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Exclusive Interview: Meet Slowpalace
What first drew you into music production?
I was initially drawn into music production in late 2015 when I became more exposed to newer, budding genres of electronic music. I particularly remember discovering San Holo around this time, and listening to his song “Victory”, and being absolutely blown away by what I was listening to. It was at this point that I became more interested in music production, and started to dive headfirst into producing.
You are one of the best up and coming producers/remixers we have encountered on the Internet! And your latest “Death Meadow” remix is one of our all time favorites. How do you know if a song is a good candidate for a remix? Also, what is your creative process like when making a remix?
Thank you so much! That remix has been one of my favorites that I’ve made so far. When deciding what song to remix, I only choose songs that I can easily connect and vibe with. If I can’t enjoy the song, then remixing it is absolutely out of the question. The creative process I go through when remixing includes retaining an original element or stem of the song, and trying to immerse that element into my own world. My intention is to always create a new kind of emotion or vibe that allows the listener to somehow connect my remix to the original song.
Your original Sakura is another great example of how capable you are as a producer! The mixing is on point and the melodies/ideas are out of this world! Could you tell us more about your studio setup and some of your favorite plugins?
Sakura is one of my favorites as well, I particularly love how simple the song is, it was so fun to make.
My studio setup is pretty straightforward. I use Ableton Live 10 as my DAW, a Scarlett 2i2 interface, a pair of KRK Rokit 5 monitors, and Sony MDR-7506 headphones. I produce almost exclusively on the Sony headphones, I’ve just gotten so used to it. My favorite plugins would be stock Ableton plugins, Fabfilter Pro-R, Pro-MB, Pro-L2, iZotope Ozone 8, T-Racks 5, Omnisphere, Sylenth, and Serum. Besides this, I own a Japanese Fender Telecaster that I sometimes use to write melodies and chord progressions.
Your signature sound reminds us of the sound of some of the greatest Future Bass/Electronic producers in the world (Flux Pavilion, RL Grime, etc). How did you manage to achieve such a professional sound in such a short time? Can you tell us more about your musical background?
I think my ability to achieve a more refined and polished sound came from the amount of hours I’ve put into producing so far. Practice is the only way you’ll become a better producer, no question. I also attended a mentorship program a while ago that taught me mixing and how to be more proficient at Ableton. Besides this, most of my production journey has been self-taught and through sheer trial and error; figuring out what works and what doesn’t. My personal philosophy along with so many other producers is if it sounds good, then it is good.
Although my production experience has barely reached 3 years, my background in music goes way back. I began playing guitar at the age of 9, and grew to become obsessed with bands such as blink-182, A Day To Remember, and Taking Back Sunday. Before I discovered producing, all I did was write songs on my guitar and learn every song of my favorite bands. I was also writing music and playing guitar in different bands before I decided to really hone in on my own production.
You have only started putting up music on Soundcloud a year ago and you are already getting tens of thousands of views! How does it feel to receive such a warm welcome from the community?
It honestly feels so great and fulfilling knowing that there are actually people out there listening to my music. It’s something that I will never, ever take for granted. There are so many beautiful, budding communities, collectives, and labels on Soundcloud that I look forward to contributing to. This is just the start of my journey, and it’s only going to get better from here.
What are your goals for 2019? Any upcoming projects we can get excited about?
I have an EP coming out on Hybrid Trap on October 23 titled Numb. It’ll be quite different from everything I’ve released so far, so be on the lookout for that. Besides that, you can expect more original music and remixes from me to close off 2018.
My goal for 2019 is simple: be myself. Sticking to my artistic vision and refining my sound is how I’ll be able to stay unique and differentiate myself from other producers. I recently changed my name from Thorns to Slowpalace, which was a step in the right direction for me in following the vision I have for my music. I hope people will be able to see what I bring to the table in the coming years.
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