Interviews | Slowboy Talks Virality, Success, & The Future After ‘Brazilian Funk Mano’ [Interview]
Posted by VMan on August 7, 2023
With the fury of a revolutionary, Slowboy has etched his mark in the Phonk universe. The hard-hitting Norwegian maestro has defied expectations and birthed a new sound with “Brazilian Phonk Mano.” The track resonates with the very heart of the genre, imbuing it with a raw, untamed vibrancy.
The Phonk genre, much like rock ‘n’ roll in its early days, has been a bastion for experimentation and audaciousness. Slowboy, Crazy Mano, and lucaf. have taken this malleable form and poured their unique personas into it. The resulting sonic concoction is as electrifying as the raucous punk anthems of yore.
Slowboy’s rapid rise has been marked by serendipity and hard work. His sound emerged just as the world began to recognize the allure of Brazilian Phonk. From Brazil’s clubs to worldwide streams, Slowboy’s take on the genre arrived at the perfect time.
One can draw parallels between Slowboy’s approach and that of the legendary Bob Dylan. Dylan pushed folk beyond its boundaries, and Slowboy, with his dynamic collaborators, is doing the same with Phonk. He’s not only creating music, he’s creating culture.
“Brazilian Phonk Mano” is more than just a track; it’s a cultural shift, an emblem of an era. It’s the sound of a genre that refuses to be pinned down, the soundtrack to a million TikTok videos, and a testament to the power of collaboration. Like Dylan’s anthems, Slowboy’s “Brazilian Phonk Mano” captures the zeitgeist, reflecting the world back to us in a form we’ve never heard before.
We couldn’t help but want to get inside Slowboy’s head, see the interview below where we discuss the sound of Phonk, TikTok virality, label releases, and more.
Exclusive Interview
As a pioneer of the Brazilian Phonk sound, what inspired you to explore this genre?
What inspired me was the general sound and feeling it gave me. It had this really rough, raw and bouncy sound to it which I liked. I love exploring new genres and sounds, which made me try fuse elements of Phonk with Brazilian Funk.
Do you prefer making music with others or on your own?
At the moment I am doing a lot of collaborations which I enjoy, but personally I prefer working on my own from time to time so I can focus on my own personal projects.
Do you prefer being in the studio or on stage?
I’m not really used to being on stage much, so I would say I’m more of a studio type of person. But this may change in the future.
Could you discuss your involvement with labels such as Aurorian Records, Void of Phonk, Black 17 Media, and B1 Recordings?
I witnessed the creation of Aurorian Records and they were the first label team believe in my sound as I was friends with the owner, the same too with Void of Phonk. Other than production, I’m involved with doing some A&R work for them. With the success of Brazilian Phonk Mano came the ability to work more with artists that frequently release under Black 17 Media, so I have released through there a few times too. As for B1 Recordings, they’re a popular label under Sony and got given the opportunity to remix two viral songs under them including ‘Push Up’ by Creeds so it was great working with them for that!
How has your music resonated with audiences on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube?
Scrolling through TikTok with my music showing up a lot of the time, with tracks like ‘Brazilian Phonk Mano’, ‘Life in Rio’ and my recently viral track ‘Oppa’, I like to look at the comments sometimes and people seem to love the songs. The amount of video usage with my tracks and the views across YouTube, TikTok and the dm’s I get on instagram has been incredible. It’s overwhelming the amount of messages and support, but I love it and hope it continues.
How much can your success be attributed to being at the ‘right place at the right time’ in your opinion?
It depends. I think with ‘Brazilian Phonk Mano’, that was a track that was at the right place at the right time. Putting out a track like that which became popular amongst edits and gym-goers before anyone else really shaped its success. That to me was a major ‘right place at the right time’ moment and ultimately kicked things off a lot for me.
What can listeners expect from Slowboy beyond “Brazilian Phonk Mano” in terms of his contribution to the Phonk genre?
I’m still making a lot of Brazilian Phonk/Funk music but also experimenting with other sub-genres of Phonk and EDM as always. I began in the bass music scene and creating other EDM styles, so I’ve got upcoming music with some talented artists mixing these styles with Phonk.
Albums | jordnmoody Drops Dark Bass Anthem “Rolldro”
Posted by VMan on July 2, 2023
SoCal producer jordnmoody is making his debut on FUXWITHIT with the massive new single ‘Rolldro.’ Hot off performances at Lightning In A Bottle and The Untz Festival, and with releases on Wakaan, Jadu Dala, Bassrush, and more, jordnmoody has been steadily ascending the ranks of bass music’s finest.
