A good album can have the power to bring us to a whole new world or make us change our view of the world that’s already around us… while a great album can do both. Shuko has created the latter with his stunning Dreaming Hills project, leaning into elements of smooth R&B and sleek pop while piecing different genres and influences into a dazzling, sunny listen that will steal your heart on your first spin. It feels simultaneously down-to-earth and dreamy, making for a must-hear your playlist will thank you for.
“It was a long process getting those tracks together, but happy about the outcome,” Shuko tells TREMG. “I was listening to a lot of 60s composer music, like Piero Umiliani or Peppino De Luca, Devin Morrison, and as always, classic 90s hip hop & R&B.”
Clocking in at just under 25 minutes, Dreaming Hills is the perfect album for top-down car rides and beach days with friends, capturing the refreshing energy of summer and embedding it into a lush sonic landscape that feels equally energizing and relaxing. Songs like “In The Mood,” with Chuwee and Jaz Lund, combine otherworldly synths with slick drums to make an instantly captivating atmosphere, showcasing Shuko’s ear for clever pairings and what sounds will fuse best together.
“In the process of making the instrumental with Basti, I was feeling really good and had the idea of trying to capture that feeling of a calm, relaxed song that you can hear on repeat for hours,” Shuko explains. “Happy Jaz and Chuuwee liked the idea and jumped on this jam.”
In addition to his own music, you may know Shuko’s work from his credits as a songwriter or producer on songs like Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life,” The Chainsmokers’ “Takeaway” with ILLENIUM, and Anderson .Paak’s “JEWELZ.” The tracks he’s worked on with other artists are just as dynamic and alluring as his solo work, channeling his unique energy while also feeling tailored to each of the primary artists on the song.
“If you’re writing songs with good people and have a great vibe in the room, there won’t be much of a difference,” Shuko explains. “Somehow, I only did 6 sessions in my life with external writers I never met before and in five sessions out of the six, I landed hits that became really successful. When writing with good songwriters, it’s always easy and you don’t care much about production, more about meaning of a song and the vibe. But writing and producing for myself takes a lot of energy, because you want to compete sound-wise and production-wise with your idols. I need to learn more to let go and not care about a snare sound or a hi-hat that much when the music and song feel alright.”
Over the years, Shuko has curated the kind of catalog any artist dreams of having, and Dreaming Hills is the culmination of over a decade of hard work and pushing boundaries. This album feels like the best version of Shuko yet, which is no small feat considering how ambitious and impressive his catalog is. The secret to that level of dedication and artistry? “Stay creative no matter what your mood is.”
You can find Dreaming Hills on your favorite streaming services now, and learn more about Shuko on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! Keep reading for more from our conversation with this versatile producer.
Congratulations on your new album, Dreaming Hills! How does it feel to finally share the project with the world?
Thanks for listening to it. It was a long process getting those tracks together, but happy about the outcome.
You’ve said that Dreaming Hills feels like “hip-hop meets jazz and 90s nostalgia with a modern twist.” What kind of music were you listening to while you were working on it?
I was listening to a lot of 60s composer music, like Piero Umiliani or Peppino De Luca, Devin Morrison, and as always, classic 90s hip hop & R&B.
Two days before dropping the album, you dropped “Overload” with Chuck Inglish and KESMAR as the final pre-release single. What does the song mean to you, and what was it like to work with Chuck and KESMAR?
I always love to work with upcoming artists and connect them with established ones to create something that has a special vibe to me. I discovered KESMAR via Spotify and love his music and his playlists, which clicked with my taste of music I grew up with. The song means a lot because “Overload” was definitely the jam that was the trickiest to produce. Shouts to Keymer for helping on the production. Love to do positive music with a nostalgic flair that’s timeless.
Before the release of Dreaming Hills, you gave fans seven different singles throughout the project rollout! How did you choose which songs to release as singles and which to save for the full album?
To be honest, I started with some songs and instrumentals and the process of releasing them became the album. Always had a vision I wanted to go sound-wise, but those tracks were created while the other ones were released.
Which song on Dreaming Hills means the most to you?
“In The Mood,” because in the process of making the instrumental with Basti, I was feeling really good and had the idea of trying to capture that feeling of a calm, relaxed song that you can hear on repeat for hours. Happy Jaz and Chuuwee liked the idea and jumped on this jam.
Which songs on Dreaming Hills took the longest and shortest amount of time to make?
That song with Kimmø was done in, like, 3 hours, while “Overload” was a hustle to get the final version done, I think it took like 6 months of work with a lot of edits and different trial and error.
On top of making your own music, you’ve also written and produced for the likes of The Chainsmokers, Bow Wow, and Ava Max! How do you approach working with another artist versus working on your own music?
If you’re writing songs with good people and have a great vibe in the room, there won’t be much of a difference. Somehow, I only did 6 sessions in my life with external writers I never met before and in five
sessions out of the six, I landed hits that became really successful. When writing with good songwriters, it’s always easy and you don’t care much about production, more about meaning of a song and the vibe. But writing and producing for myself takes a lot of energy, because you want to compete sound-wise and production-wise with your idols. I need to learn more to let go and not care about a snare sound or a hi-
hat that much when the music and song feel alright.
One of your most successful songs to date is Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life,” which you co-wrote and co-produced. What has it been like for you to see how big the song has become, and what was it like in the studio working on the track?
When me and my producer buddy Freedo worked on the acapella back in the days, Zara was not huge like she is today. We loved what she sent and basically tried to reproduce the number. Shouts to Freedo, he killed it; I was more of a co-producer. But we were not expecting that it would become such a massive hit which opened a lot of doors.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with your music already, which of your songs would you recommend to them to get a feel for who you are as an artist?
Listen to my jam with Lee Fields, “Nothing’s Gonna Change,” or “Orange Dreamer,” with Ay Wing and Chuuwee. Those are my vibes right now. I am always trying different things and learning something new, but my heart belongs to vintage sounds, synths & drum computers from the 60s-00s.
We at TREMG love getting to know new artists who haven’t gotten the success or attention they deserve. Who are some of your favorite underrated artists at the moment?
Agajon, Tribez, Jaz Lund and lately Rogê, but there are so many others.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention that the questions didn’t touch on?
Stay creative no matter what your mood is. LOVE.
