Star Slinger
Sun-drenched soul samples chopped into bouncy, lo-fi beats. It is the sound of a perfect summer afternoon captured on warm analog tape.
Sun-drenched soul samples chopped into bouncy, lo-fi beats. It is the sound of a perfect summer afternoon captured on warm analog tape.
Star Slinger makes music that feels like a collective memory of the best summer you ever had. It is built on a foundation of classic soul and R&B samples, but they are chopped, pitched, and rearranged with a modern electronic sensibility that keeps them feeling fresh rather than purely retro. The drums have a characteristic 'swing' - a rhythmic looseness that feels human and inviting, avoiding the rigid grid of standard club music.
What sets this sound apart is the sheer sense of optimism and warmth. Even when the textures are dusty or lo-fi, the melodies are bright and the energy is infectious. It sits in that perfect middle ground between 'beat tape' hip-hop and house music, making it equally suitable for a focused work session or a backyard party. It is music that celebrates the art of the connection, finding the hidden link between a 70s vocal lick and a 21st-century synth line.
Start with 'Volume 1' to hear the raw, sample-heavy energy that first put him on the map. It is a masterclass in how to breathe new life into old sounds through creative editing and a deep love for the source material.
Star Slinger (born Darren Williams) is an electronic music producer and DJ based in Manchester, UK, taking influences mainly from house and hip hop. Star Slinger first came to attention after self-releasing a beat tape in the summer of 2010 entitled "Volume 1". Shortly after, Williams picked up noteworthy press interest from Pitchfork Media, SPIN Magazine, Dazed & Confused Magazine and was interviewed by Annie Mac on BBC Radio 1. He has collaborated with James Vincent McMorrow, Dawn Richard, Kilo Kish, Juicy J, Project Pat, Tunji Ige, Lil B, Sam Sparro, Stunnaman, Reggie B & Teki Latex alongside others. He has officially remixed for Jessie Ware, London Grammar, Duke Dumont, Childish Gambino, Ellie Goulding, Bipolar Sunshine, Hundred Waters (for Skrillex's Owsla label) and was selected by ASAP Rocky to open all shows on his 2012 European Tour. He also co-wrote & produced Kilo Kish "Goldmine" which featured on the Sundance Film Festival Award-winning film Dear White People.
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); summer, golden hour, urban night (atmosphere)
Shares soulful, nostalgic, playful (moods); sample based, lo fi, tape saturation (production style)
Shares sample based, lo fi, tape saturation (production style); downtempo, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres)
Shares joyful, soulful, nostalgic (moods); sample based, lo fi, tape saturation (production style)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); joyful, nostalgic, playful (moods)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); joyful, nostalgic, playful (moods)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); sample based, lo fi, tape saturation (production style)
Shares sample based, tape saturation, lo fi (production style); summer, urban night, rooftop (atmosphere)
Shares trip-hop, downtempo, house (subgenres); sample based, lo fi, tape saturation (production style)
Shares golden hour, summer, rooftop (atmosphere); downtempo, lo-fi hip-hop, house (subgenres)
Shares voice as instrument, lo-fi hip-hop, trip-hop, tape saturation (signature)
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