What’s better than an artist delivering a tech house heater? A collective of musical innovators working together on one. That is the exact purpose why Jakk’d, HAWD HITTA, NoBueno, and $on-$hine, have joined forces. Fusing their signature production styles and artistic creativity, the four artists have linked up for their brand-new single, “CHECK THIS OUT”.
At the heart of this electrifying hit is a sequence of uplifting trumpets. This forward-thinking crew of producers builds a percussion-heavy bassline around the exotic horns. Complementing these elements is a vocal sample that will make you subconsciously beeline it to the dance floor. Adding to its infectiousness, there are also groovy drops and tantalizing effects throughout “CHECK THIS OUT”.
Staying true to its name, “CHECK THIS OUT” is a song that should be on every EDM fan’s radar. “We wanted to bring something very different to the table. With ‘CHECK THIS OUT’ I believe we did just that,” says $on-$hine on the track. This talented group has clearly done that and more, previewing a promising 2023 of original music ahead.
The crew behind “Check This Out,” took the time out to talk about the story behind the song, how they connected, and more.
Exclusive Interview
How has the scene in LA impacted your individual tastes in music and your identities as artists?
Jakk’d (Max): “The scene in LA has impacted my views and myself in many different ways than the east coast. There are more opportunities and bigger opportunities, small fish in a big pond flip compared to being a big fish in a small pond back east. It pushes me to become a better artist”
HAWD HITTA: Coming from the east coast, I’ve definitely felt like LA and the west coast really just has a different energy and I love how creative people are out here. Work comes more naturally for studio sessions and aligning the stars. I think the best artists in the world live in Los Angeles and that’s one of the reasons why I moved out here.
NoBueno: The LA scene brings diversity, and I come from the Brazilian background already so I really love collaborating with other artists out here. I have always managed to stick to my roots and incorporate that into new projects time and time again.
$on-$hine: LA and SoCal have such a rich history of music, and I feel like I can learn a lot from those who have been crushing it out here. I wanted to incorporate my drumming skills into my artist project, which I would say were heavily influenced by the music scene out here.
If you had to pick one, what is your favorite sound or sequence in “CHECK THIS OUT”?
HAWD HITTA: “The track has too many good elements, you’re putting me in a tough spot to pick one haha. I think we all can say our trumpet selection and vocal chop for the build up for the second drop, really gets the job done. The way we spiced it up with those trumpets I’m a fan of, and props to $on-$hine and NoBueno and Jakk’d for all their tune ups with that.”
How did each of you connect with each other and come together for this house anthem?
HAWD HITTA: “We all crossed paths at different points in our lives, first with the Boston/New England boys of Jakk’d and NoBueno DJing together for several years before moving out to LA, then Sonny and I came later in the mix. It’s been amazing to have all worked together the past few months and we are very excited to see where this all goes as it really goes to show how well we get things done.”
What is the shared vision behind SEARCHPRTY RECORDS? How do you guys plan on growing the label?
NoBueno: “The label is our family that we’ve developed on the west coast. We decided to start a project with this California family, just some kids from the east coast. Don’t know what I would do without my family. The plan is to release a substantial quantity of music at a high quality.”
Where do you guys look for inspiration when you feel like you’ve hit a wall while making a track?
$on-$hine: “I will pause, stop, even start something new, but will listen to that song 5-10 times and come back to address what I didn’t like in the foundation of the V1 we started with. I would say overall when I hit a wall, I look to sounds that are gonna elevate the song and make it more unique from seeking inspiration outside of the creative process and just by tuning into a youtube vid or other music even in outside genres than the track being produced in.”
Where do you guys see your projects in five years from now?
NoBueno: “I see myself with a platinum single and album, and all these artists the same, I see some #1 singles and the search for the party continues”
HAWD HITTA: Definitely see myself touring globally with a lot of hit #1’s, and trying to help out as many as possible through my work. It’s all about giving back.
$on-$hine: I definitely can see my funk house project really being an enjoyable project to work on and I know there are tours, albums and other great things to come along with this. I understand for now at these early stages of producing and DJing, I gotta stay focused to get there, and it’s going to take time that I have the patience for.
Jakk’d: We never really had a 5 year goal when we started Jakk’d 6-7 years ago. We were just having fun making music and evolving and crafting our sound with what’s popping off at the current time and putting our own twist on it. Now that we’ve been in LA for almost 2 years now, hopefully 5 years from now we’ll be doing the same thing but on a larger scale of things like collaborating with artists we only dreamed about working with years ago.
