Shlohmo interview
HUCK speaks with the San Francisco based producer about his futuristic hip hop creations and love of skateboarding.
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Henry Laufer aka Shlohmo* is a young producer on the rise. The 21-year-old bedroom beat maker is a current favourite of Radio 1 DJ Mary Anne Hobbs and his debut album, Shlomoshun Deluxe, is drawing some favourable comparisons with Flying Lotus and Samiyam.
Best keep an eye out for him on both sides of the Atlantic in the upcoming months.
*Not to be confused with UK beatboxer Shlomo.
HUCK: How did you get into producing your own music?
Shlohmo: I started DJing when I was 15, then one thing just lead to another. I've always been into music, though not necessarily hip hop or electronic music. I played guitar and then bass for a while before I started DJing.
What instruments and programs do you use?
Right now, pretty much all of my instrumental abilities are total shit. I have no real idea what the fuck I'm doing with most instruments. I just kinda feel it out and play what I like to hear and what I think sounds good together. I’ve been using Ableton mostly to compose and record everything and I'll use Reason for some synth sounds.
How do you go about building a track?
It's always different. I rarely start out with a specific intent, so it always turns out different than how it sounds in the beginning. I just kinda vibe it out, work with the sounds, try and make it sound whole. It always sounds different depending on my thoughts or my mood at the time, you know?
What artists were you listening to that made you want to start creating your own music?
A whole lot of everything. I guess in terms of electronic music, Amon Tobin and DJ Shadow had a big influence early on. But I'm also really inspired by everything I hear. My dad had me listening to stuff like Captain Beefheart and Tom Waits, just really unorthodox approaches to what we consider music. I think it's the weirder stuff that really inspired me and opened up my head the most.
I read somewhere that you were really into skateboarding...
Yeah, I’ve been skating for 11 years now. Damn, over half my life.
Flip recently got a drum and bass producer called Baron to make the soundtrack for
Extremely Sorry. Would you ever consider doing a similar kind of project?
Oh damn, I hadn't heard about that. Yeah, it'd be real dope to make a soundtrack for a skate video.
Where are your favourite skate spots in San Francisco?
I have the most fun skating parking lots or random bush gaps or whatever. Although I do live right next to that famous San Francisco spot, the three long ass steps that everyone uses as a manny pad in front of the old Armory. It's a porn castle now. They call it 'The Kink Factory'.
What can we expect from Shlohmo this year?
I’m working on a 12" for the Error Broadcast dudes, hopefully out this summer, an LP for Friends of Friends, a bunch of remixes and then hopefully a lot of shows here and there. Look out for Wedidit!
Shlomoshun Deluxe is out now via Friends of Friends.
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