After presenting Damacha’s TuHaoJin opus last year, SVBKVLT links up with another Shanghai fixture. Approved by the Based God, Lil B, and hip streetwear company/indie label Mishka, the ultra-mysterious Swimful unleashes his newest EP PM2.5.
On PM.2.5...
These are mainly tracks when I moved to Shanghai after I started DJing. A lot of my older stuff is relaxing and textured headphone music. The new stuff is more dancefloor oriented, due to the fact that I was DJing and wanted something that I was play when I was DJing. It’s retained a lot of the same stuff of the old stuff but it’s much more dance floor ready.
On his sonic evolution...
When I first moved here I was listening to a lot of different stuff. So I would play footwork, some drum n bass, grime - that whole range. As I got more into the grime stuff, that dominates my sets, but I still play a lot of old hip hop stuff and I still love that stuff. In terms of production, that’s where I come from. On PM2.5, [developing that sound] was step by step, but it felt natural. The stuff I was playing out DJing was feeding into the sound that I was producing.
On moving to Shanghai...
I was studying music in London and after my second year, it was my priority to move to Shanghai. I wanted to make music here and I find Shanghai a really good place for inspiration. I was lucky that I met Damacha basically the first day I moved here. We met through Soundcloud and Twitter, then things moved quickly. I was playing C’s and getting a couple things at DADA and LOgO, then I started getting offering stuff at The Shelter. It happened fast but it was at the back of my mind.
At the moment, it's an interesting junction because there’s quiet a few artists commited to the scene and who are making stuff that’s on an international level - it’s not just good for Shanghai, anymore. It’s stuff that’s genuinely good.
On opening for artists that you're fans of, like Slakk...
It’s always really nerve wracking. Obviously you’re a fan so you want them to dig what you do, but I wasn’t really really nervous, but it’s constantly in the back of your mind that a person known for dodging different styles is there listening to your mix, so you have to be on point. But it was really good. Slackk was a really nice guy and in the end it went really well.
On how Chinese sounds influence him...
I’ve made a couple tracks that are Chinese club cuts, but they haven’t been released yet. I’m interested in doing more of that stuff because Damacha's TuHaoJin was just great for what it was referencing in modern Chinese culture - it was cleverly made and very well produced album.
On working with Lil B...
He’s funny when he replies to e-mails because he always makes massive typos. Basically you know whether he’s going to use one of your tracks by his response. If he writes ‘dope beat’ you knew he was going to use it. But every single time, it would be like jumbled up, most typoed thing you will ever see.
On future shows...
I have another show in Tokyo soon and I also have a guest mix on Rinse FM. I would love to go to Chengdu and places like Xi’an, too.
On upcoming projects...
I have one project that’s already finished that’s coming out with Mishka in the summer, which is more a throwback to my older stuff. Other than that, I’m working on new stuff that’s going to be a bit more chilled out than PM2.5, because that has quiet a lot of middle of the night tunes - I don’t want to say bangers (laughs) - but they’re quiet hard tracks. I have a lot of other stuff that’s more chill. Other than that, I’m working on new stuff with DJ Naaah, who is also in Shanghai.
Recommendations...
Naah. He’s not officially released anything but he has some really good tunes. People mainly know him as a DJ and sometimes they’re surprised he’s also a producer, but he has some tunes that are finished now that in my opinion are really, really great.
There’s also Zean. He’s from Qingdao and a really good producer. He has some big banger tracks coming up. He’s been working with Conrank a lot. Also Conrank has a new EP coming out that’s really good and sort of a mix of bangers and some quiet ones. Bloodz Boi also has some new rap stuff coming out that’s also good.
> Beijing: Jan 29, 10pm-late, RMB50 (with album and mask). DADA.
> Shanghai: Jan 30, 10pm-late, RMB50 (with album and mask). The Shelter.
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