Artist Spotlight: Louis Culture
Shot by Evie Shandilya
The most affecting and effective music will make its listener experience all manner of things. From consuming emotion to teeth gritting-induced hype, music should more than just entertain or please, it should encompass, speculate and compel. On a personal level, one of the artists to actualised these particular emotions from my inner most mental sanctuary is Louis Culture, the startlingly innovative Elevation Meditation rapper and producer from West London. For a music writer, the opportunity to be able to pick the brains of such an impactful musician is, for a simple lad from South Birmingham, almost beyond belief. Yet here we are.
Culture impressed me with his thoughts and ideas, but that comes as no surprise. He is the type of lyricist who says more with a short and sharp sentence than most could in a monologue; drifting through an almost oxymoronic tone, Culture portrays a reflective narrator caught up in a hopefulness that is plagued by his generation’s underlying bitterness. There’s a passiveness to his anger and a coyness to his flexing, seeping a duality that is acutely mirrored in the sonics. The cinematic, structurally stimulating instrumentals that are heavily influenced by electronic music contrast a hazy and atmospheric timbre with agitated, intrusive rhythm; an elusive characterisation of a frantic existence.
Showcasing a free-flowing craft in abundance on his avant-garde 2020 body of work Smile Soundsystem, an electronica-enhanced epitomisation of ambience and articulation, Culture’s evolving artistry is becoming impossible to ignore. His ’21 releases like Naked and Dream illustrated progression and refinement in style, and then recently, after an excruciating wait, we were finally blessed with 7am, the Bawo featuring, YAMA//SATO produced masterpiece. The beat, driven by a murky ear-worm keys pattern, is somehow concurrently bouncy and off-kilter, an enthralling backdrop for Louis and Bawo’s audacious lyricism. The first glimpse into the next wave of Culture’s artistry, the ever improving rapper is amongst the most engaging and provocative in the UK scene.
I spoke to Louis about the development and essence of his sound, the Elevation Meditation collective, and the captivating new single.
What are your influences?
More recently it’s been Kendrick. I had the privilege of seeing him at Glastonbury, and I think witnessing that performance made me rethink what greatness actually looks like, treating your discipline at that level, producing art at that level. I’m very big on standard and setting the bar, and not falling behind what I’ve done before.
What is your musical origins?
When I was like 6 I had this CD-rom that was like an early music software that I used to try make beats on. I had this toy, which when I think about now is actually insane, that was like a beat pad with an aux that had a little keyboard too. It was my first experience with physically and mentally producing. So it was producing first, then it went into more poetry, which led to rapping from maybe the age of 10.
How did that early interest develop into your sound?
It comes from a specific black identity. I’ve been influenced by alternative albums that came out in my childhood that show black men existing in a space that isn’t gangsta rap or the most typical narrative of what people from the ends are like. With my music, I approach it in the same way - there’s a lack of genre, I enjoy just recording sounds and songs as opposed to trying to be a particular thing. I’m influenced by artists who think big.
Who would you define the essence of your sound?
I don’t shy away from the term alternative hip hop. I think it’s quite accurate. For me, I see hip hop as the base, the core, and then all these other genres and influences float around it, or I’m learning how to navigate around it. I’m not afraid of the hip hop term. I just call myself a black musician. I’m not pressed about it really. People are too stressed about it, I think the music will speak for itself.
For me, there’s a juxtaposition, a duality to both your sonics and your lyrics. Is this a purposeful thing or is it just a reflection of your way of creating?
I think it’s definitely a reflection. I wouldn’t say that I sit there and think about it too much. There is a lot of intention in the way I put songs out and the purpose in the messages I’m trying to tell. It’s true there is that juxtaposition. There’s a lot of work that’s put into it. It comes from the people I collaborate with as well. On this next project, I don’t have much production on there, it’s more sitting with other people and allowing other people’s sounds to speak with me, or through me.
