Monkey shoulder goes stratospheric with new track

Whisky brand Monkey Shoulder is kicking off the summer season by launching a music track and video – as well as sending a bottle of whisky into space – to raise money for the live music sector.

It has partnered with global electronic artist and master of beat blending A-Skillz, vocalist Gizelle Smith, and DJ Krafty Kuts on Lit Up, which it calls “the ultimate ‘welcome back’ soundtrack, with a catchy hook and funky house sound”.

As part of the project, Monkey Shoulder sent a bottle of its Original Blended Malt Whisky into space on a weather balloon, which was filmed and then turned into the music video for the track Proceeds from the track and video, which is available to stream and download, will benefit the Music Venue Trust, a UK charity that supports the hard-hit music industry.

It is the latest in the Monkey Mixes series; an initiative created by Monkey Shoulder to support DJs around the world during what has been – and continues to be – a challenging time for the industry. During lockdown Monkey Mixes supported DJs financially by paying them to create a range of unique and bespoke DJ mixes while clubs, bars and music venues were closed. However, even though venues are open, the financial impact is still being felt, the company said.

A-Skillz and Krafty Kuts said: “Lockdown was a hard time for musicians, so we wanted to take music, and Monkey Shoulder, to new heights – literally.”

Monkey Shoulder also has a new serve, the Space Jam Sour; a summery mix of Monkey Shoulder, fresh lemon juice, raspberry jam, and soda water to create a refreshing serve.