From Vinyl to Viral: Inside the Sound World of Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn

It all started in a sweaty youth club, spinning grime, drum and bass, and early dubstep vinyls.

From those early teenage sessions, Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn began producing their own music, gradually building a fanbase over thirteen years.

Today, they’re not only making waves on the UK Viral Top 20 with their breakout track, ‘My Size’, but also shaping soundscapes for brands like Old El Paso.

We spoke to Harvey about his dual life as a touring musician and commercial sound designer at Covert, the creative lessons he’s learned along the way, and why understanding both worlds makes him a sought-after collaborator.

LBB> Let’s start at the beginning — what first drew you into music and composition, and how did that evolve into a career in sound design?

Harvey> I entered music at a young age, my early teens, DJing at a local youth club. We would cram into a sweatbox room and play vinyls of grime, early-dubstep and drum and bass for hours every week. From there I started to produce my own music, making hip-hop under Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn. As a result of being active in the local music scene, I was able to get a job as a sound editor, where I began my career in post-production, and ultimately, in sound design for ads. That youth club produced a lot of talent who went on to commercial success. It is now a block of flats.

LBB> You and Frankie have been making music together for a while now as Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn — when did that partnership begin, and how has your sound evolved since those early days?

Harvey> We have been making music for over 13 years now, which feels insane to me to even write down. I think building our fanbase so gradually and organically over time has allowed us to grow as people alongside it, and not get wiped out by scaling too fast.

Our sound has evolved a lot over the years – when we first started as kids we were real UK hip-hop heads, and my production style was probably more derivative. I quickly found my own style and we are still all this time later constantly trying to find different ways to express cross-genre music while staying true to our sound.

LBB> Massive congrats on ‘My Size’ breaking into the Top 20 Viral! What does this milestone mean to you both, and how does it feel to see the track resonate on such a scale?

Harvey> It's been awesome to see this song do the numbers and rounds on social media the amount that it has. We have sometimes been pretty reserved on our social presence, but getting ‘My Size’ out there properly across TikTok has ultimately resulted in tens of millions of native views on their app. We may be late to the party (maybe our age shows here) but it's been eye opening to work with these companies.

LBB> You’ve toured the world, played Glastonbury, and now you’re also creating sound for brands like Old El Paso. How do you balance life as an artist and a commercial sound designer?

Harvey> A great question and one I think we all wish we were better at! Life can be very hectic, but I am a person who loves to work and be busy doing things I love. I think the most important thing for me is being dynamic in your life and allowing things to chop and change. Alan Watts talks about how to prioritise 'rhythm' (a flow and pace that changes continually) over routine (forced control of uncontrollable things) and I like to always come back to that when things feel full-on.

LBB> Is there much crossover between your two worlds — does your work in advertising influence your music, or vice versa?

Harvey> I think they are very different but also very similar worlds. They use different parts of my brain in some ways, but they both make my ear better for the next project. My work in sound design has made me an infinitely better mixer in music, and allowed me to communicate my ideas in an easier fashion.

LBB> At Covert, you’re surrounded by filmmakers and creatives constantly pushing boundaries. How does that environment shape your approach to composition and sound?

Harvey> The innovative edge that Covert brings was something that drew me in straight away. In today's world, every day is a new chance to improve the way we work, and being part of such an agile, fast moving move team totally matches my ethos.

LBB> Finally, for brands and agencies thinking about their next project — what’s the advantage of working with someone who lives and breathes both the commercial and artist sides of sound?

Harvey> Regardless of if you are offering both music and sound on a project, or just one of them, I think it is incredibly beneficial to have a proper understanding of both worlds. In sound design, I think understanding the context of the music is paramount, and vice-versa. They should always be in harmony, and never pull in different directions. Someone who knows how that works can be a great asset on an ad.