“‘Innovation over imitation’ is a phrase that’s stuck with me” HRVST interview

HRVST, an Austin-based DJ and producer, is celebrated for his underground minimal bassline-focused tech house sound. His music has found a home on labels like Unlearn, Late Night Munchies, and Admit One. In 2022, he launched his own imprint, Slabbed Out Digital, further establishing his influence in the scene. Known for his dynamic EPs, such as “Drippin’ Sweat” and “Git Up / Synchronic,” HRVST continually showcases his creativity and passion for house music through both his releases and his Slabbed Out Sesh radio show on Data Transmission Radio.

New cut One Way Trip is a slick, seething, moody tech house thumper, with 80s-evoking synths and a deep, gargling bassline that warps and evolves as the track progressed. One the remix, Buck Rodgers preserves the dark tone of the original, adding swung hats and a chopped synth line to add even more gritty texture.

“One Way Trip” has a distinct moody and dark vibe. Can you walk us through your creative process for this track and how you achieved its unique sound?

The bassline on this track was an exercise in refining my FM synthesis sound design. I also love wide detuned square waves, which you hear as a fill after the 16-bar sections. I experimented with other basic wave shapes, automating distortion, and creative filtering for the lead and atmospheric sounds. Many techniques I’ve developed through years of experimentation. Since I started writing and recording, having my own hooks has become almost mandatory, adding another piece of who I am to the music.

You’ve launched your own label, Slabbed Out Digital. What motivated you to start your own imprint, and how has this venture influenced your career as a producer and DJ?

Slabbed Out Digital started in 2022 as an extension of my Data Transmission Radio show, “The Slabbed Out Sesh.” It’s been a fantastic hands-on learning experience around marketing, business, and understanding how the music industry works today. As I’ve refined the processes and strategies for my own music on the label, it’s enabling me to provide a positive growth experience for other artists when we have the opportunity to work together on a Slabbed Out Digital release.

Your sound is deeply rooted in minimal bassline-focused tech house. What draws you to this style, and how do you keep your productions fresh and innovative within this genre?

I’m a sucker for a solid sound system, especially when the subwoofers rattle your chest. Having cut my teeth in the DAW writing dubstep, a focus on sound design has stuck with me over the years. There’s always something to learn and experiment with, whether it’s a new synthesizer or sequencer. “Innovation over imitation” is a phrase that’s stuck with me, leading to a lot of time spent tweaking sounds. The key is to have fun; if I’m having fun, the results tend to sound pretty cool.

“Drippin’ Sweat” and “Git Up / Synchronic” have been well-received. How do you approach the creation of an EP compared to a single track release?

My EPs tend to be songs created in conjunction with others. I start a handful of songs around the same time and cycle between them, refining them over time. Most of my productions are emotion regulators, where I write songs to process the noise in my head. “One Way Trip” still followed that emotion regulation aspect, but my focus was solely on this song. In today’s streaming-centric world, there seems to be a big focus on singles over EPs, so this is also an experiment to see how well a single can perform versus an EP.

The remix of “One Way Trip” by Buck Rodgers adds a gritty texture. What do you look for in a remix, and how do you decide who to collaborate with on these projects?

Buck Rodgers and I haven’t met in person, even though we both frequently played at Plush in Austin, Texas, before its closing. Plush was considered many people’s “home” club in the downtown landscape. After bouncing ideas off Unlearn:Records founder Doc Brown, he suggested we reach out to Buck Rodgers to see if he was interested in remixing “One Way Trip.” When I heard an early rough cut of his remix, I knew it was going to be a banger. Buck Rodgers is the first person to remix my music, and it was kind of weird when I first heard my vocals on his remix, simply because it was a new experience.

Can you tell us more about your Slabbed Out Sesh radio show on Data Transmission Radio? How do you curate your sets, and what do you aim to bring to your listeners?

The Slabbed Out Sesh is currently on pause but set to resume later this year. I want to book more guest mixes, as I’ve had fantastic sets delivered by Christian Martin, Tony H, and Joluca during the show’s current run. I listened to a lot of RinseFM when I was younger and loved the energy every show brought. I try to bring that same kind of energy, and having a stellar guest mix to feed off for your own mix just delivers some feel-good self-hype. Otherwise, it’s 2 hours to explore moods, test out new tracks, and deliver a solid performance as if I were performing at a club or festival.

As an artist based in Austin, how does the local music scene influence your work? Are there any particular aspects of Austin’s culture that inspire your music?

I recently moved to Dallas and haven’t fully immersed myself in the nightlife here, but those I have met, whether in person or online, have been incredibly warm and welcoming. In Austin, the warehouse parties around 2008 were, and still are, memories I often reach back to for inspiration. The Concourse Project, spearheaded by Real Music Events’ Andrew Parsons and Kelly Gray, encapsulates that old-school warehouse atmosphere and takes it to another level with the amount of production put into their shows and festival Seismic Dance Event. After a weekend at Seismic, I often spend the rest of the week in Ableton working on music.

What can fans expect next from HRVST? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re excited about?

I just dropped a free bootleg of Dizzee Rascal’s “Flex” on my SoundCloud, and I’ve got another record lined up for this fall, but I can’t give more details yet. I’ve had to step back and shift priorities, but I would love to get some pop-ups going in Dallas, Denver, or The Bay. I might even take a one-way trip to London or Berlin.

One Way Trip is out now on Unlearn Records

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