The Thirty Two Happy Gas Playlist: Lo-fi Beats
When searching for the right kind of sound ambience for our clients, we felt a natural gravitational pull towards lo-fi music. Lo-fi (low fidelity) brings in elements that are traditionally considered as imperfections in the recording process, as a deliberate aesthetic choice.
Warmth, off-beat nostalgia, and authenticity are some of the resultant evocations; and we’re all about it. It’s a similar feeling to the effect of happy gas (nitrous oxide), which causes feelings of euphoria, relaxation, and calmness – this is why combining the two is a potent concoction for a nice dental experience.
The collab between producers, NK Music and Sweeps, always hit the right notes for us. We and the client tend to enter a liminal zone between reality and dreams, in which anxieties dissolve and things just work.
Being an integral part of our sensory experience, we had to interview them both. Doing research on them was not easy. We like that. Sweeps is from Boston, MA, and is also a visual artist; creating much of the digital imagery that accompanies his music. NK’s hometown is Bentonville, which is the 10th largest town in Arkansas and home to the behemoth Walmart. It’s interesting how some of Walmart’s $576 billion revenue has developed Bentonville into an amazing creative hub, because of heiress Alice Walton’s proclivity for the Arts. In a happy coincidence, it turns out that Dr Rohan was invited to lecture there in 2016 at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which is a billion-dollar enterprise, funded by Walton.
Being based in Arkansas, how did you journey towards lo-fi beats?
NK: I always loved instrumental hip hop and listening to the production side of releases as long as I could remember. I got the demo version of FL Studio when I was 14. I got inspired by watching one of my favorite artists at the time making beats on it as well. Journeying towards lo-fi happened in the year 2019, with my release ‘Andromeda’. I love the sound of that record and the response it received from my music listeners. It’s fun making it and fun making stuff that is a bit underground/under the radar.
Sweeps: I started making music in my dorm room in college back in Boston. I think I would have found a way to make music no matter where I was based. I have only been living in LA for a few months, but it's been much easier to connect with other artists and creatives out here!
What is it about lo-fi that resonates?
NK: The community and history that the genre has. Madvillainy, J. Dilla, Nujabes, and so on, it’s some legendary stuff. I’ve always trended towards more emotional genres of music, and I feel like lo-fi gives hip hop that edge and emotion that scratches that itch as a producer.
Sweeps: Honestly, some of the modern lo-fi stuff doesn't connect with me much. I really like some of the more gritty stuff from the early-to-mid 2010's with a heavier hip-hop influence. There was a certain rawness from artists like Wun Two, eevee, Vanilla, etc. that was really refreshing.
How do your emotions affect your music and vice-versa?
NK: My emotions don’t affect my music much, I feel that I can create what I usually do no matter the circumstances. However, music affects my emotions every day. Music is definitely my favourite form of art to experience, and it can definitely be a safe haven/comfort zone for me (listening to it that is).
Sweeps: Sometimes you go into the studio angry or sad, and leave feeling happy. Some days things don't connect and it's hard to express those emotions in the music, other days it comes easily. A lot of times, my process helps me reflect on things in my life -- it's really great. That's why I think more people should make music in some form.
How did you NK Music and Sweeps come to collaborate?
NK: I remember contacting Sweeps because I really dug his Terminal 14 tape. It’s one of my favourite beat tapes in lo-fi hip hop/instrumental hip hop. I wanted to create something with him because it would be awesome to be a part of his legendary catalog.
Sweeps: NK was already a legend on youtube, so I was already aware of him when hit me up on IG. It was an easy thing to say yes to. We still haven't met in real life, we just have a good workflow down for working remotely.
What are you listening to right now?
NK: The past few months I’ve been on a binge with a few records. Stratosphere by Duster, Sling by Clairo, and Sebastian by Yeek!
Sweeps: I've been playing a lot of African music from the 70's lately. So many talented artists from Ethiopia and Nigeria from that era.
Do you ever need silence to cleanse your palate, as part of your creative process?
NK: Sometimes, yeah! I don’t get into slumps or creator's block often, but when it happens I feel like I can’t make ANYTHING. Taking a break for a few hours or just listening to a different artist's music can be enough to reset my ears.
Sweeps: Not so much as part of my creative process, but more because I get ear fatigue from making too much music! I have tinnitus, so I try to be careful not to make it any worse by taking regular breaks.
NK, your take on Walmart and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art?
Walmart is ingrained in the blood of an Arkansan, especially in the part of Arkansas that I’m from. It’s not uncommon to have 2 or even 3 Walmart’s not even two miles from one another. The Walmart’s in our area are also extremely nice and look beautiful. It always surprised me going to other states and seeing their Walmart’s look old and not as nice. Also, shopping anywhere that’s not Walmart feels weird. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is awesome, too! Really dope art museum with a ton of cool exhibits. My favourite is the more modern section of the museum, that style of art is just super cool and experimental.
Sweeps, In-N-Out or Five Guys?
I'm not much of a fast food guy to be honest, however I'll have to go with Five Guys on that one.