Gold Coast based producer Paces is gearing up to unveil his debut album in a handful of weeks. Titled Vacation it’s set to be a collection of sparkly upbeat electro gems.
Following the release of ‘1993 (No Chill)’ Paces has received a heap of national and radio love thanks to his uncanny ability to craft summery pop bangers (case in point: his production work on Tkay Maidza’s hit single ‘Switch Lanes‘).
To celebrate ‘1993 (No Chill)’ Paces has curated a killer holiday mix for us along with a little rundown below. Check it out and if you like what you’re hearing pop by Paces’ Facebook page for more info. Vacation is out March 4th.
Portishead – ‘Mourning Air’
When I was 18 my parents sent me to Fiji on a surf trip instead of having a big party at home. It was definitely the right choice, I loved it over there. I was right into Portishead at the time (still am) and I had this song on repeat in my headphones the whole trip.
Kanye West – ‘Bad News’
When I was beginning to write the tracks for Vacation I was called down to Sydney for a week to work on Guy Sebastian’s album. It was a really busy time working in his studio and then I’d go back to my unit and just vibe out to these two tracks to unwind. They definitely influenced my album. I think you can hear it most on ‘1993’ and ‘Hard For Me’.
Gorillaz – ‘Clint Eastwood’ (Ed Case/Sweetie Irie Refix)
This just reminds me of being a rowdy young man in Bali with a bunch of mates on a surf trip. It’s always so exciting for me to head over there and I remember giving this a good rinsing on one trip.
Jamie XX – I Know There’s Gonna Be Good Times
On a more recent trip to Bali I had this one on repeat because let’s face it, there’s no better holiday anthem in existence.
Katy B – ‘Katy On A Mission’
Before I started this Paces project I was in a DJ duo called Surecut Kids. We toured a lot and I think that I played this song at every single show ever. Takes me back to those tours when I hear it (BTW this song is still so good!).
Hermitude – ‘Ukiyo’
My girlfriend and I go beach-camping pretty regularly. We went on a trip right when Hermitude’s ‘Dark Night Sweet Light’ album came out and I could not stop playing it. Could’ve picked any track from that album but I’ll go with this one because it feels the most vacation-appropriate.
Sam Gellaitry – ‘Long Distance’
Late last year I spent 10 days in Sydney to wrap up things for Vacation. I was staying in this shitty Air BnB place that was super messy and had dusty old bottles and dirty dishes everywhere and smelled like cat poo. Also the tap in the bathroom was stuck on. I crushed the handle trying to turn it off. There was water dripping through the shower ceiling from the unit above. The place was a nightmare but I had this track keeping me sane through it all.
LCD Soundsystem – ‘All My Friends’
When I was touring ‘Nothing’s Forever’ I rediscovered LCD Soundsystem because I’d just watched Shut Up And Play The Hits (BTW you should really watch that). This was the track that I’d listen to every time I was about to land in a new city.
Shlohmo & Jeremih – ‘Fuck You All The Time’
I sometimes get a bit anxious on planes if there’s a lot of turbulence so I need a steady supply of calming music. This whole EP if fire and totally works a treat when you’re stressing out as the plane shudders through stormaggedon.
Cashmere Cat – ‘With Me’
Cashmere Cat is one of my biggest inspirations. Most plane trips, I end up listening to his music and trying to pick apart what he’s done. I get lost in there and I don’t think that I’ll ever fully understand how he does it but it’s brilliant travel music.
