Music / April 15, 2021

First Listen: JuliaLouise Knifefist and Rory Sweeney team up on ‘Freak’

Music / April 15, 2021

First Listen: JuliaLouise Knifefist and Rory Sweeney team up on ‘Freak’

Words: Dylan Murphy

Today, we’re delighted to host the exclusive first listen of ‘Freak’, a claustrophobic Jersey club inspired cut from the forthcoming City Imp Records compilation.

Irish tastemaker and Club Comfort co-founder Roo Honeychild has joined forces with City Imp for a new imprint City Imp Records. The label will provide a home for “anything-but-over-serious” music, pulling inspiration from everything from industrial rap to trance and Jersey Club whilst simultaneously giving nods to unmistakably Irish institutions; shifting someone’s mate at a teen disco, cúpla focail Gaeilge briste and drinking cans on public transport – you get the jist.

Ahead of their debut V.A., Chancers Vol. 1, which lands April 30 on Bandcamp, we’re delighted to premiere ‘Freak’ from Rory Sweeney and JuliaLouise Knifefist. Built on tenacious percussion and ominous vocal chops, the claustrophobic cut channels definitive escapist energy.

Speaking on the how the compilation came to be Roo Honeychild said, “A compilation was the natural choice for a first release because we already had a load of pals in mind who had been making stuff that fit with our vision and a list of other artists we wanted to work with.”

“Our main influence has always been Jersey Club and its sonic lineage so our initial vision for the compilation was to mingle the standard elements of that sound with samples that reminded us of our immediate pop culture and growing up in Dublin. The music itself then arose from the synthesis of that concept with the sonic interests and ideas of the artists on the compilation themselves.”

“We would also want to explicitly acknowledge our direct indebtedness to the historic and current legacy of east coast Club Music and encourage anyone who doesn’t already know to listen to artists like Uniiqu3, TT The Artist, DJ Technics, Booman, DJ Class, OSSX, Amen The Producer, Tah Heauxe, Jayhood, Sliink, Kayy DriZZ, Tim Dolla, DJ Tameil  etc. and buy their music. Shout out Brick Bandits, RIP K-Swift, RIP Porckchop, and FREE MIKE GIP.”

Roo continued saying, “Rory is one of my favourite producers in Dublin so he was at the top of my list when it came to asking for contributions. Ethan and him already have a strong working relationship and a proven track record as a duo so you know I was more than excited when he told me we’d be getting a Julia Louise Knifefist vocal.”

Meanwhile Rory says he worked backwards breaking down his favourite cuts when making the song.

“Roo asked me to be on the comp and being the massive fan of hers that I am, “I was like I can’t mess this up.” I took a bunch of DJ Slink and UNiiQU3 songs into Ableton to figure out the structures, drums and instrumentation of my favourite Jersey tracks. The beat is kind of a combination of my favourite musical elements; New Age music, 808 cowbells like in Memphis hip hop, jungle sirens, and sampling acapellas that don’t suit sampling. For this song, I started with Samantha Mumba ‘Gotta Tell U‘ and tried to make that work.”

When it came to adding vocals JuliaLouise Knifefist said, I reference freaking a lot in my songs. When I say it I’m talking about what makes me feel free. For me it’s getting wild at a show or zooming around a pit, but whatever that is to you I think that deserves the most respect.”

Listen to ‘Freak’ and check out the compilation’s full tracklist below:

Tracklist

  1. OHFCKIT – Toké O’Drift
  2. The 46anthem – DJ Selky
  3. Freak – Rory Sweeney x JuliaLouise Knifefist
  4. Friotaíocht – Doubt
  5. #AonDóTrí Challenge – City Imp (prod. Roo Honeychild, feat. Big
    M)
  6. N-Yasss – FRAQ
  7. Justice (Four Courts) – Sweet Philly

Listen to our previous premiere: The Line shares otherworldly ‘Stagnant Water’ Nnux Remix