We first encountered Jake Chapman’s incredible playing in 2023 when Gulls was hired to work on the mixes for Chapman’s forthcoming debut album. Instantly captivated by Chapman’s high-energy performance on the Electronic Percussion Keyboard (EPK), an electrified 5-octave marimba, the groundwork for a future collaboration was quickly laid. Months later, Chapman joined Gulls in Troutdale, Oregon, for an inaugural recording session at the newly established Confluence Recording Co.
Leading up to the recording session, Gulls crafted a sonic foundation imbued with the rich textures of dub-infused polyrhythms, motifs, and melodic beds. This was an ideal platform for Chapman to showcase his improvisational prowess, resulting in a series of captivating performances. Chapman and Gulls expanded the horizons of sonic innovation together, maintaining Boomarm Nation’s boundary-pushing collaborative ethos. Their efforts brought us this new music and contributed to ongoing research into the evolution of the EPK as a sound system-ready instrument—a collaborative endeavor championed by Chapman and Confluence Recording owner Shawn Trail. Chapman wields the EPK in fine style, utilizing its capabilities to amplify through multiple outputs and seamlessly integrating real-time effects and stompboxes into his performances.
Chapman is an in-demand instrumentalist within the dynamic LA music community, renowned for his chameleon-like ability to masterfully play across a diverse array of mallet and keyed instruments. He frequently collaborates with various ensembles and contributes to recording projects with esteemed producers such as Linda Perry and Kenny Beats. His hypnotic single, “An Angel Will Be With You Shortly,” released in February 2024, has already amassed over 20 million views and 500,000 plays on Spotify.
With a full EP underway, “Turn Style” is the inaugural offering from the sessions. Chapman’s playing emphasizes the elemental earthiness of the wooden material of his instrument, as soaring hypnotic motifs intertwine with a live-tracked percussion ensemble, rolling sub-bass, and reverb-soaked keys, evoking a sense of timeless exploration. The companion “Dub Version” flips things upside down to focus on a saturated exploration of the percussion, bass, and drums, but not without a hearty dose of gritty fader throws of Marimba into the dub’o-sphere. Mixed in Boomarm Nation’s signature full-spectrum dub style, Gulls’ production rides a wave between the shores of multiple genres, creating a current that feels simultaneously new and timeless. With that, we proudly present “Turn Style.
Jake Chapman: www.instagram.com/chappymilkshake/?hl=en
Gulls: www.instagram.com/gulls_sound/?hl=en
Confluence Recording Co: www.instagram.com/confluencerecording/?hl=en
EPK: www.modemarimba.com/epk/home