Today we chat to Belgian-based producer blush, who has just released his latest single, 'Reckless'.
blush aka Daan Schepers works by day as a music producer, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Aluna (AlunaGeorge), Bazart, Warhola, J Lloyd and many more. This trained ear and attention to detail is easy to spot on the pulsating and probing 'Reckless', a relatively stripped-back yet colourful offering with an eclectic sonic palette that spans across a number of genres.
FLEX caught up with blush to find out five tracks he simply can't live without. Check it out below.
Frank Ocean — Nights
Or any other Frank Ocean track, really. I love everything about him, including his mysteriousness and the fact that he doesn’t care about marketing — or so it seems ;-). I never get tired of this song in particular: I keep discovering new elements over and over. My favorite part is the dissonant guitar part that drops into a sort of B-part of the song at the end. This unconventional choice gives me goosebumps every time.
Big Red Machine — Lyla
I discovered Bon Iver in 2009 via Myspace Transmission Sessions and got hooked ever since. His records and projects never fail to inspire me. Big Red Machine is perhaps my favorite Vernon side project, with Lyla being my number one track. The way the beat and vocal groove merge is absolutely incredible. Add the layered vocals and boom — fireworks. The collaboration between Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon results in something very unique, and I’m a huge fan.
Jai Paul — BTSTU
I remember first hearing this track and being completely blown away by it. I had never heard anything similar before, and to me it almost sounded like a broken record in a way. Sound usually inspires me more than lyrics, and BTSTU is a great example of that. Thanks to Jai Paul, I now feature side chain compression used as a rhythmic instrument in my own productions as well.
James Blake — Into The Red
Not even sure where to begin with James Blake. His productions are so unique and his voice always gives me the chills. His songwriting is unreal as well. In Into The Red I love the contrast between the intro part with strings and the part in which the beat drops. It almost feels like a lifeline that gets cut off and throws you into another dimension, all within one song. Goosebumps!
Radiohead — Codex
I’m a huge Radiohead fan in general so it’s hard to pick one particular song. When the album The King Of Limbs came out in 2011, I was 19 and got hooked right away. I remember listening to this album only for months — there was literally nothing else in my playlist. I really like the combination and balance between organic and electronic sound on this record, and especially on Codex. The subtle pulsating drum computer merged with acoustic piano is something I now often use myself. Best of both worlds!
Check out 'Reckless' below and keep up with blush's movements via Facebook here.