.
That’s exactly how “Phantom Vibrations” came to be. I had written down those two words, they describe a concept I find incredibly poetic despite being rooted in something kind of trivial. Is it a deceptive sensation, the illusion of something when nothing’s there? Or is it a promise of something about to arrive? So many paths to explore!
As the producer, did you contribute in shaping the lyrical content? Do you usually write or contribute to lyrics, or do you view this as strictly the domain of the vocalist?
Not this time, I let Teddy take full creative lead on the lyrics. I was really happy that he, too, was inspired by the song’s title and chose to write around it. His words ended up resonating perfectly with the concepts I had in mind.
That said, I usually do like to contribute to lyrics. The human voice is an instrument, and the way words sound plays a huge role in conveying emotion to the listener. The goal is always for the words to work with the music, not against it, and that’s where a producer’s perspective can really help shape the songwriting.
This is often where the more human side of music-making comes in: finding common ground and making compromises for the sake of the song, without stepping on anyone’s toes. Sometimes everything just clicks. Other times, it’s more like solving a puzzle, it can take more time to shift perspective until the picture becomes clear.
What was your reaction to hearing Kuniyuki’s remix?
Kuniyuki’s approach to music has always felt like a familiar language to my ears. He has a distinct sound that stands the test of time and trends, something that always feels deeply honest. Whenever I’m going through my music before a party, his catalog is a reliable go-to. He has a sound that balances lightness with just the right nuances to give it a laid-back edge. That kind of quiet confidence is what charmed me most about Kuniyuki’s remix for “Phantom Vibrations.” Beyond the fact that I was honestly stunned to hear him reinterpret one of my productions, I was thrilled by how his version expanded the universe of the track.
How did this song get to Love Injection?
My connection with Love Injection first began when I discovered their zines, which we always kept in stock at La Rama Records. I later had the pleasure of sharing the decks with Barbie at Black Flamingo back in 2017, and we’ve been in touch ever since. That bond deepened when Barbie and Paul invited me to remix one of her tracks from the Prelude album she released in 2022.
Not long after, they reached out to see if I’d be interested in sending over demos with the idea of working on an EP for their label. A very early version of “Phantom Vibrations” was part of that collection, and that’s where the project really began to take shape.
From the start, I’ve always been met with openness and generosity from both of them, and I feel incredibly lucky to have connected with them in this way. It’s a rare and special thing to meet people from another city who share such a kindred approach to music. The New York sound has always been a foundational influence through my time behind the decks and in the studio, and finding both musical and human affinities within the current scene feels truly defining.
[…] trackID: Gene Tellem. The making of Phantom Vibrations for Love […]