2020's was the year we actually scaled our label and working with Headphone Activist was, in a way, the first step towards pushing thing further. We've passed the 1M mark on plays on Spotify and Apple Music and 2021 is looking as cozy as it could get with a 3rd EP in the works. Besides working with us, Pete is venturing into some cool new fields and is planning a release with Liquid Stranger's notorious Label Sskwan. We had a pleasure of catching up over the weekend and here's what he had to share.
So we just kicked off 2021, how was your holiday?
The holiday was mellow, spent most of my time with my girlfriend watching "The Expanse" Excited to be getting back to work this month starting 2021 with a positive mindset. Other than that, I spent my time snowboarding and getting outside. It's one of the few social distancing activities that has pretty much-remained the status quo.
How's the snowboarding been this season?
Really good, a lot of fresh powder, everyone up at there is very happy to be out and exercising as you can imagine. The fresh air has been great too.
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Q. What are you listening to while you are riding?
A lot of Swum, Sleepy fish, liquid Drum and Bass, Explosions in the Sky, and lowercase music.
We had a chance to check out your Mix for Sskwan, it was dope !.
Thanks! It was the first mix I have put out in years. It was fun approaching this one with the radio edits and a wide range of music. Having my friends do guest spots for the radio channels was great too, made the mix feel way more of an introduction to who I am. I put a lot of time into the mix so I am stoked to see the Waakan community sending so much positive feedback on it.
You had Buku featured as one of the radio host's during the mix, how did that come about?
Rob is one of my oldest friends, we both came up in Pittsburgh together and have supported one another over the years. One of the reasons I was excited to move over to Sskwan was knowing he is now working with their other label Wakaan, so going from playing shows for 20-50 people when we started, to working with Liquid Strangers Labels together really made all of this a full-circle moment.
I asked Rob if he would be interested in doing a guest spot and he was happy to do it. With his mix dropping the day before for Waakan it was even more fitting to solidify the whole thing.
How did you and Sskwan find one another?
My friend Neil (Luzcid) was the one to connect us. We meant years ago when we both were starting to release music on Soundcloud when he played his first show in Pittsburgh he stayed at my place and when we both were booked for SXSW I stayed at his place. That was like 6 or 7 years ago. He is one of my favorite humans and I consider him not only a great artist but a great friend as well. Neil has been signed/working with Waakan for a while, and when Waakan decided to branch out and start Sskwan he was there to suggest that I was someone they should look at for the label. It was a really easy decision for me to make. They curate quality releases and artist's for their label, are very artistically and creatively friendly with the music I send them, and a lot of my close friends are apart of the Waakan family. I am really happy to have this opportunity to be apart of what they are doing.
That's awesome, can you tell us about what you have planned for Sskwan.
Part of what I am excited about with Sskwan is I will be helping to build the label's sound. My focus of course will be on Downtempo and day-to-day music. However, their community is full of eclectic and open-minded fans. So in a word experimental would be my main focus for what I am working on for their label.
With a community that listens to everything from heavy bass music to Aphex Twin and Little People, the potential for what I can release is massive. I am fortunate to have two record labels to call home, Sterofox is my home outside of the United States. Sskwan will be my home base for me in the states. I honestly couldn't ask for a better way to start 2021!
Anything you can tell us about your next release on Stereofox?
Yeah, the next EP I am working on for you guys is called Home it will be the 3rd EP in the series we have been working on, it will feature our two characters from the Amsterdam EP back at their house lounging and relaxing. This is something we have been working on since we started the series.
I love the concept's that Chillhop and Chilledcow showcase with the characters studying and vibing to the music. I just wanted to add an extra scene or two leading up to the journey of getting home. Lofi has been very inspiring for me over the past few years in my own production, so it only felt right to show respect to the shop's that helped
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