Halifax, Nova Scotia isn’t exactly synonymous with bass music. Despite that fact, the East Coast of the Canada has recently birthed one of the most exciting and promising bass duos out in the form of dope. The collaborative project between Chad Smith and Tyler Giordani has been building consistent steam over the past few years. They’ve released with a wide range of influential labels including Saturate Records, Sleeveless Records and LoFreq Records. Their sound combines deep dub and experimental bass with hints of grime and trap for a style that exemplifies everything we love at FUXWITHIT. Their works are gritty, heavy-hitting, deep, dark and dank. With a big year ahead we decided it was due time to connect with dope for a guest mix + interview. The mix perfectly showcases their style featuring a ton of their originals, 10 IDs, and some killer UK rap and grime. In the interview we discuss growing up in Nova Scotia, their local bass scene, the recipe for their music and much more.
How did you two first connect? What made you want to create music together?
We first connected through mutual friends and a mutual interest in DJing. We found each other to have very similar tastes in music, so we began sending tracks back and forth pretty much everyday for the next couple of years. Because of our similar taste in music, we ended up playing A LOT of back to back sets while still pursuing our solo projects. Once we both decided to dive into production, the collaborative project really began to take shape and we soon after decided to put all of our energy toward dope.
What do you admire most about one and other? Are there any things about the other person that get on your nerves at times?
C: I admire Tyler’s critical mind. I can always rely on him to supply a perspective I haven’t fully considered and I really appreciate the balance that brings to the project. Nothing he does really gets on my nerves, we were friends before we began the project and I consider him to be one of my closest friends now. I do, however, wish he’d send me more of the WIPs he has hidden on his hard drive.
T: Chads just got that swag. Like, half can’t explain it, half wish you had it, but definitely can’t deny it. He’s also a super easy-going guy, a real gem of a human. He may even be too easy-going at times, if that’s even possible.
Did you both grow up in Halifax, NS? What was that like? What do you enjoy most about the East Coast?
C: I grew up in Halifax for the most part and it was great. It’s a small city, but it never felt too small. Sports were at the center of my focuses growing up, but I always had a large interest in music, so coming back to it has felt natural. The East Coast is great in a lot of ways, but I enjoy the friendliness of the people, especially the great humans involved in the electronic scene, the most. The vibe of the East coast feels very welcoming and the people that live here are the main reason why.
T: I grew up in a small town called Yarmouth, about 300 km from Halifax. I spent a lot of time outside, in the forest, and by the ocean as a kid, which I am grateful for. Once I graduated high school I moved to Halifax, in search of something different than the typical small town lifestyle. The thing I enjoy most about the East Coast is also the people. People here are just so chill compared to a lot of other places I’ve been. Also, living next to the ocean is the best.
The scene in Halifax really seems to be a hidden gem in the sense that headliners are often pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and reception from the locals.
I’ve spent some time out there and although it’s a beautiful city, it doesn’t seem to be well known for bass music. Is there any type of bass music scene out there?
There is a budding bass music scene here in Halifax. Mostly thanks to Home Bass, which has been a staple for us since the beginning. It’s a monthly bass music night spearheaded by our homie, Kyle McCracken. Home Bass has hosted a slew of international headliners and provided a platform for local artists to showcase their sounds.
The scene in Halifax really seems to be a hidden gem in the sense that headliners are often pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and reception from the locals.
Have you considered moving for music? Where would you go?
Yes. We both love it here, but if we want to take our project to the next level, moving may be a good idea. We’re far away from many potential gig opportunities and moving would help with logistics/exposure. We’ve been feeling a heavy pull from the West Coast, so someplace closer to there would be dope.
If you had to write a recipe for a dope song, what would it include?
2 lb. – Bass
½ oz. – Wubs
8 g. – ‘What is thaaaat sound???’
4 dashes – Spicy Vocals
2 sprinkles – Saturation
1 pinch – Smoke
…we’ve been eliminating music with negative, demeaning and derogatory tones. On top of that, the beats straight up slap and are very club driven.
You seem to have a special kind of love for UK rap and grime. Can you speak to your connection to the music? Why do you enjoy it so much?
We’ve been leaning toward music that has meaningful/positive messages and we’ve found that to be a lot more common in the UK hip hop scene. We want to play music that represents our own values, so we’ve been eliminating music with negative, demeaning and derogatory tones. On top of that, the beats straight up slap and are very club driven. We love to include hip hop, so Grime & UK Rap works really well with our sets.
Tell us about the mix. If it were a film what would the tagline be? What was your goal when putting it together?
Our goal was to highlight some of our own upcoming music and recent releases as well as some fresh beats from artists we dig. The tagline for the mix if it were a film would be ‘Thoughts on dope’ or some other double-entendre.
What should fans expect from you this year?
Lots of new music. We’ve got a new single dropping soon and a new EP in the works. We just want to pump out more music than we ever have and 2020 feels like a great year to do that.
Tracklist
Intro
dope – ID
Capo Lee – Way Too Long
Cesco – Spiral
Mono/Poly – Teach You All A Lesson
Tsuruda – Hammer [Edit]
Aztek – Sequoia ft. Sandra Morales
Mono/Poly – Stacking Ones
dope – ID
Thook – Interior
Pidjeon – La Mente
Slowthai – Dope Dealer (dope Bootleg)
Irah, Abstrakt Sonance – Busy with the Gang (dope Bootleg)
Saule – Zeroes
Mennis – Nokia
Mr. Carmack – Hmm [Baile Edit]
Lijah – Alhassan
Ocean Wizdom – Chicken Wing
dope – Noer the Boy Cypher Vol. 6
Stormzy – Wiley Flow
Leftlow – Cluedub (Skeptical Remix)
J-Kenzo – Desired State
Gisaza x AJ Tracey – Champion Seer [Edit]
mrshl – Fuccboi
dope – ID
Abelation – Barricade Me
clipping. – Blood of the Flang
dope – ID
Mr. Carmack – Remember to Remember
dope – ID
dope – ID
Ivy Lab – Hotline [dope’s Jadakiss Edit]
dope – ID
MiLANO – Anti Seed
dope – ID
dope – ID
dope x SKEW – ID
dope – Soundboi Dead [LoFreq Records]
Noer the Boy – Sands of Time
Houman & Smaokland – Blunted
Tsuruda – Little Mac
Lordel – Chipset
