Shlump and Smoakland Can ‘Rock Like This,’ But Can You? [Exclusive Interview]

Well known for his vast basslines and intricate layering of sounds that continually tickle your neurons, Shlump has surely made his mark in the bass music community. On the road for his Alien Trip Tour, we had the pleasure to speak with him about his new single with Smoakland, “Rock Like This,” which premiered on Deadbeats on February 15th. We know you want to hear more about it, so let’s get into it!

Nix (Electric Hawk): How has the Alien Trip Tour been going? What has been a favorite memory from the tour so far?

Shlump: The whole tour has been going great. The shows have been doing very well, we sold out a bunch of different stops which is awesome! I have been able to bring some amazing homies out to open up for me. The whole experience has been so much fun. Some of my favorite memories were made during the big run where we rented a car and hit 6 different cities in 9 days. My manager came out for the run so did my VJ and cameraman; it was a blast getting to hit the road with them all.

N: Who made your tour art? It’s giving 80’s sci-fi alien comic book quest and I am HERE for it.

Shlump: Thank you! That was done by the very talented Thunderkor. He makes super rad comic book artwork.

N: Your new single with Smoakland, “Rock Like This,” comes out on February 15^th. How has the reaction been to it when you’ve played it on tour, and what was the creation process?

Shlump: Rock Like This goes off live. I love playing it out. It’s so energetic. Always gets the people moving. We made this tune shortly after meeting at a show. Smoakland sent me the initial idea and we just sent it back and forth a few times. The process was pretty smooth and for me, the ideas came out pretty quickly. I was able to build off what they sent me, and the track came together within a few weeks of back and forth.

N: What was something you learned from Smoakland during this process?

Shlump: They made some of the synths with Massive which I thought was tight. I used to use Massive all the time, so don’t be sleeping on Massive!

N: What other upcoming releases/tour dates/festivals are you excited about this year? Any teasers you can give us?

Shlump: I am very excited to finish the Alien Trip Tour strongly. Still have another 2 months or so of weekend shows. I am very excited about Beyond Wonderland this year as well. Gonna be rad to be back at The Gorge. I’ve got a bunch of exciting releases coming up this year. Some stuff with Deadbeats, WAKAAN, SSKWAN, and more. I’m also going to drop Stardust Vol. 3, the third in my mix series showcasing all original music, so stay tuned for that!

N: Coming from the Bay Area, how has that influenced your music?

Shlump: The Bay Area is an awesome spot for music. I used to go to tons of different shows throughout my years living in the Bay. I used to go to a bunch of death metal and punk shows back in my high school years and the Bay had a popping scene for that.

N: What is a venue you grew up going to that you dream of playing and why?

Shlump: I would love to play the UC Theater or the Fox Theater or the Shoreline Amp for a big one. They are just legendary spots. I love Bay Area rap music. I used to listen to so much Mac Dre and Nickatina.

N: Awesome! Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Shlump: I have a bunch of releases already planned for the year, so I don’t have pressure in the studio to write and release. I wrote a lot of new ideas for this tour so I really look forward to finishing these new ideas I’m sitting on. Think I have a possible album in the works so that is very exciting.

N: Thank you so much for making time to speak with me! I am very excited to see where this year takes you. Good luck with the rest of the tour!

“Rock Like This” equally and artfully combines the talents of both Shlump and Smokland. Their release on Deadbeats is truly fitting, as the bass not only wobbles, but is articulated and layered in its soundscape, creating an experience that has us rocking. Like. That.

Listen to “Rock Like This” by Shlump & Smoakland Below!

Find Tickets For The Alien Trip Tour HERE

Keep up with Shlump:
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Keep up with Smoakland:
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