XL Syndicate are out with a brand-new release called “Long Way”, and it’s a must-hear! The two artists did a stunning job of fusing various genres, arriving at a melody that’s hard to define. Running a good four minutes, this immersive track will have you vibing to the beat as you forget all your worries and dive into the world of XL Syndicate. We’ve had the pleasure of interviewing the pair, so check out down “Long Way” below, and in the meantime, get to know the duo of artists behind it.
First off, congratulations on a stellar release! “Long Way” is absolutely beautiful! Tell us a bit about the inspiration behind this piece and what’s the message?
The inspiration for it came through the process of working with the talented vocalist on the song to help shape its direction as well as highlight her unique vocal tone and it slowly evolved into a Chill / emotional /Pop vibe with some a bit of cool kid edge to it that draws people in and evokes some emotion. The message for us is more about the journey a person can take through life, the industry, success, etc. You can take the long way which might be harder, longer and have challenges but you can emerge stronger and still yourself having gone through it or you can talk the fast way where things come easier at first but you realize it may not have been the best choice in the long run.
We’ve been curious as to whose incredible vocals we hear in “Long Way”!
All will be revealed in due time lol. All jokes aside, we don’t mean to be mysterious on purpose, she has a project coming out and wants to set her brand in a certain way first, so we respect that but we can say she is an amazing talent and look forward to working with her again in the future.
As a duo, XL Syndicate does much of the production work. Are you also involved in songwriting or any other aspect of music-making?
Yea, we are involved with all aspects, from the chords, the melodies, the drums, and the topline, etc. once that’s all in place that gives us a mood and a vibe from which the concept of the song naturally comes from. Once the framework is in place we let the artist do their thing. There are times where we do more writing and get more hands on depending what the situation calls for.
Tell us about the formation of XL Syndicate. We’ve heard that you two are childhood friends, so how did you both get into music production?
Where to start lol. We have always been working together in some sort of way whether it be sports, business or music since high school. Production and Songwriting Evolved as part of us coming up with other like minded musical types from the street as well as trained musicians and engineers from across the industry. Production arose from a need to express ourselves creatively and in a unique way that was not always easy to find all the time. We had Early access to certain programs acquired in creative ways.. that allowed us to set the Foundation before adding skills later in life that allowed us to emerge as engineers as well.
Over the course of thirty combined years of experience, the Syndicate has built up quite a reputation. What are some achievements you’re truly proud of?
Over the course of those years a lot of things happened. It’s hard to name some specific things. But There’s been many singles In the Canadian and US Markets whether on the mic, behind the scenes or on the boards that we have a hand in and have all had different levels of success. One thing we are proud of is helping to develop new talent and see them succeed. The journey has been filled with ups and downs. But it has been fulfilling. What’s to come is what is the most exciting and proud of.
What is the most exciting collab you’ve had so far? Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?
to be honest, the current feature on long way has been the most fun for us not only from a talent perspective and the uniqueness of her vocals but for us it represents a new phase or new chapter for us music wise where we get to have fun, set the tone of what we want to do and be true to who we are and what we represent. As far as people we would love to work with, some names that come to mind are Jhené Aiko, she has a beautiful voice and her creativity is something special, Kaytranada just from a creativity standpoint, what he’s been able to do over the last couple of years has been ground breaking. FKA Twigs, again another unique creative. As far as producers, IzyBeats, he has been putting in work over the last couple of years and we have already learned a lot from him and eventually would love to put something on wax with him. As far as Hiphop/R&B, there’s many greats and we would love to work with all of them if the humble opportunity arises.
Describe your music in 3 words only.
Diverse, Emotive, Dynamic