In the world of music, lush environments, and soundscapes create the feelings listeners get when they play certain songs, the sound design taking them on a journey into a whole new dimension. The best producers can create whole new worlds using their intriguing melodies, lush soundscapes, and defining beats, helping aid this journey into sound. One particular artist who has been rising above others in formulating these immersive voyages through production has been none other than Wakaan artist, Sully, who has continued to paint pictures with his music with each and every one of his releases. Whether it is a heavy-hitting deep drop or a floating tune, each one of Sully’s releases paints an audio-visual picture for each and every listners, and the same can be said with his latest EP, Submersed.

Following his most recent and highly-anticipated track “Scuba”, Sully brings on his latest EP, featuring 5 tracks in totality. This EP definitely encompasses a vast amount of different genres all while retaining its deep oceanic themes throughout each individual track. Starting Submersed off with a bang, is a collaboration between Sully and his close friend and producer Iora entitled “Shades of Black”. Followed closely behind is Sully’s newest heavy-hitting dancefloor hit, “Seasons” which is sure to be rinsed out far and wide this festival season. Following next with an iconic presentation of Sully’s signature bass lines is “Static”, and finally “Shot Callin'” the latest collaboration with this surging producer and lively duo Smoaklands that is not to be missed. This EP will have listeners encapsulated in the journey that has been cast through each of these tracks, brining listeners to the dancefloor left and right. 

“Submersed represents a sonic journey of frequencies. As you listen through the tracks, we start with the deepest and lush frequencies in tracks like ‘Shades of Black’ & ‘Seasons’ and gradually we get to explore more explosive frequencies in heavier songs like ‘Static’ & ‘Shot Callin.’ Both of these styles are met with ‘Scuba’ right in the middle of the tracklist to keep the balance.”

Continuing to make waves throughout the bass scene and gearing up for the rest of 2023, Sully continuously brings infectiously high energy to each of his live festival sets around the country. With upcoming sets at Lost Lands, Champagne & Friends, and more there is no limit to the heat that this artist is going to be bringing to each stop he makes throughout the US this festival season.

We got the chance to talk with Sully about his latest release and what everyone has to look forward to below in our exclude Q&A below. Make sure to check out that and his exclusive Patreon below for more insight, exclusives, and a breakdown of his latest track ‘Scuba’ in honor of today’s release!

Diving Deep w/ Sully

1. What were your inspirations when you sat down to write the Submersed EP? Did you know the exact direction you wanted the EP to go at the very beginning or did you find it as you were putting the tracks together?

The Submersed EP definitely came together naturally without me realizing there was a theme to it. My team and I were putting together a tracklist for demos that could be contenders for my album and there were originally around 18-20 tracks which we felt was too many. We then sat down and tried to piece together 5 songs that felt like they fit together yet eluded a diverse body of work – the 5 tracks that you hear on the Submersed EP.

2. This EP and the previous EP release, ‘Scuba’, have had tons of subterranean soundscapes and water themes. Is the Submerse & Scuba EPs a new expiration into a different sound after your Hardwire and Encrypted EPs?

I would say it’s an extension of my sound pallet for sure – some things will sound completely new but others will feel familiar in this body of work. The tracklist order represents the listener gradually rising to the surface as the energy increases throughout the EP.  I start the EP off with “Shades of Black” featuring my friends IORA and vocalist Jessy Covets. This song is rich in melody and texture and we wanted to leave listeners feeling drowning in emotion – as if you are at the ocean floor. We then move onto “Seasons” ft. Misdom which is still very emotional and deep but we feel a slight boost in energy as if we begin swimming to the surface. “Scuba” is the third track and the beginning to the explosive frequencies that we will hear in the last two tracks “Static” and “Shot Callin” w/ Smoakland.

3. With your project, you have definitely taken a lot of time to help young producers whether it be through producer workshops at festivals, your Patreon or just talking with those who are looking to follow in your footsteps as a producer. Why is this an important aspect of your project? How can those looking to learn to produce use these workshops or your Patreon to further their knowledge of production?

It’s important to me to help others because I look back when I was first starting and I really wish I had that mentor guiding me along the way in the beginning stages of my production journey. It’s so important. In fact, IORA is one of my mentees from the last year and a half. It was awesome to see a track come together between the two of us. So proud of all he’s accomplished both in the DAW and mentally over the last 18 months.

