Introducing a true king of lofi jazz-hop, the one and only; FloFilz.
With over 1 million monthly listeners on streaming platforms, the German producer Florian Meier has gained a reputation as one of the smoothest operators in the scene of relaxing jazz instrumentals. Meditative, tranquil, and fuelled with serenity, his music is exactly what the doctor ordered; a soothing elixir of rhythm when you need to unwind and flow into your feels...see what we did there? All jokes aside, there is a beautifully uplifting, refined and masterful execution to his music. His multitude of listeners understand the immense talent he possesses for crafting dreamy beats. It's no surprise that he's amassed an impressive array of collaborators including the likes of Alfa Mist, Jerome Thomas & Blue Lab Beats.
Read on below for our new interview with FloFilz...
How are you feeling in 2022?
It’s obviously tough to feel optimistic with everything that’s going on in the world, I am personally trying to work on things like anxiety and overthinking and hope that my music may be able to somehow help people cope with similar feelings.
Lofi has a reputation as being somewhat connected to meditation, why do you think that is?
I feel like the lack of vocals definitely helps in the case of instrumental hip-hop/lofi and the drum patterns used can have quite a hypnotic effect as well. Dilla beats or Wun Two tapes for example definitely put me in a state of trance. I think that for transcendental energy to be perceptible in a track the musician(s) have to have felt it in some form while creating/playing.
I like to remember something my violin professor in university once told me: he was saying that the intensity of notes and the space between them should be felt with the same energy as the space between the core of an atom and the electrons surrounding it or the empty space between planets in the universe.
Where are you from and has your environment sculpted your sound?
I’m from a city called Bochum in Germany which has quite a rough and industrial feel to it due to having been a coal mining city for decades. My parents then moved to Belgium when I was 10 years old, to a small town close to fields and forests where I lived until I was 20 and then moved back to Germany. I like this mix of industrial dust and soothing nature and feel like it is in a way present in my music as well.
Where does your inspiration flow from when creating?
A lot of nature as well as quietness actually. I listen to lots of music but there’s also times where I don’t listen to anything for days or even weeks which sometimes helps me come up with new ideas. On the other hand, going to concerts or watching live streams of people like Kiefer, Kenny Beats or Monte Booker sharing their knowledge really inspires me too! Getting to know new places and people also plays a big role.
Can definitely hear the Dilla / Tribe inspiration in your sound, how much did that era of hip-hop have an impact on you?
A massive one! ATCQ was my first contact to the hip-hop world and made me discover Dilla as well as many other producers and beatmakers which ultimately made me start producing beats myself. It’s no secret how Tribe and Dilla were way ahead of their time and created their own style loved and adapted by many. The creativity of that era was just amazing and, musically, it’s the one I love most.
Do you consider your training in classical music to have been a launchpad for your production?
“Less is more” is a great concept! I feel like the initial feeling while creating is one of the most important elements of a track, that first idea and energy. Having studied classical music probably helps with being able to tell when a song works without needing more layers or to be able to add and make layers work if necessary. But in general, I think that a beat doesn’t have to be very complex to be able to touch someone listening to it.
Are there any classic Jazz musicians that have inspired you? We're massive Bill Evans fans...
I’m a massive Bill Evans fan too! A big inspiration together with musicians like Sun-Ra, Red Garland, Mary Lou Williams, Shirley Horn, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and many others. My parents are both musicians and have probably had the biggest direct impact on me!
What are your personal views on spirituality?
I am fascinated by the idea of nature creating music, be it birds or whales singing or rhythmic sounds like waves breaking on the shore. Also, this may sound like a cliché but the fact that music can trigger really intense emotional responses in us makes it my favourite “drug”! That being said, I do think that spirituality can open some unknown doors or already existing ones even further.
Spiritual jazz is actually one of my favourite genres as I can feel that concept in it together with a kind of rough and pure energy aimed towards a higher being or an idea instead of an audience.
Have a listen to our SPIRITUAL JAZZ playlist with over 70+ songs below...
Be sure to follow FloFilz on the following platforms...
- Spotify
- Bandcamp
- Youtube
- PSYCHIC GARDEN
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