Wifey Mixtape #2: Slackk

Your second Wifey Mixtape comes from a producer we’re not alone in thinking one of the year’s most promising. A young Scouser by way of London, Slackk has already made an impression at Wifey, as well as at nights for our friends at FACT magazine, Days Like That and Numbers. It was his ‘Eski house’ style that first got people talking, blending UK funky and the influence of Wiley’s classic early productions. But as time goes on, Slackk only gets more surprising, which of course is even better.

Stream and download the mix here, then read on for a few words with the man himself and for the tracklist.

And don’t miss him playing for us again on 3 September, along with Hardhouse Banton, DJ Petchy and Spooky.

What are three facts people should know about Slackk?

A) I used to be in Hollyoaks.

B) Steve McMahon kicked a ball directly at my face when I was six and then I was on Match Of The Day crying my eyes out.

C) I am incapable of cursive or, indeed, lower-case writing.

Tell us a bit about the mix you’ve kindly made for us.

I just wanted to put together a load of stuff I’m feeling now really. It’s mostly dubs and my own things. The idea behind it was simply to play a load of styles at 130bpm and as much as it inevitably got faster that’s what I’ve done – there’s some Dutch bubbling in there, a bit of pitched down grime, and some stuff that’s pending release too. I don’t really plan mixes out generally, more just stand in front of the decks and see what happens.

You’re a Scouser originally; did any local musical influences have an effect on you?

Nah, not really anything that’s scouser specific. My formative years were wasted listening to Scouse house and doing just enough shit MDMA to make it palatable, basically. My dad used to play a load of acid & Chicago though, so that’s stayed with me and I basically went back to that after a while. Still my core influence, that stuff, probably. I realise that doesn’t always come across in what I make.

In any case, is it fair to say your biggest influence is grime? Or in particular Wiley? What do you love about this stuff?

Basically it’s just a really interesting raw sound and I never really stopped being interested by it. I think it’s a shame it doesn’t get that much attention and a load of dull house or shit dubstep are instead more desired. But then, grime wouldn’t work if it was massive; that’s why all the chart shit with MCs on at the moment sounds like 90s Scandinavian house. I like Wiley because his sound palette is just so odd, really.

What’s coming up for you in terms of releases?

Er, Theme From Slackk/Theme From Dub/Fire Flies is coming out on Numbers within the next six to eight I think, then there’s a small run release of Eski Clicks & another tune called Victorious Secret that no-one’s heard. I’ve got some tunes coming with MCs on them as well but yeah, you can wait for that.

Wifey Mixtape #2: Slackk

Crucial Love- Slackk
60 Hertz- SMI
Kanopa Riddim- Mele
Chop & Screw- T Williams
X-Zero- Greyman
Eski Clicks- Slackk
Bounce Up- Zinc
Unorthadox Daughter (Kingdom Remix)- No Lay
Ah Dollar 15- Data
Reaching- Exo Remedy
Dada Supercat (Bub Dance Mix)- DJ Posh-E
Bubbling Beat 4- Chuckie
Eyeball- Slackk
Broken Wings- Slackk ft Badness & Shizzle
Ongie Bongie- D
Trust Me- DJ Fusion
Double A Side With A Side Helping Of Talapia With White Wine & Lemon Sauce- Brey
Eclipse- Temza M’remb’l
Untitled- Lil G
Disrespectful (Slackk Remix)- Chaka Khan & Mary J Blige