We just lately interviewed Soulshock from the manufacturing duo Soulshock & Karlin. The 2 Danish producers took the world by storm within the 90’s working with everybody like 2Pac, Whitney Houston and Toni Braxton. They landed their first primary smash with Monica’s “Earlier than You Stroll Out Of My Life” and the hits stored on coming when the 2000’s rolled round as additionally they labored with Keyshia Cole, Fantasia and JoJo. We talked to Soulshock about transferring from Denmark to the US to work on music, a few of his largest placements in addition to a few of his work right now together with his artist Maya B.
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YouKnowIGotSoul: Discuss growing the Soulshock & Karlin sound within the early beginnings.
Soulshock: It was fairly laborious as a result of I used to be so useless on Hip Hop. It wasn’t till Teddy began combining R&B and Hip Hop. Karlin got here in together with his unbelievable magic. I might do the beats and he would play on high of them. That’s how we created our sound. We have been actually soiled on the beats like on “Earlier than You Stroll Out Of My Life” by Monica after which Karlin would play actually Poppy kind of chords. Nobody was doing that and it might be due to our upbringing in Denmark. We have been actually into melodies, so we simply bought into it. All of our songs had unbelievable melodies, however we additionally had a lot Hip Hop happening beneath. We grew to become the go to for lots of artists that needed to crossover with out being tacky. It simply took off.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You scored your first primary hit on Monica’s “Earlier than You Stroll Out Of My Life”.
Soulshock: We met with Clive and I used to be scared as a result of I bought killed everytime I performed songs for him. He would go “That’s the most horrible music I’ve ever heard in my profession” and begin taking part in songs produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Babyface, LA Reid and Teddy Riley. I feel he was testing us to see if we might deal with it as a result of most individuals would have cracked. We got here again and performed him “Earlier than You Stroll Out Of My Life” and he was like “I’ll take it!”. We have been like “I feel Toni Braxton is on this music”. Clive demanded the music and assured a primary hit within the subsequent month. We flew down and put Monica’s vocals on it. She was wonderful. Her voice was so uncooked and her gospel runs have been unbelievable. We cherished that it had that road vibe. We walked out and we simply knew it. We despatched it to Clive and he didn’t change something. It got here out and we had a primary report.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You guys additionally did some work with 2Pac. What was that have like?
Soulshock: it was fascinating as a result of as a lot as I cherished R&B and we have been within the studio with artists like Brownstone and I met my spouse at these periods, however I had a lot Hip Hop in me. I stored telling my supervisor Randy Cohen to provide me Hip Hop artists. We bought a name again from 2Pac’s crew and so they needed to report three of our beats. I used to be driving and I used to be like “What did you say?!”. The studio was within the hood, so I instructed my supervisor “Are you able to inform 2Pac’s administration that we’re two white boys”. On the finish of the day, we’re nonetheless from Denmark so when it bought rowdy, we weren’t used to that. I didn’t go all the way in which to Compton after which I bought a telephone from 2Pac. He was like “I do know who the fuck you might be motherfucker”. I apologized after which he was like “I used to hold your turntables”. He was a roadie for Digital Underground so at one level, he had arrange my turntable for a present that we did with them. There was no manner I might put two and two collectively. He was like “Deliver your white ass to the hood” and I used to be like “I can’t imagine this is similar man that carried my turntables”. *Laughs* It was on after once we bought there. He had his shirt off, the Thug Life tattoo and bandana on. The studio was packed as a result of he preferred to carry out and be pushed to the sting when he was rapping. He had a ton of individuals writing and never as a result of he didn’t write himself, however he picked up vitality from everyone. It was loopy as a result of everybody needed to go away their gun subsequent to the blending board the place I sat. At one level, it was a stack of weapons sitting there. I bear in mind Karlin saying “I’m out of right here”. *Laughs* The cool factor about that report is that he needed to pay report to the East Coast. I do know folks name him a West Coast rapper, however he grew up within the East Coast. He began speaking about his influences and I cherished all the pieces. We simply created this report known as “Previous College” collectively. He stored inviting us again to the studio and we might hang around. He was so unbelievable being round. I’ve by no means met anybody like him earlier than. Whitney is up there, however 2Pac was laborious to explain. The subsequent factor we did was “Me & In opposition to The World” and he needed some singing on it. We put Puff Johnson on the hook and he known as me two days after like “That observe goes to be the title observe of my album”. I used to be virtually crying as a result of simply coming from a small metropolis in Denmark and to finish up saying I’ve the title for a 2Pac report could be very laborious to explain. It was lovely.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You guys additionally did “I Marvel If Heaven Acquired A Ghetto”.
Soulshock: So with “I Marvel If Heaven Acquired A Ghetto” and “Do For Love”, these have been accomplished after he handed away. Truthfully when Suge got here into his life, it took a left flip that I couldn’t sustain with. It bought a bit too actual. 2Pac was tremendous clever and we might have loopy conversations about issues that nobody would learn about like books. When Suge got here in although, it grew to become gangster and it bought too intense. I dropped out when it was Dying Row. After he had bought shot in Las Vegas, his mom Afeni Shakur known as me and was like “I’ve just a few data that have to be completed and I’m solely letting individuals who knew him work on these”. She got here up with these two enormous safety guys. We have been utilizing tapes again then as a result of we didn’t have ProTools but. Everytime we’d put the the tape on and switch it to our machine to make it work. the safety could be like “The place is that this going?”. It was an acapella and Afeni was like “Begin working, I’m not leaving”. I first did a model that was a bit extra uptempo as a result of that’s what Pac needed. Then I requested Afeni if I might simply do what I really feel so I did one thing that was in half tempo. I assumed it was simply cool. My spouse Maxee from Brownstone is singing within the hook. I assumed it was simply magic. Then we went to “Do For Love” and we have been obsessive about A Tribe Known as Quest. We went with one thing just like that and it labored.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Discuss in regards to the music “I Love Me Some Him” with Toni Braxton.
