FML Music Spotlight: BrokinPaper

There is an unmistakable New York tension running through BrokinPaper’s music. Dark, restless and built for movement, his sound pulls from the city without attempting to romanticize it. Industrial textures collide with electronic rhythms, flashes of UK garage and heavier bass, creating music that can feel equally at home in a packed club or against the visual language of a fashion film.

BrokinPaper is the creative alias of New York City native Harrison Lee, whose approach to electronic music has always extended beyond sound alone. His tracks are atmospheric and highly visual, shaped by the environments and energy surrounding him. That sensibility has increasingly positioned BrokinPaper at an intersection where New York’s music, nightlife and fashion communities naturally overlap.

In 2026, that world began expanding quickly. Billboard Dance named BrokinPaper its Up-and-Coming Artist of the Month, while his work has received support from figures including Timbaland and Rezz. A DJ mix for Rezz’s HypnoVizion on Apple Music further introduced his sound to a wider electronic audience, while his May single “Damage” landed across Spotify editorial playlists including Bass Arcade, All New Dance and Club Culture. By July, he was behind the decks at HÖR Berlin, bringing the project from New York into one of electronic music’s most recognizable international platforms.

“Damage” offered a particularly clear introduction to where BrokinPaper is headed. Aggressive without sacrificing atmosphere, the track pushes UK garage energy against industrial bass and darker electronic production. It is a combination that has become increasingly characteristic of his work: music engineered for physical impact, but with enough texture and mood to create a world around it.

Fashion has become another natural extension of that world. After attending Gucci’s Cruise 2027 show in New York, BrokinPaper DJed the Gucci after-party, placing his sound inside one of the season’s major fashion moments. His presence within that space has continued beyond the DJ booth. His track “66023C” appeared in a global ZARA campaign, while his music has also crossed into television with a placement on the 2026 series M.I.A.

Rather than treating these worlds as separate lanes, BrokinPaper moves between them with an understanding that contemporary electronic music is as much about environment as it is genre. A club set, runway soundtrack, campaign or screen placement can each become a different setting for the same sonic identity. It is an approach that feels particularly connected to New York, where music, fashion, art and nightlife have long existed in constant conversation with one another.

That connection to the city remains central. Following his 2026 headline show at Trans-Pecos in Ridgewood, BrokinPaper continues to build his project from within the same New York ecosystem that first informed it. The scale may be changing, but the foundation remains distinctly local: darker rooms, restless streets, unexpected collisions and a city that rarely allows anything to remain still for long.

For FML Music Spotlight, FML caught up with BrokinPaper in the busy, vibrant streets of Manhattan’s Chinatown, a fitting backdrop for an artist whose work is so closely tied to the rhythm of New York. Against the neighborhood’s movement, color and constant exchange, Harrison Lee sat down with FML to talk about the evolution of BrokinPaper, the visual world behind his music, his relationship with the city and what comes next.

FML: BrokinPaper feels deeply connected to New York, both sonically and visually. How has growing up in the city shaped the way you approach electronic music?

BP: Growing up in New York City and being around such a diverse city and community exposed me to many cultures, and music, too—there were a lot of sounds coming out NYC at the time that were so innovative, but still grounded in that New York energy. I started producing rap beats in high school, but wanted to create more than just a track for another artist; I wanted to make something that felt like its own entity, its own world. As I experimented across different genres, I started leaning more into darker, minimal, and industrial sounds, while still staying true to that New York energy.

FML: Your music moves between club energy and something much darker and more cinematic. When you begin a track, are you thinking first about how it sounds, how it feels, or even what it looks like?

BP: When starting a new track, I try to visualize the setting or the message behind it first. Sometimes it’s a certain concept unrelated to music, and I try to imagine what that concept ‘sounds’ like. In that way, I’m able to express my own interpretations of abstract concepts and feelings, and also use the album artwork to convey them visually. I like choosing abstract concepts because it allows listeners to form their own interpretations of the art. More recently, I’ve been creating tracks specifically designed to be played in a DJ set, as part of my album FUNCTION OVER FORM, which focuses on functionality—tracks that lean a bit more industrial and are more purposeful to hit in the club.

FML: “Damage” became a major moment for you this year, landing across several Spotify editorial playlists. What did that track represent for you creatively, and what was it like seeing it connect with a wider audience?

