Beat maker, producer and renowned remixer Darren Williams, aka Star Slinger is to release his first official album We Could Be More on December 2 on Pod via Inertia Music in Australia and New Zealand, and on Skrillex‘s label OWSLA for the rest of the world. The album features D?WN, Tungi Ige, Sam Sparro, James Vincent McMorrow, Paris Grey, Tropics and Sara Z. To celebrate, Star Slinger has shared the title track “We Could Be More”, which premiered on Stereogum.
Featuring the American singer-songwriter D?WN (aka Dawn Richards) and co-written by Star Slinger and Tinashe, “We Could Be More” is a serene yet powerful combination of electronic beats and R&B melody, with D?WN’s emotive and sensual vocal telling the familiar story of love and friendship.
Taking his influences mainly from house and hip-hop, Star Slinger first came to wider attention in summer 2010 after self-releasing the underground sensation beat tape, entitled Volume 1,which was rapidly followed by the collaborative Teams vs Star Slinger EP. Since then, he has regularly been in demand for his commercially and critically acclaimed remixes, as well as regularly featuring as a musical contributer on BBC Radio 1 and Radio 1 Xtra. Williams has weaved self-released collections with one-off label releases and an array of high profile remixes and re-fits that feature the likes of Lion Babe, Gold Panda, Deerhunter, Jessie Ware and Ellie Goulding, as well as Kendrick Lamar on his emphatic “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe”.
We Could Be More is the summation of the last six years that Star Slinger has spent musically growing up in public. Thematically, his debut album spans the stylistic breadth of Star Slinger’s previously released tracks, from the lush R&B of title track “We Could Be More” through the twinkling futuristic pop of “Slow Love” and back round again via melancholic hip hop of “Pardon”.
Known for curating new talent that he features on his own records, or releases via his own Jet Jam label and club nights of the same names, this album by Star Slinger is in turn, his own time for the spotlight.
On We Could Be More, Williams leaps into a more traditional songwriting format as opposed to the heavier beats and club focused tracks on previous releases. Star Slinger says:
“Since a kid I’d been listening to radio, my parent’s old records – as well as discovering music for myself via Zines, clubs, music venues & a lot of record shopping. I’ve been through every phase a teenager goes thru. I was simultaneously into everything from Folk, Punk, New Wave, 90s emo, Trance, House, Indie, Hip Hop, R&B, Neo Soul, UK Garage, Happy Hardcore, Grime, etc. but of course with that – you fine tune your tastes eventually. I think I have listened to so much music that I’m still doing that. The one common thing in my life is that I love good pop music. I love the art of a relatable song & with this album I wanted to do that.”
What press are saying:
“Heavily rooted in the fundamental laws of hip-hop – adopting sounds regardless of genre to form something entirely new and exciting” – Dazed & Confused
“credit to Star Slinger for more often than not straying far from the beaten tracks” – The Guardian
“A one-man beat machine” – Pitchfork
Star Slinger
We Could Be More
1. We Could Be More (feat. D?WN)
2. Slow Love (feat. James Vincent McMorrow)
3. Losing Sleep (feat. Sam Sparro)
4. Looking To Be Seen (feat. Sara Z)
5. If It Shall Come
6. Pardon (feat. Tunji Ige)
7. Free**
8. Paz (feat. Tropics)**
9. Wish Upon (feat. Sara Z)**
10. Loves Takes Us High (feat. Paris Grey)**
11. I’m Like
12. Sketchy Boys On The Back Of The Bus
13. Alpha Lead (Instrumental)
14. Rainy Day
**Exclusive to Australia & New Zealand
We Could Be More by Star Slinger is out December 2nd on Pod/Inertia via Rhythmethod
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