It would be an understatement to say that Flume had a massive 2013 and the young Sydney producer finished it in characteristic success.
His self-titled debut album was the best-selling Aussie album of 2013, while ‘Drop The Game’, the lead single from his collaborative Lockjaw EP with fellow Aussie music sensation Chet Faker, landed at #5 on the Triple J Hottest 100; an impressive feat considering the song was only released in the last six weeks of the year.
Following his national tour with Big Day Out, how does Flume plan to follow-up in 2014? With another all-star collaboration of course, with one of the world’s most popular DJs: dubstep overlord Skrillex.
Skrillex was in Australia over the New Years break to perform at a number of music festivals, including playing Fuzzy Events’ Shore Thing in Bondi on New Year’s Eve and headlining the new Gold Coast event, BeachLife, in early January (but not Stereosonic after pulling out at the 11th hour).
The producer, real name Sonny Moore, also made a surprise appearance at Sydney’s Field Day on 1st January, as a special guest in a closing set featuring Flume and his What So Not partner Emoh Instead – the trio calling themselves ‘Australian Beat Mafia’.
Speaking to Triple J in late December ahead of that appearance, Moore also revealed that he was headed into the studio with Flume while Down Under. Skrillex also revealed that he was headed into the studio with Flume while Down Under
“Flume is coming in to the studio,” Skrillex told Triple J hosts Veronica & Lewis on 31st December; “I’ll be seeing him tomorrow, so maybe we’ll make something, who knows. I mean technically What So Not is the artist on the (Shore Thing) line up, so maybe we can all do something together.”
Now Triple J has picked up on further developments that demonstrate the sessions have resulted in the two co-writing a two-track EP.
The news comes via Gary Richards, the American music promoter behind Holy Ship, a seabound cruise that ferries passengers aboard a luxury boat alongside a music festival’s worth of electronic acts.
In an interview with the Miami New Times, in which Richards talks up Holy Ship’s growth and the January edition of the festival – which features both Flume and Skrillex – the promoter reveals that there are a number of collabs between ‘shipmates’.
“Richards claims ‘a ton’ of collaborations have resulted from the close quarters and chill vibe. Skrillex is what they call an “OG.” He hasn’t missed a year and has since worked with fellow shipmate Boys Noize [Dog Blood], as well as just wrapped up a two-track collab with Flume, a Holy-Ship-virgin-no-more.”
There’s no further details as to the official release of the EP, or whether it is indeed a crossover between Skrillex and Flume, or a revisit of Field Day’s ‘Australia Beat Mafia’ with Emoh Instead involved as well. Given that What So Not have already issued a release on OWSLA – Skrillex’s own label, it’s enough for dance music fans to get excited over.
The Skrillex team-up may not be the only collaboration on the Flume horizon either.
The Sydneysider has previously teased that there could be scope for him and Chet Faker to expand their Lockjaw pairing into a full-length alum.
“I’ve kinda just moved outta home and I’m building a studio right now… and yeah, I’m keen to get him to come up to Sydney and you know we can just hang for like, you know, a few weeks, a month, whatever. Write an album, whatever, we’ll see what happens, you know?” explained the producer last year.
Then there’s the rumours of a collaboration with Lorde, first hinted at last year following a twitter courtship between the two young prodigies. Speaking to Beat this month, Flume says: “We’re always chatting on email… If I write something I’ll shoot it over, and vice-versa. We’ve got a few bits and pieces, and there’s totally the possibility of something happening in the future.”