I love how loose and unique you often are with your song structure, do you try and push the boat out with that?
I enjoy more broken structure. I think there’s still a lot more to explore, but I think as an artist I just try to make things that are compelling. I like things that push the bar and make you feel a certain way - give you goosebumps. There’s a great skill at achieving it in the generic way but other times you have to push the boat out.
Being unique as an artist has a lot of layers, it can help and hinder. I see you as someone really unique - do you think it’s helped your rise?
I think it’s definitely helped. When I look back at my accolades and achievements, it all comes back to me believing in myself and my vision. A lot of artists in the alternative scene gets called underrated and people question why they haven’t got more listeners etc, when in actuality I feel like I’ve achieved a lot. I don’t feel underrated or slept on. What’s in front of me right now has been deserved, and anything that I haven’t achieved yet will come. I understand the idea of it being a hinderance though - in this country, the alternative scene is a slow burner, it’s not an overnight success. Little Simz’ journey, for example, has been a very long, hard working journey. But I feel mad positive about it - I’m just grateful for what I’ve got.
How did Elevation Mediation come about?
My guy used to go youth centre with Apex, so we met and was just cool from then. In a lot of ways, me and Apex were like two sides of the same coin. He comes from White City, I come from Battersea. We were very much different people compared to the rest of our circles, and just different from everyone else. We started that journey together. I’ve known p-rallel since I was like 10 years old, I introduced him to Apex. Finn grew up with p-rallel, so did Xav. It was just everyone’s love for music and being studio rats as well. We’ve all got massive discographies.
What are you trying to achieve as a collective?
Elevation is kind of the answer. We are trying to be the best artists we can be. We’ve never tried to put pressure on the collective thing. It’s more a brotherhood, a no brainer that we have one another. There’s obviously aspirations to conquer in a way and achieve things, but really elevation is the answer.
To have a group of sick artists supporting you and coming up with you must be so special, how has it helped your confidence and creativity?
I’ve seen Apex recorded an EP in a day. I’ve seen him record some of the best songs in his catalogue in a heart beat. It’s crazy. Even where he is now, seeing his achievements, as much as I’m blown away and it makes my heart warm, he deserves everything that he has. It’s been a massive motivation to me and it’s helped me push my pen. p-rallel is one of the hardest working people I know. He’s engineered sessions for massive artists. Same thing with Xav, his pen has always inspired me, he’s one of the best freestylers out there. Finn too, his artistry, his range, how he’s pushing himself to sing, how his performance has improved. Everyone fuels me to do what I do and vice versa.
7am feels like the next chapter for you artistically. How has your style evolved since Smile Soundsystem?
That project was finished in 2019. Aside from that, I haven’t updated people of where I’m at in that sizeable way. SS was about electronic music, and the production and the sonics, more than what I was trying to say. This time around, it’s more about what I’m trying to say, it’s more about where I’m coming from, what’s on my mind, what I’ve been through. 7am is the perfect way to start. Even working with Bawo, he’s an artist who wears his heart on his sleeve. People gravitate towards him because of how relatable he and his story are. It’s the start of what’s to come.
What was the creative process for the track?
YAMA//SATO was a fan of Naked and hit me up. He sent me the 7am beat and we just went from there. It wasn’t even a session with Bawo, I just sent it over, but there’s been a mutual respect between us for a long time. I had COVID at New Years when I recorded the track. It was like I supposed to hibernate.
Talk me through the decision to have two versions of the track - why did you choose to have a reinterpretation of the same track within the same release?
I don’t want my roll outs to be boring. I grew up in the days where you got a CD with a b-side. I’ve been gone for a while so I wanted to give more. It’s nice, it’s got a different feel to it and it’s a different way for people to hear the song. I like giving people more than they expect.
If you were introducing yourself to a new listener, what track would you play them?
At this time I would say 7am. It’s me putting my hands up and saying this is me, this is what you get.
Where do you want to take your artistry?
The sky is the limit.