'Cosmic Boogie' - the debut album by Chilli Flake
Chilli Flake has just released his debut album on Róg Records, titled ‘Cosmic Boogie’, full of laid-back psychedelic groovers infused with flows delivered as Gaeilge, inspired by everything from traditional Irish music to Nightmares on Wax.
To mark his first project, we sat down for a chat with the Wicklow native producer.
4 min. read
What is the inspiration behind Chilli Flake?
I think anyone that knows me would know that I would be into many different types of music. I would be of the opinion that good music is good music, doesn't matter what you label it as! So, I would have a lot of inspiration from many different artists.
For the Chilli Flake project Nightmares On Wax would be a huge inspiration. I love his music, his sound and that he does live shows and DJ sets. Thievery Corporation would be another inspiration to me, Tom Misch as well, Erykah Badu, Desmond Cheese. These would be the artists that come to mind straight away for me, as I said before I listen to a lot of different genres but at the time, I started Chilli Flakes these artists influenced me a lot. Even though my tunes have a lower BPM, they are still designed as dance tunes so people can boogie to them on the dance floor.
How do you think Róg Records fits your image?
Well, I was never really a big hip-hop head where the Rog lads are Hip Hop aficionados and have been rapping for a long time. They have let me be who I want to and make the music I want - I haven't been put into box so I’m very grateful for that. They have always been 100 percent behind me and gave me the platform I needed to show off my music. Now, it did take time for me to refine my music, I was making a lot of dance and club music beforehand with a friend of mine, that project is called Dead Sound. So, the first music I sent to Róg were just 9-minute guitar loops, hahaha, because I was used to making repetitive dance music, but it still hasn't taken away from the essence of my music. I know all the lads from college and it's a DIY grassroots label, so I knew I was going to be in good hands and get the support I needed to make this album! It is really cool to be involved with the lads, I love it.
You have collabed with artists such as Smokey and Mory on this album - are there any other Irish artists you would like to collaborate with in the future?
Well, I think there are a lot of amazing Irish artists within all genres. What comes to mind straight away is TPM, the Mary Wallopers and Lankum, With a couple of the tracks on the album I feel like I am taking Irish traditional music, which young people don't really connect with and see as novelty. I have packaged that and made it appealing to the youth which I think is really cool because we don't want to lose our language and our culture and our rich history, I feel great to be a small part of a revival of traditional Irish music. I would definitely like to work with a few artists that are on that same buzz of promoting Irish music. I feel like the artists I have mentioned have given Irish music a fresh new sound and are trying to keep the spirit alive.
How would you perform at your gigs? A DJ set or a Live Show?
Over the last few years, I have been trying to get a Chilli Flake live set together with a live Ableton looping show, so playing the tunes live on guitar and bass and looping and dubbing. I'm still trying the figure out the ins and outs of that but hopefully by the time everything is open again I will have it down and ready to go. Also, when I do my live shows, I’ll have my collaborating artists on stage with me.
So, Chilli, the good people that will read this might not know that you are from the hills of West Wicklow - what do you have to say to all the Dubs?
The Dubs? C’mere, you can go one night without WiFi or Dominos, come down here for a night and I will convert you all!
Flake out to Cosmic Boogie on Spotify by scanning the code below and give Chilli Flake himself a follow over on Instagram.
Stephen Peelo
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