Exron Exclusive Interview: Champagne Drip

Champagne Drip has been a force to be reckoned with since he first emerged in the electronic scene nearly two decades ago.

Not only has this Los Angeles-based producer mastered the art of music creation, but he’s headlined hundreds of festivals since he launched his project in 2014. With a rich history involving drum & bass, Champagne Drip, known formally as Sam Pool, later transformed his sound into a jungle and bass-inspired landscape built around rich synths and tropical melodies. The DJ immediately launched into success with his current project, hitting all the major industry labels with his singles and touring the world with his unique sound. Following the release of his newest two-tracker Shock Therapy EP out on Wakaan last week, we had the chance to chat with Champagne Drip about his past, present, and future in music.

Exron Music: Exron remembers your decade-long SPL project fondly. What made you decide to make the switch to Champagne Drip in 2014?
In all honesty, I had reached a point of stagnation with SPL and found myself lacking enthusiasm for my work. Recognizing this, I felt it was the opportune moment to reset, paving the way for a fresh approach towards music.

Exron Music: How do you feel like your past with drum and bass helped to shape your current style?
Old school DnB has always held a significant influence on me. Even now, my ears are primarily tuned to the music that emerged during my first encounters with dance music in the ’90s. There was a time when I drifted away from DnB; the genre’s direction had lost its appeal to me and the bulk of popular DnB tracks failed to strike a chord. But earlier this year, I found myself delving back into the early releases from labels like Metalheadz, Reinforced, and Moving Shadow. This experience rekindled a connection with DnB that I’d left untended. Nevertheless, throughout my journey as an artist, I’ve always made use of legacy rave elements such as Hoover synths and breakbeats.

Exron Music: As a musician who’s been producing professionally for 20 years, what’s your biggest advice for creating music that can resonate with an audience?
I once asked one of my early inspirations, who goes by the name Technical Itch, “how do you make tracks that are so memorable and powerful?” The advice he gave me, which I still hold to, was rather direct: “I fuck with stuff until it sounds cool”. This has since been my way of working in the studio. I tinker with sounds, chords, melodies, or rhythms until I hit an “aha” moment, and whatever I’m working on suddenly grips me. I don’t really know what I’ll end up with using this method, but I know it’ll be genuine and it’ll move me. And luckily, if it moves me, the audience usually catches on to it.

Exron Music: You’re playing some major music festivals this year with your sets at EDC and Electric Forest, and upcoming performances at Lost Lands and Hulaween. What’s your favorite part about playing such large-scale events?

I think the most mind-blowing part of it for me is that when I was a teenager and dreaming of being an artist who performs at raves, nothing of the scale we see today even existed. So it’s this weird and incredible universe that has been unlocked after I forged my first goals and fantasies. It’s exciting, new and fills me with gratitude.

Exron Music: In December you released your Comedown EP on SSKWAN, an ambient alternative sound to your usual style. I know you debuted this project at Wakaan festival last year-is this a style that we can expect to see in your sets more often?

Ambient music is not something I typically incorporate into my dancefloor-oriented sets, as it serves a different purpose. However, when it’s appropriate, I plan to play more ambient-focused sets. For instance, I have one scheduled for the Chill Dome at North Coast Music Festival this year.

Exron Music: What’s something about you that your fans might not know?
Over the years, I’ve released a wide variety of music styles, and one that often catches people by surprise is my stint with hardcore/gabber records quite some time ago. I produced these under the same alias that I did in my earlier works, SPL, and can be found on Genosha Recordings.

Exron Music: Do you have any plans to release new music this year that you can share with us?

Yes! I just dropped a 2 track EP on Wakaan and I have a follow-up EP on the way. After that, I plan on releasing an EP with 9 Theory as well as one with Linney and I have a collaboration with Zeke Beats due before the end of the year. I’m also working on remixes for Kraddy and Sully. I’m also hard at work on a full-length album I plan on releasing next year. I’m currently in a more prolific phase of production which is super refreshing and there’s a lot of work I have in progress.