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5 tracks that influenced Discount Sunset’s new single Slippery

It’s been over a week now since Brooklyn based artist Discount Sunset released his debut single Slippery, and for that entire time we haven’t stopped listening.

The track is a wonderful melting pot of sounds… so we caught up with the artist himself for a run-down on five songs that have influenced his new single.

Discount Sunset’s debut single Slippery has quickly become one of our favourite tracks of the year… so we caught up with the artist himself for five songs that have influenced the new single.

The Police – Roxanne

When I was a kid, Roxanne was just a song my mom would belt out when it came on the radio. It wasn’t until I got older that I was able to appreciate how smouldering the interplay is between Sting’s bass and Stewart Copeland’s aggressive backbeat. That aggression is something I wanted to emulate on Slippery.

Prefab Sprout – Goodbye Lucille #1

Prefab Sprout was the band that showed me an entry into songwriting, and they have since remained a lodestar for me as a songwriter. I could list nearly every song on Steve McQueen an inspiration for Slippery, but Goodbye Lucille #1 sticks out to me for both it’s lyrical candour and inventive harmonic choices.

Hall and Oates – Private Eyes

As with the Police, I didn’t engage Hall and Oates’ discography until my 20’s, but on hearing Private Eyes, I immediately felt as though Slippery was my inadvertent attempt at writing a Hall and Oates song. The backing vocals here are full of answers.

TOPS – Change of Heart

I discovered TOPS live at Death by Audio in Brooklyn four years ago, and as with Prefab Sprout, I found an entry point for my own writing when I saw them. Change of Heart is at once earnest and cheeky (that drum machine anyone?), and I think it channels the 80’s pop ethos in a meaningful way. The displaced instrumental bridge is also very hip!

Sade – Cherry Pie

It was a toss up between Cherry Pie and Hang on to Your Love, but there’s something so noir-ish about the bass line to Cherry Pie that I can’t get away from. The mood of Cherry Pie is intoxicating, it’s both threatening and welcoming, and Sade’s persona is compellingly inscrutable. The album Diamond Life is chock full of this feeling.

Slippery is available now.