Meet Aguava—the musical moniker of Brooklyn-based producer Allen Chen.
Blending Afro-Cuban jazz, bossa nova, disco, and ’90s house, Aguava's latest single, “Flying Fish,” is a nonstop dance journey from the moment it starts.
The result is a deep house track layered with bright, expressive trumpet lines and vibrant, danceable keys. It pulses with rhythm and emotion, leaving you wanting more. It evokes the atmosphere of a lively lounge or a sunlit brunch spot—where the day feels full of promise and anything could happen next.
Reflecting on the track’s quirky name, Aguava says, “‘Flying Fish’ feels like a mashup of a few different things: past experiences, musical styles, and different periods of my life."
Aguava goes on to explain that the title came from a spontaneous—and sometimes confusing—naming habit: “I had this fun habit of naming projects with the first thing that popped into my head when I made them. Sometimes they were good, oftentimes I was left with a whole bunch of track names that I had to decipher to find the one I was looking for (I’ve since changed this approach). This was one of those quirky names, and was funny enough that I ended up going with it.”
The song’s roots trace back to a couple of years ago when Aguava was working on his Latin-inspired house EP Cuando Sueño. Though “Flying Fish” didn’t make the final cut, it features standout contributions from trumpeter Paul Giess.
“I had the pleasure of working with the talented Paul Giess on trumpet to bring a live, jazzy feel to it, and he laid down a bunch of amazing improvised solos that you can hear all across the project. Paul has this wonderful trumpet sound that reminded me of the live music I heard on the streets of New Orleans; high-energy bands with brass of all kinds trading solos, jumping around, and feeding off the energy of the crowd. I tried to accentuate that feeling and blend it with House,” Aguava says.
If “Flying Fish” is any indication, Aguava is just getting started.
My only complaint? I didn’t want it to end. But I guess that's what the extended version is for.
