Harvey from Prospa suspends his tour due to severe hearing damage

Alarm in the booth: hearing health slows down Prospa

The demanding pace of international tours has taken a new toll on the electronic scene. Harvey Blumler, one half of the acclaimed British duo Prospa, has announced his temporary withdrawal from the stage due to critical medical complications in his ears. Through an official statement issued on July 2nd on the group's Instagram profile, the Leeds-born artist confirmed that he has been dealing with two perforated eardrums and various severe ear infections for six weeks.

This drastic decision highlights a recurring problem in the clubbing industry. As Blumler himself explained, continuing to perform during this last month and a half prevented his ears from healing properly. After consulting with a medical specialist, the instruction was clear: stop live activity immediately and take absolute rest to preserve his long-term hearing capacity.

The immediate future of the tour and the role of Gosha Smith

Despite this tough setback, the Prospa machinery will not stop. Guiorgi "Gosha" Smith, the other fundamental pillar of the project, will take full control of the mixing desk in a solo format to fulfill all acquired commitments. The duo is at a peak moment in their career following the June release of their long-awaited debut album "FREE YOUR MIND" via the prestigious label CircoLoco Records. This eleven-track LP, which features collaborations from figures like Cloonee and KETTAMA, has consolidated their status by fusing classic house, hard-hitting techno, and the unmistakable echoes of 90s UK rave.

The summer calendar for the project is one of the most demanding of the season. Gosha will be in charge of representing the Prospa sound at iconic residencies like Circoloco at the legendary club DC-10 in Ibiza, as well as on the stage of the massive Awakenings Festival in the Netherlands. In addition, they will maintain their coveted support for the South Korean artist Peggy Gou at the Old Royal Naval College in London and their imminent participation in the Audio Obscura festival in Rotterdam.

It breaks my heart to have to be away, but I must let my ears heal if I want to continue. Please give Gosha all the love and appreciation he deserves for his hard work.

— Harvey Blumler

Forced silence as a warning for the contemporary scene

Blumler's indefinite pause, which the artist hopes can be resolved after about four weeks away from the monitors, has generated a wave of solidarity in the musical ecosystem. Professional colleagues like Dom Dolla were quick to show their public support, reminding everyone that acoustic damage is a ghost that constantly haunts those who make a living from mixing. In fact, this is not an isolated case this season. Just a few weeks ago, the renowned producer Purple Disco Machine was also forced to cancel a block of his tour due to episodes of severe tinnitus and acute hearing loss.

These consecutive incidents open an urgent and necessary debate about the health conditions of DJs. Constant exposure to extremely high sound pressure levels (SPL) in often poorly conditioned booths, added to the chronic fatigue derived from endless international flights, is pushing artists to the limit of their physical endurance. The electronic music industry must seriously rethink hearing protection protocols, the quality of in-ear monitoring, and rest times between performances, before acoustic trauma becomes an irreversible epidemic that ends up silencing the groove of its greatest talents.

Sources Consulted