Discovering a new single by Hollis Parker feels like uncovering a forgotten track by a master of house music, or finding an instantly DJ-able acetate in a crate, somewhere. Blending dance music and hip hop techniques, the Queens-born producer creates timeless, highly emotional tracks, distilling the essence of urban life atop his MPC. At the center of his new single Uptown Sunday Morning (AKA Flashback), there’s a man leaving NYC for LDN, a life-changing journey which mirrors his own. To celebrate the premiere of his new track, we had a chat with Hollis to discuss his inspirations, his creative process and the concept behind his upcoming album.

Can you talk about the concept behind your upcoming album Newscapism and the circumstances that inspired it?

Newscapism is an LP that is a direct sequel to my first LP The Last Raw Era; a sort of concept album that paralleled the end of a relationship with the end of a person’s time in a city and their decision to move out and move on. Specifically based on my personal experience moving from New York City to London, The Last Raw Era was both an ode to the city I love while at the same time a list of reasons why I had to go. Newscapism conceptually takes place the day after you’ve decided to leave, becoming like the soundtrack to your last day in the city you’re leaving, or the relationship you’re getting out of. And it goes all the way from wondering if you made the right decision in the morning to actually getting on the plane at the end.

How does your track Uptown Sunday Morning (AKA Flashback) fits into that narrative?

Uptown Sunday Morning (AKA Flashback) comes from the middle of the album, in which the conceptual hero of the story has reached the point of the day where the self-doubt of whether he’s made the right decision or not gives way to straight-up reminiscing. It’s about taking a moment to reflect on all the good times in the recent past and forgetting all of the negativity for a bit.

Can you take us through the creation of Uptown Sunday Morning (AKA Flashback)?

Funny enough, this track is actually an early sketch from when I was working on The Last Raw Era, but I didn’t finish it for that LP. As I was getting to the end of making that album, I knew I wanted to hold it for the second album. As soon as I put the music together, it just instantly reminded me of Harlem on an early Sunday morning, which is where I got the title from. As far as production tools, I use the same thing on pretty much every song I make, it’s down to an AKAI MPC3000, an AKAI S3000XL, and a large crate of records.

Was there a culture shock when you moved to London? How has been your experience in the UK so far?

Nah not at all, I’d been to London a few times before moving and I’ve always stayed hip to UK culture. As a young DJ, I was one of the few cats in New York who would play 2-step, UK Garage & Drum-n-Bass in my sets on the regular. So, on the music tip, I was always influenced by what was happening there.

As far as my experience here, I love it! I mean the two places have a lot in common really, so I didn’t feel like it was a monumental leap. Each city does have its own unique energy though, and I do miss NY occasionally. Thankfully, it’s not too far, so I can just hop over for a bit, outside of current circumstances of course. But I love the energy and the pace in London, and I especially love the music scene here. It’s incredibly vibrant.

How did you start producing music?

I first discovered house as a young buck, early 90s. It was very much intertwined with Hip Hop, at least in my universe. All of the older kids I looked up to listened to both and gave me tapes with both hip hop and house on them. As I got older, hip hop got a little more hardcore and the division was greater. I actually went with the hip hop side of things, DJing and MCing for many years.

And that’s how I started producing, making beats for me and my crew to rhyme to. It wasn’t until years later that I rediscovered house and started experimenting and making that instead. But the hip hop vibe has always been in everything I do, and it’s where the cinematic style on my albums comes from. I’m trying to make albums like Illmatic and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, but house.

What advice would you give to a young producer or DJ?

I’d say take in as much music as you can, past and present. Listen to anything and everything, even if you don’t think you’ll like it. You never know when inspiration will strike, or you’ll find a record that you want to throw into your sets.

Work hard and be true to yourself, because there is no one else out there who is you. It sounds like generic advice, but I also believe it to be universally true, regardless of time or place, and something I wish I would have drilled in my own head from a young age.

Who are some of your favorite artists at the moment?

I’ve been getting back into a lot of hip hop lately actually. I find that what a lot of those cats are doing is really forward-thinking. Folks like Homeboy Sandman, Evidence, Your Old Droog, and Griselda are really doing interesting things for me. I feel like they’re bringing back that real essence while keeping it fresh, getting back to the vibe of the hip hop I grew up on. On the House tip, I’m loving the new Osunlade album, he’s one of the all-time greats to me. I’ve always aspired to make music like him, he’s a true inspiration for me.

What’s next for Hollis Parker?

Newscapism is actually the second part of a trilogy, and I’ve already started planning the finale. Given the current global situation, it’s hard to make solid plans on anything, but one thing’s for sure: I’m gonna keep the MPC on and active, and even though record stores are only open in a limited capacity, I’m gonna keep on diggin’ in the crates!

Uptown Sunday Morning (AKA Flashback) is available now via SoSure Music.

Follow Hollis Parker

SoundCloud | Spotify | Discogs | Resident Advisor | Twitter