Vinyl-junkie and Munich based producer Blockboy just released his debut as a solo artist. ‘Heartbox’, which will be released as a limited collector’s vinyl edition (of course!) as well as a Download edition, is the start of a trilogy of topically defined EPs, that showcase his incredibly wide spectrum. To put a label on Blockboy’s sound is not easy, since he moves between Ambient, Dubstep, HipHop, BigBeat and Funk – always enhanced by an affection for detailed samples of vinyl treasures.
Blockboy, what does the release of your first EP mean to you?
Emotionally, this release means a lot to me. I can finally close the chapter ‘Heartbox’ and I am free to focus on new songs and projects. A new blank canvas, in a way!
What do you expect from this release?
A golden cookie, sprinkled with diamond dust! No, I knew right from the start, that this record would be a collector’s item. That is why it’s limited to 300 copies. Financially, we’d already be satisfied , if we cover the expenses of production. Of course, we’re happy about every additional Euro…Personally, the release is one step further for my career as an artist, and I hope it will bring the opportunities for new features.
Why did you name the EP ‘Heartbox’?
Very simple: it is a little piece of my heart!
What are your favorite songs?
That is constantly changing…my personal favorites at the moment are ‘Survive’ and ‘the Hornet’.
How do you create a song?
In the beginning, there always is an idea, like a significant loop, a guitar riff, a bass line or a lyric line. Around these fragments, I start to create the song. Depending on the song, I collaborate with different vocalists. Frequently, I just sample vocal parts from old soul records, that then provide the vocals, or it simply remains an instrumental track. That varies depending on the idea. In some cases I write the lyrics myself, in other cases the lyrics are created by the vocalists.
What artists are your main influence?
That varies a lot. I’d like to think, that I’m not influenced too much by what I’m listening to. But retrospectively, I notice how much your creativity is influenced by your environment. The list of artists is very long, but to spontaneously name a few: The Beatles, Flying Lotus, Guts, Flako, The Rolling Stones, Robert Johnson, Otis Redding…
Who would you like to collaborate with?
The problem is, most of the people I’d like to work with, are already dead for 40 years. Nowadays, if I had the choice there’d be many: Jeru The Damaja, Roots Manuva or Beenie Manâ but if I really could choose freely, it would probably be Cee-Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley.
Do you listen to your own music?
Yes, about a million times, while I’m mixing and producing…and that’s really enough! After a hard day’s work, I would never think about taking the EP off the shelf, sitting on the couch and listening to the record. Maybe I will do so in 5 years…But I’m very glad when I hear my song on the radio. Then, I actually am really proud.
What do you think about the development of HipHop?
I think, HipHop imploded. HipHop pimped itself to death, at least the popular version of HipHop. ‘Our next record will be even fatter!’- the standard phrase of every HipHop crew on this Planet. And at some point you reach a limit! When whole sets of orchestra are competing with huge synthi-sounds…only to finally be suffocated by a rap verse… if you heard it all before, even to all limits of genres…then you can say, the genre is finally established. HipHop is not dead. HipHop is simply finished. You should now take this genre as it is and start reinterpreting it!
What’s up next?
I have plans for two more Vinyl EPs, because I really have a lot of unfinished tracks of very different styles – soon, I’m going to work on them. But now, I grant myself a phase of totally free creativity, simply being open again, without structures and deadlines. Just creating sound – no mixing, arranging, writing, just playing around!