I think the idea of using workshops and Patreon to your advantage is to be a sponge, absorb the information, and then put your own twist/experimentation on the skill you are learning. If you are digesting a technique from Skrillex, how can you take that technique and run with it to make it your own?

4. The Sully project has been seen on lineups far and wide at festivals and live shows such as Lost Lands and Champagne and Friends. What are you doing to prepare for sets such as these? What can fans look forward to from your upcoming live sets?

I set prep based on where I am in the lineup, what day, who’s playing before and after me, etc. I think my job is to be original and curate a vibe for the audience. That’s what they are paying to hear in my opinion. The most important factor is being original. Fans can always expect my sets to be extremely diverse in tempo, genre, and pacing. I go all over the place and prepare well to make sure it feels cohesive.

5. What is next for the Sully project? What do you and your team have planned for your project in the near future? 

I don’t want to give away too much – but it’s album time and I’ll see you this fall 🙂

There is no doubt that DIESEL has been bringing energy both ‘on and off the court’ when it comes to his releases, festival sets, and club shows across the globe, packing an immense amount f energy with everything he does. As he continues to evolve his heavy-hitting yet ever-evolving sound into the full-force destructive power it is, DIESEL has locked in a monster collaboration with high-energy bass artist, Hairitage, to put together the festival banger of the year, “BANG YOUR HEAD” . These two dubstep legends have teamed up to put forth a track that will have crowds rioting every time it is rinsed out on the decks.

Not only is this collaboration a slam dunk of a track, but this is also DIESEL’s first release with a world-famous record label, Monstercat, since signing his forthcoming debut album with the group. With so much hype surrounding this album, “BANG YOUR HEAD” serves as a taste of the madness that is to be expected from this 10-track album. Fans can also expect to gain a little glimpse into all this building excitement with an upcoming teaser video, outlining exactly what to expect from the insanity of this album.

Not only is “BANG YOUR HEAD” a certified bop but also solidifies the visions of both artists’ fierce energy, all encapsulated into 3 minutes. This track is the perfect tune for the Monstercat fan base with its clapping bass line, distorted experimental sounds, and overall infectious energy that only DIESEL and Hairitage can bring at this level. Its spine-chilling frequencies will have listeners doing exactly what the track name suggests, banging their head from the very first measure of this track. 

“BANG YOUR HEAD is my first single off my new album that will be dropping with Monstercat. I am so excited to be working with them and to be releasing multiple singles leading into the album starting with this one. HAIRITAGE and I have been working on ‘BANG YOUR HEAD” for over a year now. Aaron (Hairitage) would come out to my shows just so we could work on it in the green room or in the car and make this a banger. This record goes HARD and makes you want to bang your head… so do it.” – DIESEL

“Collaborating with the legendary Shaq on our latest track ‘Bang Your Head’ has been an awesome journey. It’s been two years in the making, and the creativity that went into this collaboration has been off the charts. Shaq’s passion for music is unmatched, and his larger-than-life personality made this project so much fun to work on. We can’t wait to share this track of pure bass with everyone.” – HAIRITAGE

Wanting to catch this track rinsed out live? With the increasing fan anticipation steadily growing, DIESEL has set up plenty of opportunities for everyone to get their bass fix, while also continuing to support up-and-coming artists both on and off of the stage. Recently announcing his first ever all-female lineup for his infamous show series, ‘Shaq’s Bass All Stars’, bass fans can join DIESEL alongside numerous talented female artists as they take over Mission Ballroom this October. Catch artists such as Jessica Audiffred, So Tuff So Cute, AIMMIA and Softest Hard absolutely destroy Denver, with a full bass-in-your-face style show. DIESEL has undoubtedly changed the dubstep world, not only through his music but through his dedication to putting the edm community onto new artists, so don’t miss out on seeing the bass community he has created and hear “BANG YOUR HEAD” live!

When it comes to music, creating the perfect visual experience through sound is a goal most artists have when putting forth new music. Whether a track is supposed to transport a listener to a new dimension, make them think of a particularly happy memory, or illustrate a concept or feeling the artist might have been inspired by while writing the music, music’s goal is to allow the mind and imagination to run wild. Many electronic artists take this into account when they create the visuals, helping guide the listeners through the journey they have created or just enhancing the track itself. Within the world of EDM, no matter the subgenre, the visuals are just as important in representing artists and their music as the actual tracks themselves.

