Words by Keane Fletcher

It might be Friday the 13th, but that doesn't mean your luck's run out. In fact, with Melbourne-based artist Hitch's new single 'How You Like It' hitting streaming platforms across the country today, you could say it was your lucky day. Or at least the day you get lucky, thanks to this darkly atmospheric, seductive house bop.

''How You Like It' stemmed from this acapella sample that I found on Splice,' says Hitch. 'I felt that a sexy downtempo house vibe gave the vocals some life and justice. The beat itself definitely gives off a Kaytranada/Disclosure type style which I thought sounded real cool with the sensual vibe of the vocals...All in all, I wanted to give this track a real aggressive and sexy style to tone with the summer party season.' 

And sexy it certainly is. Forget social distancing*. With its intimate vocals, pool-party-in-Ibiza percussion, and swoon-worthy synths, this banger of track will make you wanna grind against your beloved** with all the ominous sensuality of a black cat. Or at least with the enthusiasm of someone who's been in lockdown for the better part of 2020.

 *Please don't forget social distancing.

**Get their consent first.

We recently sat down with Hitch to talk all things music, inspo, and the creative process behind his brand new single, 'How You Like It'. Check it out below! 

1- Where in the world are you based at the moment?

Living in Melbourne right now. 

2- How would you describe your sound? Who are your musical influences? 

I feel like my music is constantly evolving as I like to play around with various genres like house, future bass, trap and downtempo. Sometimes I like to merge different styles whilst implementing my own element. I'd have to say my biggest inspirations would have to be artists like Flume and Point Point; even though their style doesn’t have much similarity to 'How You Like It'. 'How You Like It' definitely steers pretty far from my usual style but I'm still in the midst of finding myself as an artist and where I sit in the EDM spectrum. 

3- How do you find your inspiration? Are you more likely to sit down to write with an idea already formed or does inspiration usually take you by surprise?

I generally get a lot of ideas from the music that I listen to. I like to believe that music is an endless road of possibilities but it's also an evolving tree in which I myself as an artist like to build upon what currently exists in the music world and create my own and/or give a new perspective to certain styles and genres. Most of the time, I spend hours just trying to create a chord progression that I like; and then it's only after that, that the easier task begins (building a song around that chord progression). 

4- Your latest single ‘How You Like It’ is a sexy, darkly atmospheric bop with loads of interesting samples and textures. Can you tell us a bit about the process of creating this song?

'How You Like It' stemmed from this acapella sample that I found on Splice (sample and music collaboration platform). I really liked the vocals so I spent a fair bit of time playing around with potential bass riffs and beats. I felt that a sexy downtempo house vibe gave the vocals some life and justice. The beat itself definitely gives off a Kaytranada/Disclosure type style which I thought sounded real cool with the sensual vibe of the vocals. The main lead in the drop is a flute that had been distorted immensely, which I felt complimented the heavy grittiness of the bass. All in all, I wanted to give this track a real aggressive and sexy style to tone with the summer party season. 

5- How do you usually go about collaborating with other artists? Does one of you approach the other with an idea ready to go, or does it happen more organically?

Generally I send through some ideas and projects I have been working on to the vocalists or producers that I usually collab with. So far I've done a few collaborations mainly with my friend Krisha Marisse. Usually after a project has been pitched, me and Krisha kind of bounce ideas off each other until we got something good going. 

6- A lot of artists are really suffering at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its ramifications. How has it affected you and your creativity? How have you been forced to adapt?

I think the COVID-19 pandemic has been really hard for a lot of artists, but I also feel like it's given me time to reflect and work on myself as an artist. I've had a lot more time to work on projects that haven't been touched on in a while, whilst also starting new ones. 'How You Like It' was created during the pandemic so I like to believe that even though it's a real tough time for many artists, it can also give us the chance to focus on creating new music. I think the hardest part for me has been not being able to collaborate with other artists, but I have pulled through a little with working with others over discord streaming sessions, so it wasn't a complete let down. 

7- If you could change one thing about the music industry what would it be?

Hmmm, I think there is definitely a lot wrong with the commercial music industry but if I was to name one thing it would have to be the lack of experimental artists given credit commercially. I find that there are so many talented artists out there that don't get the recognition they deserve, and most of the time it's because they don't have a large following or a lot of status to their name. It's a very subjective subject, but at the end of the day, it's a very tough industry with many flaws, but with the right tools, mindset and support, artists can definitely succeed if they don't let the harsh conditions of the music industry harm their drive. 

8- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Well it might seem super cliche, but the principles I follow as an artist are to not stop until I've reached a point of success that I am satisfied with. And I feel that this is stemmed with the saying that you only live once, so do what makes you happy. I personally cannot see myself doing anything other than music, so I'm going to do whatever it takes to make a living out of it and not have to work a day in my life since I'm doing what I love. 

9- What's up next for you?

I've had a lot of time to work on a few projects and collaborations with other artists, so do stay alert for some more new choons getting released in the next few months.

Thanks for stopping by Hipland!