Ambient Beats Reign Supreme in this Exclusive Mix from Shallou

Joe Boston, who makes music as Shallou, has just re-released his debut EP After – showcasing a taste for ambient electronica tones. Celebrating the release, Shallou has provided an exclusive mix to THUMP on FBi Click – also sitting down with presenter Antonia Guaci for a chat. Check out the mix below, and scope the tracklist after the interview.

THUMP:

Playing shows is only a new thing right – Shallou is just one year old?

Shallou:

Correct. We've been doing shows lately with a live drummer, I'm singing and playing keys live, and my friend Emilio (Mishegas on Soundcloud) has been playing drum pads and triggering samples etc. But this one that we just did was more of a DJ set. We're interested in doing more of those. They're really fun.

Shallou is solely your project?
Yeah it's just me producing the tracks. I kind of try different things and take risks when I'm working alone. This past year I've been making whatever kind of comes into my head, so that's resulted in a juxtaposition of a ton of different styles. I think Shallou bridges experimental electronic beats music with soul music elements, and a little bit of pop at times. I have an easier time writing in the format of soul melodies.

Does soul influence you a lot? And your location – you just moved from New Orleans to Chicago?
My two biggest influences for Shallou are probably Gold Panda and James Blake, so I combine the elements of those two. New Orleans just has this raw energy that any musician needs to experience. It's inspiring in that way, and it taught me to use my voice more as an instrument. But since I've moved to Chicago I've gotten a lot more into House music, and all those classic house tracks have soul vocalists. It just works so well with electronic!

Are you a multi instrumentalist?
I'm definitely strongest on vocals and keys, but I dabble in guitar and bass as well. I come from a family of intense music lovers – My dad is all about music discovery. He was playing me Radiohead and Wilco when I was a little kid, I grew up listening to the bends a lot, and all my cousins played instruments. I wanted to be cool like them so I picked up guitar and bass, and started getting vocal lessons, which were encouraged by my mother.

What have you been listening to recently/since the move?
I've been educating myself on Frankie Knuckles and have been loving the new Jamie xx which is heavily influence by all that stuff. I'm in love with the Australian music scene right now, it's exploding! Tame Impala, and then all the Future Classic stuff. I've also found all these amazing artists like MTMBO and Dylan Stark (who's in the mix) while digging on SoundCloud - I'm a SoundcCoud junkie.

So what have you got coming up in the future?
We're doing a re-release EP in October and then shooting for 5 brand new babies in Jan, plus some new vocal features/collabs, remixes, and I don't know what else! Unexpected opportunities have been coming up, so just going with the flow!

Tracklist:

Shallou - Surface
Mome - Cosmopolitan
Floating Points - Truly
Teedra Moses - Your Girl (Kaytra Edition)
SG Lewis - Shivers (HONNE Remix)
(Unreleased Shallou)
George Fitzgerald - Full Circle (Bonobo Remix)
Teebs - Shoouss Lullaby (Shallou Edit)
(Unreleased Shallou)
Dylan Stark – Ashen
Sun Glitters - Mouth (Shigeto Remix)
Gold Panda - Marriage (Baths Remix)
Fort Romeau - Cloche
Jamie xx/Heron - I'll Take Care of You
Ta-ku - Long Time No See (Ekali Edit)
T-E-E-D - Critisize
Shallou - Years
HEALTH - Before Tigers (Gold Panda Remix)
Ghostape - I Feel Your Soul
Just Kiddin - Thinking About it (Bearcubs edit)
Jacques Greene - No Excuse
Kenton Slash Demon – Harpe
Shallou - After

Antonia Gauci presents THUMP on FBi Click.