Urban Alternative
[WORLD PREMIERE] Yellow Shoots – sirens
Well here it is: one of the first two opening salvos from the next big project from the Kitchen: Quinceañera: Marvelous Ish, a 15 track compilation album of brand new or previouly unreleased music to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the blog set for release this Friday (September 7, mark your calendars).
We won’t get into to much detail about the album now but, like our last compilation album project, This One Goes To Eleven…., expect a multi-genre collection of the best new and veteran artists from right here in Toronto, the rest of Canada as well as all around the world doing the best in left-field, alternative and underground hip-hop, pop, electronic and soul music.
One such artist is Greg Matthews (pka Yellow Shoots), a new favorite of ours who we discovered earlier this year via his amazing single, “Desert Rose.” Since then, we have been checking for everything he has done including his fantastic debut full length album, everything which is an apt description of his music which takes in pop, soul, funk and rock to create it’s sound.
Since becoming champions of his we were eager to have Yellow Shoots be part of our latest anniversary celebration and were over the moon when he offered us the “sirens’ track. Recently, we got to chat with Greg over email about his music, his career to date and the new song, “sirens.”
DK: Tell us a little about how you started, where you’re from and your journey as an artist up until now?
Yellow Shoots: I’ve been making music for a little while now. I’m originally from Philadelphia, PA. That’s where I got started playing guitar for a lot jazz, gospel, R&B and hip-hop artists. I’ve been blessed to share the stage with some incredible musicians.
At some point, I started to become interested in producing music. One thing led to another and I started singing on my own production demos. The artists would often flake, so I’d end up with all these demos for other artists with me singing the hooks and verses. In 2014 I started Yellow Shoots when I moved to Brooklyn. It took forever to put out my first single because I’m a crazy perfectionist when it comes to my sound.
Over the last few years it’s been fun to see how the music is maturing and where my creativity is going. I feel like recently I’ve been getting back to my some of my root influences.
DK: So what are those root influences inspirations? On the blog we’ve variously described you as a throwback blend of pop, rock, funk and soul and referenced Prince. We also used to work with singer, Raheem Devaughn who used to call himself the ‘The R&B Hippie Neo-Soul Rockstar’ which seems like an almost perfect description for you too, but how do you see or describe yourself?
YS: That’s pretty funny. I can relate to the “R&B Hippie Neo-Soul Rockstar”.
I would say my music is in the fantasy/R&B realm. At least, I think of it that way. When I listen to music, if often puts me in another zone or world. So I think there is an element of fantasy in my experience, so I’m trying to bring fantasy to my listeners.
As for the big influences… man, so many! I pull a lot of influence from UK music like Yes, Genesis, Nick Drake, as well as a lot of Black music like Stevie Wonder, Prince, Hendrix, James Brown and Gospel music, of course. I think you can hear both elements in what I’m doing. So it’s getting fun now. Presently, I’m listening to a lot psych rock bands like Unknown Mortal Orchestra and some funky shit like Anderson Paak.
DK: An unsuprsingly ecelctic list given your music. We first started really f-cking with you from your “Desert Rose” record which we discovered via submission from our inbox (a method we sadly have less and less time to focus one) but looking back it seems like you’ve been active for at least a year before that (your “Make It To The Summer” was on Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlist and The FADER was on your Stormy Weather EP from last year). How did making “Desert Rose” fits with the music you were making before it?
YS: “desert rose” is a part of the most recent sound I’ve been working on. It’s sorta that airy dreamy funky sound. Ultimately it’s all pop music but I’m always incorporating twists and turns and instrumental parts that I feel reminiscent of the 60s and 70s. Sometime’s 80’s synth creep in there too (laughs). A lot of the new music I’m making is recorded with having a full band in mind. Where in electronic music you can ignore the live orchestration because of tracking and computers. Everything I’m making these days I want to be able to replicate with a full band fairly easily though.
DK: So you produce all of your music, right? It’s interesting that you talk about wanting to be able to replicate your songs with a full band because the music has a very naturalistic, organic, vintage feel (70s am soul, easy rock etc. come to mind as references).
YS: Yeah, I produce my own stuff. Some times it makes me go insane (laughs again). But I wouldn’t have it any other way. In the last 2 years the music has really gone back to my instrumental roots. I started recording full takes instead of making more electronic like edits. It’s funny, the more I record straight live takes, funk and psychedelic rock sounds creep into the productions. I’ve bought a ton of vintage gear, which adds a lot of sauce to the aesthetic.
DK: How has your songwriting and recording process evolved because the stuff you were doing before was a little more on the electro-soul tip, right? Why the change-up?
I think the last Stormy Weather EP had more electronic R&B elements to it, whereas everything was recorded with more organic and live style. There is something vibey about recording all the imperfections so I’m probably going to keep doing that for the next EP as well.
DK: Let’s talk about “sirens.” It feels not out of place with the everything album. Was it originally recorded for that? If so, why did you not include it?
YS: “sirens” was originally intended to go on the everything album. For some reason I felt it didn’t really fit the arc of the album, so I decided to release it as a separate experience.
DK: What was the inspiration for “sirens” and the process behind creating it?
The original inspiration of the song was from a unrequited love I experienced in the past few years. The concept of the song is based on a journey at sea, where greek sirens are luring you to a lonely demise. It’s one of the more darker sounds I’ve written recently. I actually made the song in about 4 hours on New Years eve. I think I finished it in the second hour of 2018!
DK: Wow, that’s pretty amazing We’re a mostly hip-hop blog but obviously f-ck with all kinds of music on the site. You’ve worked with Brooklyn, rapper Skyzoo in the past. How did that collab come about?
YS: Oh yeah! Skyzoo is a homie. I met him while working with producer, !llmind. I live in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, not too far from him. He’s a really special guy. One of the best writers in the game, by far. Skyzoo heard a song I was working on called “Heaven” and really dug the vibe. I thought he was a really great fit for the intent of the song, so we basically cut his vocals in an hour and finished the song. He wrote his verse in like 20 mins, it was pretty incredible.
DK: Nice! Would you call yourself a big hip-hop fan? Any plans to work with other rappers again in the future?
But yeah, I’ve always been a big hip hop fan. Will most likely be doing some collabs in the near future.
DK: What do you think of where music, the industry and culture at large are at in 2018. How do blogs like ours and musicians like yourself fit in the current landscape?
YS: The music industry is in a really interesting place. I think music is getting more commodifized day by day. It seems like they are a lot of players and less crafts people, but maybe I’m not looking hard enough. That being said I’m pretty optimistic for the future. I think there’s no better time to be alive and make a career as an artist. It’s easier than ever if you have the drive and creativity.
DK: Before we wrap, is there anything else you’d like to say or add?
YS: I just wanted to say “thank you” to Different Kitchen! Your support has been incredible over the last few months. I’m excited to come play for y’all in Toronto very soon!
DK: We’d love to have you, Greg. Thanks for the great music and for giving us “sirens” for the album.
Song credits:
Written and Produced by Yellow Shoots
Post Production Art & Design for this compilation by Christine Lieu for CL Designs
Follow Yellow Shoots Online: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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