ME: There were these ‘introductory people’ there, which was kind of a buzzkill.
Mikky Ekko: Where was that place we first went for lunch in New York?Ĭlams Casino: Quality Meats. This is a uniquely hands-on collaboration, and marks the first time, Clams Casino says, that he has “really got digging deep into starting something new with somebody, from the beginning.” Early one winter morning, the pair took a break from recording in Paul Epworth’s west-London studio to give us the lowdown on their creative partnership, their favourite 90s MOR, and how together they’re “painting” with a brand new palette. Our first glimpse of their work was Ekko’s recent “ Pull Me Down”, a track as layered and complex as Clams Casino’s Instrumentals mixtapes but finessed so that Ekko’s tender croon stands flush with the radiant aural terrain. Ekko, who guests on Rihanna’s current single, “ Stay”, has for the past eight months been quietly labouring with the producer in labs from London to LA on his forthcoming debut album. It takes a big talent to take on the enveloping beats and sonic worlds of Clams Casino, but Nashville-based songwriter Mikky Ekko is stepping up to the bar set by A$AP Rocky and Lil B with poise and soul. Feature taken from the February Issue of Dazed & Confused:
