28 October 2022 |
From a pair of acclaimed UK producers/DJs with Boiler Rooms, BBC Radio Shows and sell-out releases under their collective belt, comes a blissful compilation of technicolour sounds. O’Flynn (real name: Ben Norris) and Frazer Ray (FKA Soundbwoy Killah) are behind the energetic joint record aptly named Shimmer for its sparkling dance tracks born from “big emotions, big vocals and big energy,” according to the duo. Debuting last week, Shimmer fuses speed garage, breaks, hardcore, pop and disco-techy elements into a single groovy soundscape. Arising from a shared love of the UK dance music scene, their vast knowledge and respect for underground cultures and genres shine through effortlessly.
Featuring fresh technicalities and sound explorations from the pair as well, a euphoric palette emerges with big-room club energy so you can dance your cares away all night long. Shimmer feels both heartfelt and nostalgic; an escapist homage to the iconic UK nightclubs that defined the pair’s youths. Here, we chat with the two trailblazers about the new album.
1. So how did this collaboration come about, and how was it working with each other?
Ray: “Ben heard my music playing in a record store. He asked about it, bought the record, then a few months later found out I was living with a mutual friend!”
O’Flynn: “Based on the sound of the music I thought he’d be a battered old raver. We really hit it off when we first met and so working together is always a lot of fun.”
Ray: “You definitely need that to get through the tough, hitting-head-on-wall moments.”
2. What are your best clubbing memories?
Ray: “Some of my favourite clubbing memories are probably when I was 18 or 19 and trekking to other cities (especially London) every few weekends to visit mates. I was a random lad from Bournemouth and suddenly going to see all these legendary DJs at these iconic London clubs. Some of the standout memories were DMZ, Corsica Studios and Great Suffolk Street Warehouse (RIP!). We would all get there when the night started and then leave at the very end, followed by a long trudge back to their student halls to try and persuade the security guard to let us all in at 7am. I wouldn’t trade those days for anything in the world.”
O’Flynn: “We both spent a lot of time living in Leeds growing up, and that’s where my favourite memories are. Leeds’ DIY and smaller venue scene is wicked and always has amazing things happening all over the city. Shout out to Wharf Chambers and Wire! One night that takes the crown for me are the Cosmic Slop nights run by Tom Smith. An incredibly eclectic selection all night long where you would have no idea what track would follow. You could expect to hear 90s hiphop mixed into soul, mixed into field recordings, mixed into techno, mixed into Paul McCartney.”
3. The album sees you both exploring new musical territories, genres and techniques whilst maintaining a nostalgic energy rooted in your pasts. How was it overtaking this frontier and what challenges did you face?
O’Flynn: “We both wanted the album to be a departure from our “traditional” sounds. When approaching the album, we definitely set out to write purposely to never write in a particular genre for each track. As in: we never decided to write a “garage” track, or a “house” track. I think this helped us naturally since we never ended up creating pastiches of a certain genre or sound.”
Ray: “I’ve got my long-running Rinse FM show and Ben was playing on Balamii at the time – when combined with both of us regularly gigging, it means that we were having to digest and find a LOT of music on the regular. A lot of the time our writing sessions would start by us showing each other music we were feeling at the time and being inspired by certain individual elements from stuff we both enjoyed, then joining together all those vibes like a big collage.”
4. Talk us through Shimmer and some of your favourite featured tracks.
Ray: “Shimmer is all about light versus dark for me. The big euphoric moments are countered by the dark and melancholy.”
O’Flynn: “It’s a full labour of love that took two years to write – hopefully you can hear the care crafted into every track. Our standout tracks: “Love Fading”, “You Need Me”, “Katara”, and “Kolfax”.”
5. Who are three other DJs or musicians each of you would want to get in the studio with? Dead or alive.
O’Flynn: “Burial, Flying Lotus and Max Roach.”
Ray: “Martyn, Larry Levan and Steve Reich.”
6. What’s the best piece of advice each of you has ever received?
Ray: “Some days your brain is in the mood to write, other days it’s in the mood to edit – don’t force it.”
O’Flynn: “It’s better to be “fresh” than to be “good”.”
7. Who are the artists/DJ’s you can’t stop listening to at the moment?
O’Flynn: “I’m obsessed with Doja Cat at the moment.”
Ray: “I’m currently stuck in a massive Dean Blunt rabbit-hole – I think I’ve got a few more days before I’m out the other side.”
8. Both of you have seen major successes in recent years: playing Boiler Rooms, BBC radio shows, major tours and more. Has all the success ever altered your perspective on your own career goals? Explain.
Ray: “Ben’s definitely a bit bigger than me so I don’t know if it will all change… but no! I just love making music, and the fact that I can have a career doing something I love and meeting so many wonderful people makes me truly humbled. I’m just glad someone likes my tunes!”
O’Flynn: “I feel like both of us have a long way until we feel we’ve “made it” (if that ever happens), so we just get our heads down and keep working at our craft. I feel incredibly lucky to be in the position I am now and it’s all down to the people listening to our music and coming to our shows.”
9. If you could be anywhere in the world now, where would it be and why?
Frazer: “Bizarrely, we’re both in the USA at the moment. I’m visiting my girlfriend and Ben is on tour with Bonobo. I’m seriously missing aspects of the UK right now though, so if I could be anywhere, it would be the Old Red Lion pub in Kennington with a big delicious pint!”
Ben: “I’m seriously missing the UK too, but there’s a place in the US I’ve wanted to go my entire life. I’m actually on my way there at the moment so it kind of feels cheating but: The Grand Canyon!”
10. What’s next for you both?
“Live shows, touring dates and then working on our next individual projects!”
Photography courtesy of O’Flynn & Frazer Ray. Stream ‘Shimmer’ on all major platforms now.
