Behind The Beat ep.1 - Pullen
Shot by @lewphoto
Welcome to Behind The Beat, a new series where we chat to the hottest producers and DJ’s making waves in their respective scenes.
Up first, we have Pullen. With an extremely versatile and adaptive sound, he’s found himself in the studio with a host of underground artists such as Lord Apex and Jeshi, where he’s put his stamp on tracks like Different and Mask On. His friendship and musical partnership with up and coming Kam-Bu has resulted in an array of awesome releases from the pair, most recently the Moments ep. Catch them cooking up tracks ranging from soulful and melodic 90s infused vibes, to heavy, face- screwing hitters.
Whilst creating original beats is what he’s mainly known for, Pullen has proven himself in the field of remixing, treating us with groovy flips of tracks from the likes of Skepta, Harlem Spartans and 21 Savage that can be found on his SoundCloud page.
After a year packed full of releases, as well as collaborations with radio stations Foundation Fm and NoSignal, 2021 is looking to be a big year for our guest.
We caught up with the man himself and discussed everything Pullen related that you need to know.
1) What’s your name, where are you from and what do you do?
My names Pullen, I’m from South West London and I’m a producer
2) How would you describe your sound?
Somewhere between old school hip hop, trap and electrical- pretty much an amalgamation of the three.
3) Who were your 3 biggest musical influences growing up?
Pharell, Michael Jackson and Kanye. The second two probably aren’t the most popular choices for obvious reasons, but if you’re looking at them purely for their music then...
4) Is there a significant moment where you realised this could become a career for you?
When I started seeing the positive response to my stuff. That kind of solidified it. It’s such a sick feeling when people appreciate what you do. The Boiler Rooms I’ve been involved with were big milestones as well, ever since I started making beats, being on there was one of my ambitions. The Low Heat one came about so randomly, I was with my boys Brooks, Kam-bu and Louis Culture and we bumped into my boy Willow who was on his way to a session at YoungTurks, and that was where I met James Massiah who was involved in the Low Heat event. Everyone was freestyling over my beats and they got to see Kam-Bu rap as well then that was that. Right place right time I guess and shout out to James for making that all happen.
5) What’s your fondest memory of a concert you’ve been to?
Britney Howard just before lockdown- this drummer called Nate smith did a mad drum solo for like 6 minutes- lights flashing everywhere, it was crazy.
6) What’s your favourite track that you’ve been involved in?
That’d have to be an upcoming release from Kam-bu and myself. The way that started was mad, it was so spontaneous. We were at mine, trying this new songwriting technique, it worked really well so then we took our time with it. After we’d done our bit, it got passed to two more producers who added strings and brass live in the studio. It was probably the maddest session I’ve ever been involved in.
7) What would your dream feature be?
Kendrick Lamar, no question.
8) Smile Soundsystem - give us some insight on what it was like working with Louis Culture on that project. There are quite a few different vibes you created through the beats- what was the inspiration behind this contrast?
That was a mad learning curve. Stylistically, I was making music that I’d never even heard before and Louis was one of the first people I produced alongside. It was a really interesting blend of what I typically do and what he typically does. The main storyline behind the album was different stages of a night out, with a mix of feelings like reminiscing, good energy and sometimes regret. We wanted the piece to really feel like a journey, from going outside for the first cigarette at the beginning of the evening to the cab back in the morning, and everything in between. It was a really cool experience that allowed me to grow massively as a musician.
9) What can we expect from you in the coming months?
More stuff with Kam-bu is on the way as well as a few releases with other exciting artists. I’d love to drop a full beat tape that really shows my mind, where I can make the most of sampling etc. I wanna get engrossed in music this lockdown for sure.
10) And finally, have you got any gems of wisdom for any young producers out there?
Don’t be afraid to shout people, don’t box yourself in and always keep learning. When you find something good hold onto it, and when you’re working with an artist, try and make the most of every trait they have. Focus on ‘how can I benefit this person musically and potentially bring them out of their comfort zone to result in the best possible outcome’, rather than ‘how can I make them sound sick on this beat I’ve made’.