Soulshock: It’s humorous as a result of we have been all so impressed by one another. I used to be positively impressed by Devante Swing on the time. The snare needed to go a sure manner as a result of that’s what Devante did and it was so scorching. When Andrea Martin got here in and wrote that music on high of Karin’s guitar, I used to be like “That is loopy”. We additionally did “Earlier than You Stroll Out Of My Life” collectively. When Toni Braxton did that vocal, I began crying. I had by no means heard a vocal like that. It was completely wonderful that she might sing like that. She was simply an angel and he or she knew what labored. I bear in mind leaving the session saying “That’s the perfect vocal I’ve ever recorded in my life” and I nonetheless really feel that manner right now.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Discuss in regards to the creation of “Heartbreak Lodge” by Whitney Houston, Kelly Value and Religion Evans
Soulshock: We wrote that with Tamara Savage and that was her first music. We took the music to Clive and he immediately needed it. We had some drama with that as a result of TLC needed it too. LA Reid wasn’t tremendous proud of us as a result of it was the second time we had accomplished that as a result of he additionally needed “Earlier than You stroll out my life” for Toni Braxton. We flew to New York to report that music. We had been in with lots of people, however entering into with Whitney Houston was one other stage. We drove to this mansion in New Jersey the place her and Bobby Brown lived. We drove to her place just a few instances and her assistant Robin would say “Sorry, she isn’t out there right now”. Sooner or later the gate lastly opened and the home was unbelievable. There was an indoor swimming pool and a recording studio in a single constructing and he or she lived in one other. We said establishing and we have been simply ready for her. She had purchased her neighbors property simply to make it her dwelling studio. Her and Bobby got here in and I used to be a bit boy from Denmark. I used to be simply so blown away. “Heartbreak Lodge” is a sophisticated music to sing as a result of she has to bounce together with her vocals. She simply wasn’t used to that. She did one take and it was terrible. I checked out Karlin and mentioned “I’m not telling Whitney that the vocals have been dangerous”. Whitney stopped and was like “Pay attention, you guys wrote this music .Simply inform me how you can sing it”. She went in once more and it was horrible after which she left. Kelly Value got here within the subsequent day and blows everybody away. Religion is available in and her voice was so magical. We had the entire report, however the one drawback was that Bobby Brown was doing the “That is the Heartbreak Lodge” half and Clive didn’t need him on it. Clive additionally instructed us “Don’t come again till I’m blown away by Whitney’s vocals”. We went again into the studio and instructed her what Clive mentioned. We performed the music and it was quiet after. Whitney went again in and nailed it. It was so unbelievable. On the finish, I bought Whitney to say “That is the heartbreak Lodge” as soon as and looped it so Bobby wouldn’t be on it. *Laughs*
YouKnowIGotSoul: Discuss in regards to the remixes you guys did like Brandy’s “Brokenhearted” with Wanya Morris.
Soulshock: We cherished doing remixes. We grew up at a time the place each music in Europe would have a remix. We actually sat with the vocals and Karlin was the man who nailed it everytime. He would sit with the vocals and re-approach the music with new chords. As soon as I heard that, I might get so impressed on the beat. We just about did a brand new music with Brandy. We flew to Philadelphia and recorded at Boyz II Males’s studio. Wayna and Brandy went into the studio collectively and so they had a great connection. We simply caught that second when she was singing. She was one other one with a tremendous tone. I feel our strategy was to take the remixes very significantly and attempting to make it higher than the unique.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Discuss creating JoJo’s debut single “Get Out (Depart)”. The beat change within the refrain might have come off as corny, however you guys managed to make it sound good.
Soulshock: It’s fascinating as a result of the combo that got here out of that report is the unique demo combine. It was so gritty. Everytime we blended it, it misplaced a bit little bit of the Hip Hop factor after which it grew to become a bit tacky. I bear in mind JoJo displaying up at 12 years and we have been like “Uh okay”. I instructed Karlin he might do the vocals and I used to be simply standing exterior. Then I heard her sing and I used to be like “Who’s singing?” and I regarded over and noticed JoJo. She was this little lady and I used to be like “The place did you discover ways to sing like this?”. I really feel like that music labored due to her vocals. Even the Rock factor wasn’t actually Rock. It was just like the Hip Hop model of Rock. That report blew up. That was considered one of my huge hits. It additionally opened an entire facet we hadn’t actually labored with. We began working with loads of Pop acts and truthfully, wee weren’t superb at that. We did loads of data like that we misplaced a little bit of our soul. We didn’t really feel it as a lot.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What are you engaged on right now?
Soulshock: I’m working with Maya B who’s our new artist. She’s impressed me to enter the studio once more. Getting me into the studio wasn’t straightforward. She introduced me again into working till 6 AM and making beats from scratch. She thinks utterly exterior the field and he or she’s laborious to outline. I wouldn’t even put her in an R&B field. She is a singer/songwriter that consistently conjures up me with what she writes on high of our beats. It takes some time to get folks to know who she is, however I really feel like this new report “Sink” that includes SAINt JHN is particular. She’s 20 years outdated, so we’re having enjoyable together with her sound. I’ve an entire new respect for folks like Clive Davis as a result of artist improvement isn’t straightforward. We don’t wish to create simply an artist, we wish to create a legend. I nonetheless get actually impressed working with artists however they should encourage me. I’m a bit extra spoiled now. W We’re moving into growing artists a bit extra. We additionally deliver new producers in. We inform them to not depend on loops and simply play it your self as a result of it’s extra enjoyable.