Deep groovy phat production combined with soulful vocals, eclectic rap verses and lush keys. Just drive. It is a magical sunset ride.
Read our discussion with Shuko.
Describe your sound in 3 words
Vintage Vibe Lover
Tell us a few things about Sunset Ride. What is the story behind it?
I have been working for a long time with Sarah on different tracks the past years and was really hoping she is getting back to her artist roots rather than songwriting for others because she got that r&b 90s touch and feel in her voice. Beginn of this year I started with the beat idea together with Basti (Crazy Keyboarder and Producer of Kanye etc. too) and when the layout was ready I immediately heard Sarah on this one. I always try to do collaborations with artists and bring unknown and established artists together and since I am a big fan of Casey Veggies I asked if he is doing that feature for „Sunset Ride“. Voila
Favorite artist you wish you could work with?
I had the fortune that I worked with a-lot the artists I love and grew up with. But for sure Adele, Frank Ocean, Nas, Tyler The Creator, Stevie Wonder are some of, I would love to spend some time in the studio with.
If you had to choose between a Fender Rhodes piano and a Steinway Grand piano, which one would you pick?
Definitely a Fender Rhodes, love that tone of a Fender and with some pedals you can add on a whole different world.
You have produced records for iconic artists. Could you share with us a funny story which happened during one of these collaborations?
There are too many, but always love the story of my first session in 2004 when I worked with JMT in the chuck king studios on some heavy underground stuff, real grimmy and we have been on this hip hop mood and then you went out from the studio room to get something to eat and meeting Ricky Martin and christina aguilera in that chill area of the studio, that was really weird.
Needless to say that the groove in Sunset Ride is splendid. But tell us a song with a groovy drop you wish you had composed yourself.
I’m a big fan of Mac Miller´s „Dang“ but also the second Daft Punk Album or the first Justice Album are pieces of great music with a groovy bounce I totally love.
If you could change anything about the music industry, what would it be?
Oh that would be a long list, there are a lot of shady things in that music business going on. Would love to see songwriters getting paid when they are doing sessions. Would love to see streaming services pay a big amount more to songwriters. (I know there already have been a little more lately but still not enough to make a living out of a 100mio streamed song). Major Labels change their 80/20 model to a fair 50/50 model. The streaming services would payout their publishing royalties straight to the artist rather than societies that are not able to get the big amount of data in the right place. A big wish would also be that a&r´s stop talking too much about productions and taking direction on the music side. It’s unfortunately the time right now that skills or talent isn’t needed to have big numbers, if you know how to work social media in your favor you have a career.
From which beach, anywhere on the planet, we should dance to Sunset Ride?
Definitely Pirate Cove´s Beach in Malibu
Thank you!
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