BP: “Damage” is the first song I’ve released that leans most heavily into bass music, and it was the first track I completed as a part of FUNCTION OVER FORM. It was designed to be abrupt and simple, but still have enough complexity to make it interesting. Seeing it connect with listeners was incredible, because it marks a slight shift in the BrokinPaper sound that I am excited to unveil.

FML: Getting a co-sign from Timbaland is a major moment for any producer. What did that recognition mean to you, especially at this stage in your career?

BP: Receiving support from Timbaland was incredibly validating, especially because I feel the music I make is sonically different from a lot of traditional EDM or electronic music out there. Having a successful producer like Timbaland endorse my work was very encouraging—it showed me that the music resonates not only with fans of electronic music, but with listeners outside of that world as well.

FML: From creating a mix for REZZ’s HypnoVizion to playing HÖR Berlin, your music is increasingly reaching audiences beyond New York. What have those experiences shown you about the growing reach of BrokinPaper?

BP: I feel truly blessed and honored to be able to share not only the art I make, but also to showcase my music in the context of a set, giving viewers an idea of what it would be like to come to a performance. Just like in my songs, I try to make sure there are special ‘moments’ in my sets that cut through and create sounds that are memorable and exciting.

FML: Fashion has become an interesting extension of your work, from attending Gucci Cruise 2027 to DJing the GucciCore after-party and having “66023C” featured in a global ZARA campaign. What draws you to the relationship between fashion and electronic music?

BP: I didn’t purposefully create music initially to align with fashion, but I can see the link between my sound and the high-fashion world. A number of my songs carry a feeling of confidence and determination that can translate into the same emotions one might feel on the runway. I think it’s incredible that the music resonates with other creatives and it’s a testament to how music can become something bigger than just a song.

FML: Your music has also moved into television, including a placement on M.I.A. How does hearing your work attached to someone else’s visual world differ from experiencing it in a club setting?

BP: Seeing my work live in someone else’s world is what I love about releasing art—watching how someone else can interpret what you’ve created in a different way is a truly amazing thing to me.

FML: You recently headlined Trans-Pecos in Ridgewood. New York’s electronic scene is incredibly diverse and constantly evolving. How would you describe the creative community surrounding electronic music in the city right now?

BP: There’s always something happening in NYC, which I think is what makes the scene here so interesting and complex. If you want to start something new, you can; or if you want to meet other like-minded creatives, you can do that too—you just have to find them. For me, that constant motion and variety is what keeps the city’s electronic community so inspiring to be part of.

FML: There’s a strong sense of world-building around BrokinPaper. Beyond the music itself, what do you want people to associate with the name, visually, emotionally, or culturally?

BP: When people think of ‘BrokinPaper’ as a concept, I hope they understand where the music comes from. I love that the energy of my upbringing is audible in my sound, and that listeners are able to make their own assumptions about what I embed into the art. Because I enjoy and make music across varying genres, I hope that when people think of ‘BrokinPaper’, they don’t know exactly what to expect—but also, in a sense, they do.

FML: 2026 has already brought fashion, television, international sets, and growing recognition for your music. As you look ahead, what are you most excited to explore next with BrokinPaper?

BP: I’m excited for my next batch of releases to drop because they’re a direct response to my experiences DJing, and they explore the concept of being ‘functional.’ They embrace the BrokinPaper sound while placing an emphasis on creating unique moments that can cut through a DJ set in a club. I’m also excited to play more shows.

BrokinPaper continues to carve out a space entirely his own, bringing together electronic music, fashion and the energy of New York City. With FUNCTION OVER FORM on the horizon, Harrison Lee is entering an exciting new chapter, one that builds naturally on everything he has created so far.

As his music reaches new audiences and new spaces, BrokinPaper remains rooted in curiosity, experimentation and a strong sense of identity. For Lee, there is plenty more to come.

BrokinPaper’s #FMLFaves

Favorite Song: Height — MexikoDro
Favorite Movie: Lord of the Rings
Favorite Dish: Katsu Curry
What’s in your bag?: USBs, headphones, lighter, Gentle Monster sunglasses

Photography: Reinhardt Kenneth ( @reinhardtkenneth )

Muse: BrokinPaper ( @brokinpaper )

Lighting Director: Luis Lopez ( @luisisnotthatstupid )

Digitech & Photographer’s Assistant: Deki Namgyal ( @itsdekibaby )