Paul White’s “Shaker Notes” is the Soundtrack to Your Abstract Love Affair

Known to many as the man creating intricate-as-fuck beat patterns for the likes of Trim, Danny Brown and Homeboy Sandman, Londoner Paul White has recently been moving deeper into the realm of dance music, as exemplified on his brand new album Shaker Notes, which we premiere for you exclusively on THUMP. Having signed to techno-turned-everything powerhouse R&S, Shaker Notes sees Mr. White developing his range with touches on house music, experimental African rhythms and some weird ass unclassifiable music that we imagine would go down well if we were ingesting a pure diet of mescaline. 

You can stream the album in its entirety at the bottom of the page, and we also got deep with Paul to discuss the project, his recent trip to Africa, and some wise words on the big ‘L Word’ and more. 

So Paul, tell us what you’ve been up to today?
In the morning I worked on some production work I’m doing for a duo from LA, then did some work on some music for a good friend’s wedding, then rehearsed my live show, then in the afternoon I went over to a studio and worked with Jamie Woon on his album.

How has your summer been overall?
Busy and great! Finishing off my album, and another album under a band name Golden Rules with Eric Biddines, and tons of other things!

You recently visited Africa – where did you go and how did you find the experience?
The Gambia, and It was a life changer for sure – in many ways! To see another way of life makes you think differently of your own, when you’ve never experienced anything else but your own home and surroundings and comforts and references you only have one certain view point on the world, people, and life. I saw some really hard things in Gambia and some really beautiful things, and felt lots of different emotions. Even amongst all the hardship there the thing I picked up the most was the pure happiness even amongst such poverty. No big billboards everywhere saying buy this, you need this, you want that. I met this amazing man, he’s a Djembe master and gave me lessons every morning for a week, we played outside his house which was basically a shed, with six, seven kids running around us dancing – it was magic, so much joy and pure happiness there, some of the purest happiness I’ve ever experienced, it really shows richness has nothing to do with money. It’s a real shame the way we live over here. No wonder so many people are so depressed! I mean, on the underground here you have ads for plastic surgery, what the fuck is going on?!

Any top tips?
Stop wanting things, wanting things and more wanting things, just be happy to be alive and having this experience. Try your utter hardest to live in the moment and be glad to be able to breathe and smile. Enjoy your life you’ll be dead soon. Life’s your feast (not in a greedy sense).

Did you manage to get hold of some musical or sartorial gems to bring back with you?
My handmade Djembe, and experiences.

How does it feel to be sitting amongst some of the finest electronic talent of the past two decades on R&S?
It feels a privilege and amazing. Exciting and inspiring mainly.

How would you describe Shaker Notes in one sentence?
It’s an album about the experience of love and how it changes you due to all the self discovery involved.

Finally, the new album has been described as covering the “the intoxication, heartbreak and ultimate triumph of a grand love affair” – can you give us some original Paul White wisdom on the big ‘L’ word?
You have to have peace with yourself first, I always think relationships are basically a big chance to learn about yourself. So be open to learn and don’t always blame the other person. For some reason I think a lot of us like drama in our lives and there’s actually a peaceful road right there in front of us, maybe we’ve all watched too many movies, I don’t know. Basically it comes down to our ego and this sense of “I”, as soon as you let go of that and think of the bigger picture of us all being one and connected to one another and the whole universe you realise that can free you from all types of fear and anger because you let go of “you” and don’t feel alienated or on your own. Life is a lot simpler that way and less frightening and can really liberate you and make you grow, and therefore us all grow. If we all realise we’re all part of the same thing, meaning everything in the universe you get out of your own head and stop thinking me, me, me all the time, if you really, really try to live like that every moment, everything changes, especially loving relationships between yourself, others and the world.

Shaker Notes is released via R&S on 29th September – pre-order here.

Follow Louis on Twitter: @louismusikal