Jack Flora Wants “Riptide” to Remind You to Make It Count

“Riptide” started outdoors. Jack Flora was surrounded by nature, listening to Zeds Dead’s latest album, when he began thinking about the kind of record he wanted to make next: something with the scale of mainstage dubstep, but still unmistakably his own. Released October 2 as a self-release, the result blends melodic dubstep with touches of future bass, pairing larger-than-life energy with the cinematic and melodic qualities that define his sound.

That combination reflects the artists who helped shape his musical direction. Flume, Skrillex and Zeds Dead remain major influences, particularly because of their ability to move across genres while maintaining a distinct identity. Rather than trying to recreate their music, “Riptide” became an opportunity to take inspiration from that sense of scale and bring it into his own world.

Behind that creative approach is a much more personal philosophy shaped by his younger brother Jack, who passed away at 15. He had cerebral palsy and was quadriplegic, yet Flora remembers him as someone who was always smiling despite being unable to do many of the everyday things most people take for granted. Flora was 17 at the time, and the experience left him with a lasting lesson: time is limited, so following your passions and doing what you love matters.

That mindset eventually pushed him deeper into music. After years of wanting to understand how originals and remixes were made, he enrolled at Icon Collective College of Music, an experience he says helped shape him into the artist he is today. Another major turning point came in 2019, when he attended Illenium’s throwback set at Red Rocks, his first-ever EDM show. By the end of that night, he knew music was what he wanted to pursue.

The connection between music, nature and community continues to influence where he wants the project to go. Electric Forest sits at the top of his festival wish list after becoming the first camping festival he attended and immediately falling in love with the environment. Behind the decks, he brings that same enthusiasm physically, describing himself as a big dancer during sets and believing that if he wants the crowd to move, he should be moving too.

Outside music, creativity still plays a major role through photography and videography, while winters often find him teaching snowboarding in Park City. He comes from a large family with five sisters and two brothers, and his listening extends beyond bass music as well, with Dominic Fike currently in heavy rotation and “White Keys” standing out as a favorite.

There is already more on the way. Upcoming collaborations with Swell Times are in progress, while Flora is also building an EP for 2027 that he believes contains his strongest music yet. For now, “Riptide” carries a simple message: give everything you have to whatever you are doing and make it count. That intention follows the philosophy behind his music as a whole: lean into the emotion. If the art can make someone feel something, then it has done its job.