Dive into the origins of Sweatrz Records with Yolanda Be Cool while exploring the vibrant energy of “Hip Trumpets” and their evolving sound!
From the shores of Australia to the bustling nightclubs of Europe and the US, Yolanda Be Cool is a name synonymous with infectious grooves and innovative house music. Comprising of Andy Stanley and Matt Handley, the dynamic duo has consistently pushed the boundaries, evolving their sound while still staying true to their underground roots. Most fans would instantly recall their global hit “We No Speak Americano,” but there’s so much more to their story. With a decade of experience behind the decks and in the studio, they’ve embarked on their latest venture, the Sweatrz Records imprint.
Focused on the “raw side of house music,” Sweatrz Records is an embodiment of Yolanda Be Cool’s passion for the underground scene and their commitment to pushing upcoming talents. As the label blossoms, it brings the promise of raw, unadulterated beats that resonate with both club-goers and the broader dance music community. As Sweatrz hits the half-year mark since launching, we caught up with Andy, one half of the duo to discuss the vision behind the label, their latest track “Hip Trumpets,” and what the future holds for Yolanda Be Cool.
Stream Yolanda Be Cool – “Hip Trumpets” on Spotify:
Hey Andy, thanks for sitting down to chat with us today! Let’s talk Sweatrz Records, your budding imprint. What was the driving force behind its creation?
Yo guys! We started Sweatrz Records with our super-talented friend, Paluma. It’s something we’d been talking about for a couple of years, but it was on a trip to Ibiza last summer, where we spent a week together playing gigs, going to parties, and talking shop 24/7, that we decided it was time to stop talking and start doing. So as soon as we got back, that’s exactly what we did!
Sweatrz is characterized as focusing on the “raw side of house music.” Could you provide more insight into this vision?
SWEATRZ rolls its sleeves up and digs into the raw, unrefined gems of the underground sound, the “accidental” future anthems of house and tech, and the deeper grooves that you won’t find without digging.
When we started Yolanda Be Cool, all we wanted to do was make and play underground house music, and believe it or not, “WNSA” (We No Speak Americano) started out like this.. and as you know, it took on a life of its own. However, our love for the underground never changed. Even whilst touring “WNSA” back in 2010 around Europe, we would always make our way back to Ibiza on our days off, which coincidentally usually landed on a Monday, which, as luck would have it, was the same day as the Circoloco party at DC10 which we routinely went to. Over the years, nothing much has changed, except now when we go to DC10, we hear tunes getting played from our new “little” label.
How does Sweatrz Records differentiate from other labels you’ve collaborated with or run, like Club Sweat or Sweat It Out, for example?
Sweat It Out and Club Sweat both started with the vision of releasing credible electronic dance music, whether it be groups like RÜFÜS DU SOL or Crooked Colours or even DJs like Dom Dolla or Purple Disco Machine, all of whom have gone on to have massive crossover commercial dance hits. We felt like there was an unfilled gap in the market that needed filling with the sole purpose of focusing on the raw underground talent of producers both here in Australia and abroad. The guys and girls that make the music we love and play out in the clubs may not be suited to the current roster of Sweat It Out or Club Sweat artists, hence the birth of Sweatrz.
How does your new track, “Hip Trumpets,” encapsulate or represent the ethos of the label?
“It’s got to have a beat, it’s got to swing and come from your heart and from your gut, and that is what HIP…” I mean, Sweatrz is. The lyrics of the song couldn’t really sum up the ethos of the label any better. Couple the thumping drums, swinging hats, a pumping bassline, and a super fun trumpet line, and it’s the perfect Yolanda Be Cool track to have on the label! Super playable in the day but also rocks late at night.
Can you walk us through the creative journey behind “Hip Trumpets” and how the collaboration with Kvision materialized?
Liam (aka KVISION) is a super-talented buddy we got to know from gigging around the Sydney scene. We always shared demos together and talked about doing a track combining his impeccable trumpet skills and our love for underground house music. When we got back from Ibiza, we sent him a couple of tracks we loved that we Shazamed at DC10, and one of them stood out, which turned out to be the inspiration for “Hip Trumpets.”
As Sweatrz continues to grow, are there specific artists or sounds you’re aiming to champion?
Our goal was always to showcase the breadth of local talent here in Australia and give them a platform to release their music; Guys like Caleb Jackson and Joel Cantone are perfect examples of this. The plan was always to get a few runs on the board before hitting up some of the bigger acts in the scene. The good news is they’re all supporting our releases. Nothing gets us more stoked than, on a Tuesday morning, getting sent videos of Archie Hamilton or Dennis Cruz dropping some Sweatrz tunes on the terrace at DC10… So stay tuned for some new and exciting international Sweatrz signings in the not-too-distant future.
With the ongoing evolution in the music industry, how do you stay inspired and shape your sound?
Well, the good news for us is it feels like the music we’ve always liked to make and play is now bigger than ever before. We’ve always dug deep for fun and found unique samples to flip and play out; It’s what we have always done. To be honest, we’ve never been more inspired or had more fun in the studio than we are right now!
What are some of your creative differences, and how do you work through them?
Well, Matty lives in LA, and I live in Sydney, and we send each other ten demos a week. Sometimes, we can be slightly different, but we also speak ten times a day, so we can figure out pretty quickly what each other is thinking. Usually, after sharing the projects and a quick A&R meeting with our legendary buddy Ian, who is part of our management team, we can usually find the diamonds in the rough, and things usually come together nicely.
Can you give fans a hint or teaser regarding what’s next for Yolanda Be Cool and Sweatrz Records?
Yes, I can hint that to celebrate the 10th release of Sweatrz, we have an epic collab with the big dog Paluma himself! We’ve both been playing this record all summer, and it is something special.
Finally, in honor of your new track, “Hip Trumpets,” let’s flip it – What’s one instrument that you think is super uncool, and why?
Hahaha, that is a trick question, but a good one! There’s no instrument that’s uncool. Especially in this day and age, it’s all about how you dress it. The perfect example of this was when we got sent a video of Marco Carola playing Paluma’s epic flip of Britney Spears. He smashed it with this one, and who would have thought? Funny story and sort of related, I set myself a 45 min challenge (for a bit of fun) to try and make a playable version of “’I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers but I can confidently say, this one is impossible haha.
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