Heard It Here First

It’s been two years since SNBRN’s debut album hit the internet and in that time one of House Music’s favorite producers has kept busy. Over the last two years, he has released eleven singles or remixes and has been actively touring in 2021 now that shows are back. His hard work throughout the pandemic has been building towards a second full-length album, The Old Days,  which is scheduled to come out in the Spring of 2022.

If you’ve been to a house show or a house music club in the last five years there is a HIGH chance you’ve gotten down to an SNBRN track. His unique brand of house music has garnered over eighty million streams on Spotify and sold out multiple headline tours. While his early career was defined by classic Rap, R&B, and Soul samples paired with bass-heavy house elements he has since branched out and become one of the most versatile producers in house music.

Solé, his first LP, contained a multitude of sounds and vibes. In only ten songs he released a seven-minute slow-building “Prelude“, classic tech-house bangers in “Jungle Kitty” and “T*ts on a Tricycle“, and some all-time classic SNBRN hits in “Feel My Love” and “Never Let You Go“. Two years after his debut album he is ready to start rolling out his second effort with his latest single, “Home” featuring Calvin Scott.

We were lucky enough to ask SNBRN a few questions on this next phase of his career. Stream his new single “Home” while you check out his responses and let us know what you think of the song and the interview in the comments below!

HIHF: You mentioned that you and Calvin Scott made everything on the first single of the album, “Home“, is the entire album going to be completely homemade? What were some of the challenges with that way of working and how did it affect some of the creative decisions that you made?

SNBRN: Around 90% of the album was recorded right there in my home studio. I definitely went overboard with analog gear and instruments over the past year. The process for this one took quite a bit longer but it also allowed myself to slow down and really think about what it was going into it. I would definitely say this album is homemade.

HIHF: Is there anything you want fans to know about the single or about the project as a whole?

SNBRN: With this body of work I really took a different approach and branched outside of my comfort zone. There’s a lot of elements of rock, film scoring and gospel music. I really wanted it to feel old but also new and fresh.

HIHF: Talk to me about the title of the album, The Old Days. What’s the theme of the album? What were some of your inspirations for the project?

SNBRN: The title initially came from a voicemail I got and loved the idea of the old days. This kind of reflection and taking a look back at the beautiful moments in our lives, but also not to dwell on the past. The initial start was this kind of break up album but as the process continued and the more people that got involved, it turned more into a tribute for loved ones lost recently. Most of the inspiration came from the hardship and things we were going throughout at the time.

HIHF: This is your second album so now that you’ve been through the process twice, how did the way this one came together differ from your debut, Solé?

SNBRN: Solé was written in tulum in a treehouse, The Old Days was all done in my home in Los Angeles. My first album was more club oriented, with my second album I really wanted the song meanings and messages to be extremely important. I wanted to take the listeners on a journey though how I felt over the past 18 months.

HIHF: Are there any artists that are inspiring you right now? Who do you have your eye on in the scene? Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with (or anyone you worked with on the album that you can tell us about?)

SNBRN: A couple artists that really inspired the album were Hans Zimmer, Bring Me The Horizon, Fred Again and Bicep. I love all the stuff Chris Lake and Chris Lorenzo are doing. I also am a big fan of everything Freak On is doing, as well as Vintage Culture. I would love to get in studio with Kaskade one of these days.

HIHF: You did an interview in 2018 where you gave your 5 lessons on house music production, what would you change or revise now that it’s been three years and you’re putting out your second album?

SNBRN: I would change a lot actually lol.

1. Back up everything to externals and to the cloud multiple times daily.

2. There are no rules.

3. Pick the best samples and don’t be afraid to swap them out.

4. Put out everything, you can guess all you want on what is gonna be the big record but every time I’m always surprised which ones take off.

5. Look for inspiration outside dance music.

HIHF: What song is your favorite to play out live right now? All-time?

SNBRN: It’s gotta be my Jimmy Eat World – Sweetness (Remix) or King Kong. All time fav, either ABBA or Marvin Gaye.

HIHF: How do you prepare differently for a club set versus a festival set? Do you prefer playing in one vs another? If you had to pick one or two sets that stood out as special, which ones would they be?

SNBRN: For club sets I don’t really prepare too much except for putting all the music into a playlist of like 400 songs. I know the records of mine that I need to hit and these days 85% of the set is my own music, a lot of it being unreleased. Clubs are smaller and intimate. It’s important to be able to read the crowd. For festivals you’re talking a much bigger scale, less time as well as visual/pyro cues, so that set is very much planned out. If u play 9-10, your set can’t carry over at all. I love them both but my favorite thing is to DJ for five hours and watching people lose their minds in front of me till the sun comes up.

HIHF: I’ve seen you live four times across the last few years and you always keep your set fresh while staying true to your sound, what is your process of putting together a set? How do you go out and find new music to play out?

SNBRN: All my DJ friends are constantly sending me new tunes, while I also hit beatport here and there. I also still make 4 to 5 bootleg remixes a month that I incorporate into my sets. I’ll test everything out and what works continues to get played out for a few months in the sets. I also really love making intros for sets.

HIHF: Outside of the album release, what are you most looking forward to in the next year?

SNBRN: I’m really looking forward to taking some time off the road and having a long overdue vacation. I’ve been either touring or in the studio nonstop. Taking breaks is crucial for your mind and body.

Huge shoutout to SNBRN for taking the time to answer our questions! Follow him on Socials for the latest in Tour Dates, New Music, and More: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Soundcloud | Spotify

Follow the HIHF team on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to keep up with fresh tunes, merch giveaways, exclusive mixes, interviews, and so much more!