Zhonk Blends Live Horns with Modern Bass on Upcoming EP, ‘Soulsmack’

Grand Alliance Music has announced the upcoming release of SoulSmack, the new EP from Austin-based brass bass duo Zhonk, set to arrive Friday, November 28th, on all digital platforms, offering a snapshot of the evolution that has taken shape over a year of underground shows, collaborative experiments, and a rapidly growing online following. The three-track project merges live saxophone and trombone performance with glitch hop, funk, and halftime production, presenting the group’s most defined vision of their horn-driven electronic style.

Formed by Patrick Donaghey (saxophone/producer) and Sawyer Green (trombone/producer), Zhonk has built a reputation in Texas’s underground electronic scene for their high-energy sets that combine traditional brass performance with modern bass music design. SoulSmack captures that hybrid approach in the studio, centring improvisational horn lines, rhythmic interplay, and heavy low-end textures built for both club and festival environments.

The EP includes three original tracks: “SoulSmack,” “Funk Your DnB,” and “Saucy,” featuring electronic artist Willdabeast, also known for their horn-forward bass production and national touring history.

Zhonk comments:

“This project represents what we do live — high-energy horns and unapologetic low end. It’s loud, it’s playful, and it reflects the ‘dirty brass’ sound that’s become our identity.”

As the brass bass movement grows—thanks to predecessors like GRiZ, Big Gigantic, Kaptain, Defunk, and Willdabeast—Zhonk is positioning themselves at its next frontier. Their work bridges live performance with modern bass production at a moment when audiences are increasingly drawn to authenticity and hybrid sounds.

With SoulSmack set for release on November 28th, the duo is preparing for a new chapter—one that expands beyond Austin’s borders while staying rooted in the values that shaped them: joy, community, and emotional openness.

SoulSmack continues the duo’s collaborative relationship with Grand Alliance Music, an independent label known for supporting forward-thinking bass artists and hybrid electronic performers.

Zhonk ‘Soulsmack’ EP album artwork, photo by Garlic Party