Beatportal Exclusive: Kyle Walker & Fletch Find Effortless Alchemy on “Play Me Off”

One’s a rising staple of North America’s house scene; the other, a rapidly ascending force from the UK underground. Their meeting point? A shared vision that values groove over gimmicks, soul over spectacle.

“We’ve been friends for a while now,” says Walker. “That mutual respect and understanding of each other’s style made the process super smooth.”

The two producers aren’t strangers to high-caliber output. Walker’s played ARC, Day Trip, and earned spins from BBC Radio 1 to KISS FM. Fletch, hot off his Play House EP hitting #1 on Beatport within days, is gearing up for gigs at DC-10 and UNVRS. But “Play Me Off” stands apart—not for being louder or bigger, but for dialing things back. This isn’t a peak-time anthem chasing pyrotechnics. It’s an icy, hypnotic slow-burner—designed to pull you in, not blow you away.

“There wasn’t a specific dancefloor moment that inspired this one,” Fletch adds. “It was more about creating a groove that just feels good. It’s not built around a big drop—it’s a track you can lose yourself in, whether you're in a club or listening at home.”

Built around the silky, haunting vocals of LYMA, the track unfolds with restraint. It’s minimal but muscular, with just enough detail to suggest a producer’s touch honed over countless late nights and test spins. For Walker, it reflects a shift in approach.

“I’ve been working more with vocalists and instrumentalists lately, trying to add a new layer of depth,” he says. “This track was a step forward in that direction—still club-focused, but more personal.”

For both artists, “Play Me Off” feels less like a calculated release and more like a snapshot of where they are creatively. And where they are is exactly where they’re supposed to be.

The collaboration lands at a pivotal moment for both Walker and Fletch.

Walker’s journey started on long bus rides across California as a teen, where a chance encounter with Bassnectar’s “Bass Head” cracked open a world of electronic music. He dove into dubstep, then pivoted hard after discovering Disclosure’s Settle—a record that, in his words, “changed everything.”

He’s now known for a sound that’s distinctive, raw, and soulful, with John Summit’s Experts Only label helping shine a spotlight on his recent evolution. But Walker is careful not to let the scene dictate his sound.

“These days, I try not to be too influenced by the dance world itself,” he explains. “I pull inspiration from hip-hop, funk, even film and visual art. Touring teaches you what works on a dancefloor, but in the studio, I need variety to stay creative.”

Fletch, by contrast, honed his style through the steady grind of the UK’s fiercely competitive underground. There was no sudden breakthrough—just years of consistent output and shows that gradually started turning heads.

“I don’t think there’s been one specific moment,” he says. “Just a steady growth and keeping the quality consistent.”

With co-signs from Jamie Jones, Marco Carola, and The Martinez Brothers, and an ear tuned to “Proper House Music… with my own twist,” Fletch brings an intuitive feel to his sets and studio sessions alike. He doesn’t overthink—he prepares by practicing relentlessly, spinning four tracks at once until it becomes second nature.

“I keep my studio super tidy,” he adds. “If the space is messy, I can’t focus. But I also try not to have rituals. I want to avoid making the same track over and over again.”

At its core, “Play Me Off” thrives on that shared ethos—trust your instincts, stay grounded, and keep it honest. The chemistry was real from the jump. Kyle had already worked with LYMA on previous records, and the trio locked into a flow that required little back-and-forth.

“Everyone just got in the zone,” says Fletch. “The track kind of built itself.”

The result is a collaboration that doesn’t scream for attention—it earns it. It’s the kind of track you want to hear in the early hours or the afters, when the energy dips just enough for something a bit more subtle to hit deeper.

It’s a reminder that house music doesn’t need to peak to leave a mark. Sometimes, the groove is enough.

And for Kyle Walker and Fletch, that groove just might be their sweet spot.