‘Rolldro’ is a hypnotic and intoxicating anthem that’ll have you coming back for more. The simple yet effective pitched-down vocal sample gives the track a gritty hip-hop swagger and instant familiarity. The melody and playful percussion create a sense of intrigue as haunting vocal bends add to the dark beauty. The drops see chest-pounding low end intertwined with brain-bending sound design for a heavy-hitting bass sound. Blurring the boundaries of speaker rattling banger and laidback head-nodder, ‘Rolldro’ is at home in any setting.
“There was a period last year where I locked myself in the studio to whip up as many new tunes as possible before playing LIB, this was one of those tunes. I just came off writing a couple atonal type tracks and wanted to try something on a more melodic tip but still have a bit of grit to it. So, this was the end result of all that I guess haha.”
– jordnmoody
Albums | Late Night Therapy releases “Through Your Eyes”
Posted by VMan on February 14, 2023
Australian produce Late Night Therapy returns on the scene with his new single “Through Your Eyes” and it’s a smash. Creating his own unique blend of electronic music with progressive house elements, in a similar lane to Golden Features, Running Touch and RUFUS DU SOL. Listen to the song above now and read a quote from the artist on the drop below now!
“I wrote this song as an ode to the act of making music itself. The line heard in the intro “Take me there” is referring to the mental flow state I’mtaken to whilst making music. Music for me is an outlet more than anything else.In order to be myself, I need to get in the studio and create. It’s something that I just haveto do, like a typeof Therapy.” ~ Late Night Therapy
Albums | Berlin-based rapper Feloneye Releases New Single “Zoom”
Posted by VMan on October 2, 2022
“Zoom” is without a doubt one of the more hype tracks I’ve heard all week. Feloneye is a Berlin based rapper on the come up who really killed his latest drop, “Zoom”. The beat is what initially drew me in due to the catchy brass line and overall high energy vibe to it but he seriously killed this one. From the hook that will be caught in your head the next week, to the lyrically witty verses, he really snapped here. Tap in to the banger above now, that also comes with a sick music video, and read a quote from Feloneye on his new track below!
“‘Zoom’ is about how I could never trust no woman, only trusting the homies, doing things on the streets, how I’m still on my own even though I ain’t alone in this evil world we live in, still hustling in my zone type of vibes. Like always when I’m in the studio with 4RAS and Or1gin, we started laying down the instruments, started vibing, put the kicks and bass on the track and then we freestyled to it ‘til something started hitting. As the first session was done, the owner of the studio pulled up and said ‘thank you for getting the trumpets stuck in my head.’”
Future Trap, Trap | “Tell Me” Why I Have BEXLO On Repeat
Posted by VMan on October 23, 2020
BEXLO is a new, genre-bending, Glasgow based electronic project with a focus on creating songs that mix epic emotional breakdowns with hard-hitting drops to ‘make people cry’ (in a good way). Behind this moniker lies 20-year-old producer and multi-instrumentalist, Ben Logie. Taking influence from the likes of Droeloe, Vincent and Juuku, BEXLO’s style is a bold new reimagining of the trap genre. Check out a quote from BEXLO on the debut release below and stream “Tell Me” above now!
“The song was written on one of those days in the studio where everything just kinda clicks and seems to work together. It was a few months ago when the entire world was going into lockdown and the darker moods in ‘Tell Me’ are a product of the surrounding uncertainty at that time.” – BEXLO
Albums | Sam Doll Reflects on her inner turmoils with “Bad Like Me”
Posted by VMan on May 15, 2020
Sam Doll is a Toronto based artist with a knack for songwriting and melodies. This time around in her latest offering “Bad Like Me” Sam creates her own audio world and divulges her inner turmoils. We are astounded by her range and dynamics which really give the whole record a lot of uniqueness. More on the song via Sam Doll: “I’m a writer, and I realized that writing is what I’m best at and meant to do, but often times you write alone. And I like having a lot of people around all the time. So with music, I get to write something, and then bring it to my producer, go to the studio, do a show, etc – it’s much more social.”
Electronic | LJ Hawk’s new tune “High” is infectious
Posted by APM on August 18, 2016
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Australian house project known as LJ Hawk just dropped a new track called “High”, an infectious new housey tune that features the voice of a Sydney-based soul/R&B/jazz singer known as Ash. Ash’s spirited vocals, combined with the beautiful synth work and a catchy melody creates an uplifting, euphoric track that is a must listen. Here’s what LJ Hawk had to say about it: “I had been tinkering with a lot of sounds and song’s in the studio, doing my best to explore each of the elements in the hopes of learning more about what I love listening to in other people’s music, and then working it into my own. When I first heard Ash’s voice on some demo’s, I knew her style & sound would align really well with some of the deeper house track’s I had been working on.” They got together in the studio and created this masterpiece, set to be released on Sunstroke Records on September 2nd. Check out “High” now!