‘New EP’ is where a band or artist answers some questions about their latest release. Up next is Hip-Hop artist/producer Chronic Shnxman, who has just released new EP ‘THE SHNXMAN TAPE’.
When/where was the new EP recorded?
I recorded the tape in my house mainly. I had help with recording vocals on POWDERS and GRIT at my friend Lucas’ home, because they’re louder, angrier tracks with a lot of yelling. I didn’t wanna piss our new neighbours off/scare them with my yelling haha. Shout out Luke for helping out.
Who produced/engineered the EP? How did the tracks come together in the studio, or at home?
I produced all of the tracks, it was a very random selection of beats at first and I slowly culled them off as I made new ones and eventually I had a beat list for rapping over. When I was away for Xmas, I sat down and pushed out a bunch of new tracks and a few of them made it on instead of others I had already selected, because I wanted to mix it up.
Did the shorter format of an EP give you the option to experiment in any way with your sound or with different forms of song-writing?
Sort of, it was more that I didn’t want to over do it, or release a bunch of garbage with a few OK sounding tracks thrown in. I hate listening to my own releases and thinking “I shouldn’t of put this on,” so I made sure to be honest to myself and not oversaturate the release. Either way, I tried to experiment within the “trap/hip hop” boundary, without veering too far off the vision I had for the release.
Was there any specific gear you used to capture that?
I certainly got experimental with my samples, using a gas bottle oblong for the eerie sample in DUTG was probably the weirdest thing I did, I just set my phone up next to it and captured the sounds, later editing them in FL. I used stuff like 808 with heavy distortion and pitch shifting, and over equalized synths to get a more unique sound for some of the tracks too. Nothing new but it was fun to play around with.
Is there a particular track or theme that the EP was formed around?
Honestly, the whole EP is based around my substance abuse and how much fun I have ruining my body. A lot of the songs are rapped in a 3rd person perspective, talking to my self, almost like telling myself off haha. Some of the tracks are about my favourite horror films, like 28 Days Later (best horror film ever) The Omen, Dawn of The Dead etc. or themes are taken from those films to create a dark, horrific atmosphere around certain beats.
I have a ridiculously hyperactive brain so making a conceptual package of music is hard for me, cause I get bored of the concept hahaha.
Where do you see the EPs place in growing an audience online? Do you see it as a progression towards an album or a separate entity?
Well, I’ve already started planning the next tape. Probably THE SHNXMAN TAPE II or a collaborative EP with another producer, or rapper. Not sure who though, still searching. The tape has already offered me more opportunities to meet people and grow as an artist with them so I’ll just keep making this fun, party music in EP or album shape, depending on what my brain wants to do.
Which digital platforms is it available on?
Soundcloud, Bandcamp and Youtube but I am in the middle of putting it on Spotify, Apple Music etc.
Are you doing any gigs or promotion for its release?
YES! Next Sunday at Whammy Backroom in Auckland is my debut show alongside my bro Young Gho$t. We are also playing Valhalla in Wellington on the 25th. Come out and say hi! Both shows are like 5 bucks so money isn’t really an excuse. If you can suss a pie and a V then you can suss entry easy.