Eric Sharp might be a self-confessed ‘Enthusiastic plant based mustachioed DJ/Musician who’s into wellness and nature’, but really, that’s only half the story. A man whose career has been following a real musical trajectory of late, his most recent effort is one that epitomises what we’ve come to love from this recently-discovered artist. Dexterous and produced with a real flair that showcases his musical nous with some esteem, Body of my Body is the sound of a producer confident with showcasing a diverse catalogue. We caught up with Eric as the release dropped to chat about his residency at the globally famous Sound Nightclub, his upcoming release as well as his future plans….
How are you, how has your summer been so far?
I’m great, thanks! This summer has been an oasis of joy and connection. LA’s music scene has come back with a vengeance, and the vibes have been amazing all summer. Shout out to the venues and promoters here working hard to do things safely, so that we can stay open (fingers crossed!) I’ve been writing and producing a ton of music, and have also been enrolled in the Deep Cuts school of music marketing, which has given me an excellent tool kit to better promote my releases. Gyms in Los Angeles have reopened, so I’ve been able to exercise regularly beyond just nature hikes and home exercises. I’m eating a lot of farm fresh organic vegetables from the farmer’s market too, which helps me feel great and energized.
Have you started playing again post lockdowns? What’s it been like? the vibes, the big tunes?
I’ve had one show post lockdown so far, with more to come soon including dates at Sound Nightclub where I do my residency. It is incredible to be back doing what I love! I headlined a pool party here in LA that sold out every ticket and every table. The energy was beautiful, and it was a perfect day outside. I like to lean towards disco at outdoor daytime events. I think the biggest moments were probably Mousse T’s remix of Madison Avenue’s Don’t Call Me Baby, a throwback to Bob Sinclar’s Burning, Majestic’s version of Rasputin by Boney M, and some of my own tracks like The Thirst and this new joint Body On My Body did great too.
How much did the pandemic and being at home alter the style of music you made and its mood and vibe?
Everything that I experience influences the music that I create! I try to come from the heart when I write. I take aspects of the philosophy of surrealist painters into my creative process, focusing on allowing the art to move through me without judgment or criticism, and allowing my subconscious to manifest itself in the work. This current release is probably the most on the nose crystallization of my feelings of frustration with the pandemic.
How much does your residency normally influence the music you make?
This definitely is an influence, both in how the floor responds to tunes, and the artists whom I get paired with. Probably the most important influence on my original production from Sound would be Kidnap. I was already a fan from his work on Black Butter, but Matt is also a great person now that I’ve met him. We’ve stayed in touch since I’ve played alongside him, and he’s given me some feedback and production pointers. He has an amazing way of creating contrast and force in his music using musical structure and composition, as opposed to production tricks. This taught me a lot and is something I aspire towards.
How did your new on with Cassandra come about?
I heard an unreleased collaboration that Cassandra sang on, and I loved it right away. Her voice is so smooth! I asked for an introduction and she was really cool about doing something together.
And what inspired the music? What was the aim?
I wanted to do a club record that still had enough melodic and harmonic components that it would also hold my attention in ear buds. This tune was probably inspired by some of the more straight ahead house I listen to, like Todd Edwards, Camelphat, and Duke Dumont.
What gear did you use, when and where did you write it?
This one was all soft synths, as I didn’t have access to proper studios with gear during lockdown. I wrote the instruments in my apartment on my laptop, using a shitty old Behringer 2 octave MIDI keyboard, the Korg M1 plugin, Sub Boom Bass, and Native Instruments FM8.
What else have you got coming up/are you looking forward to?
I’ve got a grip of new music that I’ve completed that I will be rolling out this year! After this release, I’ve got a collaboration with Doe P’aoro called Like Water that I’m really proud of, followed by The Gift with my longtime collaborator Zhao, and then Scream & Shout with a UK artist named Laurent John. Drum & Bass heads might know him from his work with Dr Meaker. After that, I have some really great tracks that I can’t disclose the details of yet, but that I’m incredibly excited to finish and get out into the world. Beyond releases I’m ramping up live shows and working towards being able to tour. I’ve visited London a few times, and have been thrilled to play a couple of ADE shows. I hope to do a proper run of performances there across the EU in the near future!
What was the last record you bought and why?
Hahaha honestly it was my friend Bobby Nourmand’s track. He was climbing the Beatport charts and I wanted to support him. I get a huge volume of promotional tracks in my inbox from dj friends, labels and promo services, so most of what I play out in my sets comes that way. I often can barely get through my inbox. I miss digging for tunes at local record stores, knowing when the weekly shipments would come and taking first crack at the stacks, but life is all about changes and evolution. I definitely can’t complain about being sent so much amazing music, from talented artists across the globe!
Keep up with Eric Sharp on Facebook and Instagram. Eric Sharp & Cassandra Violet’s Body on my Body is out now.