These ideas are exactly what bass wizard, Tripp St., took into account when teaming up with ZiP Visuals to curate the perfect experience to bring forth numerous unreleased tracks in the new Tripp Street mix. Featuring numerous elements to tell the music’s story, ZiP Visuals truly took Tripp St.’s artistic vision and made it a reality, while also incorporating tons of fun and exciting elements along the way. From a Bop it to hippos to pigeons, this A/V experience is playful and fun while also enhancing the slew of unreleased tunes through this mix.

“Making this mix felt really good while going back through all the music I’ve made in the past year. My mixes are my creative safe space where I can do or play anything I want. You hear an extension of whatever I’m feeling at the time throughout the mix.”-Tripp St.

Overall, this mix will have listeners on their feet and bouncing around to the beat from the first beat to the last. Packed full of never before heard Tripp St. tunes, this mix will definitely have fans far and wide gearing up for the announcement of his new and upcoming albums. Do not sleep on checking out this mix via Youtube (or with the link below) and our exclusive interview to gain more insight into how this mix was created, the inspirations behind the music and more!

Diving Deep w/ Tripp St. 

1. You use your mixes and live sets to curate a cinematic experience through sound for your listeners. When writing new music or creating these sets, what is your creative process? Are there certain elements you include in this to heighten the overall auditory experience of these?

Tripp St.: I like to think of my mixes as a timestamp for my inspiration and where my mind is at that given time. Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of movie soundtracks, 70’s soul & funk, and of course 90’s hip hop. Creating new music is by far my favorite part of being a Producer/DJ and seeing how far I can push myself to keep progressing. Once I’ve emptied the creative tank I put my focus into how I’m going to put it all together in a mix. I don’t have much of a plan or secret formula to the mixes besides going with what feels good to me. At the end of the day that’s what this whole project is about – going with my gut and making something I’m passionate about. I know that if I love it then someone else will too.

2. The Tripp Street mix is a compilation of tons of unreleased music from your upcoming unreleased albums. What can listeners expect from these forthcoming releases? Will there be any special surprises fans have to look forward to?

Tripp St.: We have some special things planned for the next album for sure. I’ll be touring off this record in the Fall and I’m really excited to hit the road with enough music to do something different every night. We’ll have some special merch components including vinyl and other select merchandise. That’s all I can say for now but stay tuned for more info soon.

3. This mix is also very special in the fact that you collaborated with ZiP Visuals to not only create an auditory journey, but a visual one as well. What were your inspirations behind these visuals? How did you work with ZiP Visuals to create the overall experience to accompany the Tripp Street Mix?

Tripp St.: I’m a big fan of the visual arts scene and I’m honored to get to work with some of the best in the game. ZiP and I first worked together at Sound Haven 2021 which ended up being one of my favorite sets to this day. I always wanted to reconnect and I’m glad we got to do this together. We’ve become friends over the years and he really took everything he knew about me and mashed it up with his style for this visual mix. For someone like ZiP you just let them do their thing knowing it’s going to come out dope. There’s a lot of new animations , over an hour of material and tons of effort put into this by ZiP. Massive love and thanks to him for all the hard work!

4. You have numerous festivals and live sets coming up such as Cascade Equinox and Champagne and friends. What can fans look forward to in attending these live festival and show sets?

Tripp St.: Cascade Equinox is going to be a special one. I’m planning my vibiest set yet and I’m going to debut a ton of new music there. I don’t get out to the West Coast for festivals that much so I want to do something really special for this one. I’m also hitting up the PNW for a couple of headline shows in Seattle and Portland on 6/29 and 6/30 so be sure to come out to those for an early taste of this new music!

5. What is up next for the Tripp St. project? Alongside the upcoming album releases, what do you and your team have planned for your project in the near future?

Tripp St.: Before the next album there is still 1 more EP i’m planning to release very soon with SSKWAN. Shoutout to Martin and the team for showing so much love. Then we’ll be back in album mode!! In addition to that, there are some things we’re working on that I can’t quite share yet, so stay tuned 😉