Sexpop has released their new single titled ‘Who to Call’. Ascribing musical genres to various seasons may feel as natural as the accompanying wardrobe change, but through all four divisions, there is one conspicuous place with an evergreen dress code and a ceaseless source of heat and electricity: The Club. If it is to remain satiated, we need to make sure to feed it a steady supply of rhythm and funk. Lucky for us, even with summer swiftly approaching an end, the partying is here to continue with the help of rising stars Sexpop on their newest single, ‘Who to Call’.
Austin, Texas-based multi-instrumentalist Blaise Eldred has yet to leave the kitchen of beats, continually cooking delicious grooves as the leader of electro-pop group Sexpop since their self-titled debut in 2018. While Eldred’s initial style is still discernible, the recipe has grown more complex with bolder combinations of psychedelia, R&B, and indie pop. Not content with just concocting the songs, Eldred further stepped up as a self-producer, wrapping the finished treats in a professional packaging rivaling that of any major brand available on the same shelves. This competency is on full display on this newest track, with its humble beginnings as an iPhone demo track appetizer, now turned well done club banger.
“Who to Call” wastes no time drawing us in with filtered synths that ebb and flow around a driving syncopated beat. The kick is eq’d with plenty of pulsating sub bass for pounding the dance floor, but leaves a surplus of space for the vocals to spin their tale of relationship woes. Healthy stereo spreads of reverb on the synths and vocals contribute to the dreamy and weary feel while crisp constant hi-hats keep time above it all. While the bass line remains sparse and subdued at first, it is a conscious choice to let the story develop, not wanting to impede the message of a strained romance. Once the harmonies arrive in full swing to herald the title drop, everything else but the synths take a patient backseat. It’s a tried and true method, but it is ultimately the perfect call for a track like this, allowing for one hell of a synth-pop drop that finally lets the bass flow freely before one last heavenly chorus. Short, sweet, and full of replayability.
Studio prowess has not been the only thing brewing for Eldred’s project. A fully-fledged live band is in the mix now, weaving individual creativities into the collective jam. The strength of Eldred’s songwriting and leadership combined with a dedicated live band is sure to result in an electric show worthy of continuing to power the insatiable beast that is the stage. With two full albums on their plate and more cooking, Sexpop is in the perfect place to keep the dance floor warm for many seasons to come.
Q&A
You have developed into a full-fledged producer. What led you to learn how to self-produce your tracks?
Trial and error really. First album was all on Garage Band on my phone, I had little idea what I was doing but really I was trusting my ears to do the work. All I did was leveling and some minor panning, little reverb here and layering sounds on top of each other. I didn’t even get it mastered, just put it straight to Soundcloud then it made its way to Apple music, Spotify, etc. I was teaching myself how to play guitar at the same time.
A self-described multi-instrumentalist, which instrument do you prefer to play the most, and which one the least?
I play piano the most, had classical training at a young age and eventually went to school for it. Now I teach it in private lessons. Second is probably drums. 3rd guitar, and last is bass.
What sort of things define the live experience of your band vs. the studio one?
The studio is all me and my mixing engineer after I’ve finished my part, and then my mastering engineer. Live show is great to hand out parts that I’ve written and extend songs to give listeners that extra experience. We get to mess around with the songs more and add in small details.
What aspect of the songwriting process do you find the most rewarding? Is it also the most challenging?
When I write a song I somewhat enjoy it. Sometimes I’ll write something and say it’s shit. People will tell me the opposite and I’ll say alright, maybe I’ll just go with it. I’m my worst critic, and it’ll get the best of me to the point where I have trouble writing and believing in myself. I’ve gotten better at it and try to find my original inspirations that I truly love to listen to.
If you had to start over from scratch without any of your instruments or gear (minus a computer), what would you buy first?
I would buy a piano, probably one of those kid ones you get at thrift shops. I used those quite a lot on the first album on tracks like “Never Ending”. Went thrifting and bought one for like 2 dollars then put it on a song. It worked really well. nice cheesy chords.
What’s one piece of advice you can give for other creatives out there?
Try to write with your ears and not your mind. thinking can mess with the process. Also, don’t be afraid to fail. You will know what you like right off the bat most of the time, and you won’t have to convince yourself to enjoy your music.
What’s next for you musically? Where can people see and/or hear you?
We play every month in Austin, Texas. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for updates on future shows. Constantly working on music, will release another album soon. I’ve been working on music for this other project I’m in called “Grandmaster”. Check it out.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/s3xpop
https://www.instagram.com/sexxpop
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5YoMiOBqFD3ix30uj1fYyh