CHAOS IN THE CBD Share New Single ‘Maintaining My Peace' Feat. Novelist And Stephanie Cooke

Scoop

27-04-2025

New Zealand-born, London-based electronic duo Chaos In The CBD have unveiled 'Maintaining My Peace', the latest track from their upcoming album featuring Grime MC Novelist and the legendary soul vocalist, Stephanie Cooke. Their debut album, A Deeper Life will arrive next month on May 9 via their own imprint, In Dust We Trust.
'Maintaining My Peace' is a heads down and introspective track that pays homage to classic West Coast rap through its raw, laid-back and soulful feel. Alongside the vocalists, Chaos In The CBD brought in the talents of Immanuel Simelane on bass and Alex Cosmo Blake on guitar to help capture that authentic G-funk texture. Speaking on the vocal collaborators, Chaos In The CBD explain:
'From the jump, it was clear the instrumental needed a voice like Nov's and he floated over it effortlessly. Novelist was first introduced to our music through his mum, and after we reached out, he sent us a voice note from LA saying he was keen to link up as soon as he got back to London. You'll hear that exact message at the very start of the track - a nod to the moment this journey began. There was something missing however - we needed a hook and we knew exactly who we had in mind. After a long search, we finally managed to get in touch with one of our all-time favourite soulful house vocalists, Stephanie Cooke. To our surprise and excitement, she was totally down to be part of it. Her vocals brought exactly the warmth and emotion the track needed - she was the cherry on top.'
Over the past decade, Chaos In The CBD, the brotherly production duo of Louis and Ben Helliker-Hales, have captivated global audiences with their spectral, jazz-inflected deep house sound. With over 100 million streams worldwide, the New Zealand-born artists are set to release their highly anticipated debut album, A Deeper Life next month. The 14 track LP marks a significant evolution in Chaos In The CBD's artistic journey: known for their signature sound epitomised by their breakout EP Midnight In Peckham on Rhythm Section, the duo's debut album unites live instrumentation and vocal collaborations, fusing together key musical influences such as Ambient, Soulful house, R&B, Jazz & Balearic into a melting pot of an epic journey that will surely become a future classic. If Midnight In Peckham was the duo's coming of age; then their debut album is Chaos In The CBD coming full circle. It features contributions from legendary figures such as Josh Milan of Blaze, Lee Pearson Jr., Stephanie Cooke and UK grime MC Novelist, among others.
Though they've been based in London for over a decade, Louis and Ben (aka Beans) have never stopped feeling at one with their homeland. A Deeper Life is nostalgic for their nature-filled youth, exploring the magical coastline and lush rainforest of New Zealand. 'The title refers to our childhood, which was idyllic,' says Ben. 'It was just the sun, the sand, the sea, waterfalls, birds and fish...' The result is an international dance sound that feels unmistakably like Chaos and ebbs and flows from the beach party to the club to the afterhours. 'It's laid-back but still driving at the same time; it's club ready, but still deep,' Ben explains. It's also distinctly Balearic: The brothers found a particular affinity with 90s Ibiza chillout music, being from such a 'chill place' themselves. 'In its own way, New Zealand is incredibly Balearic, but without the party side' says Ben.
For Chaos In The CBD, A Deeper Life is more than an album—it's a celebration of their roots, their community, and their enduring bond as brothers. 'This is a love letter to home and the feeling of being within nature,' says Louis. 'It's also an ode to a slower pace of life.' The album is an invitation to journey through their world: from the beaches of New Zealand to the heart of London's dancefloors, and everywhere in between. A Deeper Life is set to be both a club-ready triumph and a reflective escape for listeners worldwide.
Chaos In The CBD will play two headline shows in Manchester and London during album release week, general sale tickets are on sale now.