As individual arists, EPROM and Alix Perez each have reputations for pushing the boundaries of bass music. Together, the duo is leading a journey through unchartered musical territory. Their “Shades” project is a true collaboration: the artists draw inspiration from one another’s personal styles to create a distinct sound that belongs to them both. Last Friday’s Fusion Factory party was a showcase of bass music’s future directions. The night celebrated the release of the “Shades” EP (available now!) and premiered the duo’s cooperative artistic conscious in the only appropriate manner: over a massive sound system. It was a fitting introduction to the project. Those familiar with Alix Perez and EPROM, knew to expect something different, but the madness that characterized their set both over the system and on the dance floor was impossible to predict. I contend that a pitch dark warehouse is the best setting for blasting bangers. The artists arrived with an arsenal. The collective passion channeled into “Shades” was immediately evident when we sat down to talk to the duo before the second set of their tour. EPROM and Alix Perez are ready for your ears. Their obvious artistic chemistry and unbridled enthusiasm to share the sounds of “Shades” translated into an irresistible set: composed mostly of original “Shades” productions, it was proof that musical innovation still has a place at a party. In this installment of Sub.mingling, we picked the artists’ brains for insight on the “Shades” project and the sounds that are already shaking up the bass music scene.
 


Congratulations on the release of your “Shades” EP. Want to talk about how this project came about?

EPROM: We met in New Zealand when we were both playing at this New Years party and we were like “we should make some tunes together”! It took awhile to actually make that happen.
ALIX PEREZ: Yeah, when we met at that festival we were already kind of aware of each other’s music and we had a mutual love for the same things in terms of music. It took a little while but I came to LA, we played a show together, got in the studio and started some ideas and it developed from there. We started some ideas then completed them over the internet.
EPROM: We got the main ideas together in person, then banged them out over the internet.
ALIX PEREZ: Ideally we’d always like to work together in the studio. That’s why I came to Portland a few days early so we could prep our show and get some music done. The vibe is obviously better when you work together.
EPROM: I think it works, us working apart, but it’s not quite the same. We’ve been working on new material and it gels a lot better...
ALIX PEREZ: It’s so much faster, too
EPROM: Productivity level goes up in person, which is cool.

How do your individual styles complement one another? Do they influence your creative process when you’re making music together?

ALIX PEREZ: I come from jungle and drum & bass, he was obviously into that back in the day, likewise with me with the beats, the low end kind of thing. I’ve been lurking around for years listening to it while he’s been more involved in that sound so we’re both kinda double crossing over.
EPROM: We actually both come from jungle and drum & bass. I was producing that when I was a kid but I took a break from it to pursue this new sound that was coming from California. Alix had mad chops in the drum n bass scene for a long time, now he’s sort of crossing over into the beats world and I’m crossing over into his world... we have a cross pollination thing going on.
ALIX PEREZ: Our music is a hybrid of both our sounds and influences. The new stuff we’ve been writing is kind of weird, wonky shit, but then there’s amens chopping in and out as well. That’s what’s cool about it. It sums up the sounds we love.
EPROM: There’s a strong influence from DJ Premier and 90’s New York rap, and there’s a strong 90’s jungle influence as well.
ALIX PEREZ: The heavy bass, sound design and processing, mixed in with classic breaks... there’s a bit of everything. That’s why I got into the whole LA electronic beats thing. It was bringing in electronic music with raw sampled hip hop styles and making it into one sound.

How would you describe your sound without using any genre words? Basically, what would you say about your music to someone who hasn’t heard it?

ALIX PEREZ: Heavy...
EPROM: Just heavy.
ALIX PEREZ: Dark, evil
EPROM: We do have some light moments now and again and we’ll explore that a bit more, but initially when we get together we just want to make bangers.
EPROM: It’s not that we can’t write melodies, or that we don’t have that musical element
ALIX PEREZ: We have that sound system culture in our DNA so that’s what we’re making.
EPROM: Sub... sub music!

I’ve noticed that a lot of your older music is very melodically driven (see: Metahuman). Do you depart from that style with Shades?

EPROM: I think the stuff we’re making together for Shades is mostly less melodic than that, but there are moments where it gets more colorful.
ALIX PEREZ: We’re going to explore that a bit more in the future as a project. When I’m writing an EP I try to get the dancefloor elements done first and then build the musical body around it. I spend more time on that musical stuff because bangers kind of write themselves once you have the vibe but the musical stuff it takes a lot more progression.
EPROM: Neither of us are classically trained really, so writing musical stuff doesn’t come as naturally but its very fun because its new territory.
ALIX PEREZ: Being limited like that is kind of cool... I have friends who are very musically trained and they’re so good that they can’t simplify something and put it into a riff.
EPROM: Or they can’t break their own rules.

Very few artists make music in the style that you're making together. What artists should fans of your music check out?

ALIX PEREZ: Mark Pritchard, Ivy Lab, DBridge is an all around don and his label [Exit Records] is a staple for me. I’m into Kaytranada as well, I know he’s now blowing up. If you’re talking about more recent producers...
EPROM: Carmack!
ALIX PEREZ: We’re both huge Mr. Carmack fans. As far as bangers go, you can’t mess with him.

Amye Koziel