Slapjack breaks down the instrumental layers of their colourful music, explaining the texture it adds to their rainbow funk bus.
The seven piece Indie dance group chat with Happy about what makes their sound so nostalgically groovy. Coming from the release of their recent single Kinda Funny, it is undeniable that Slapjack’s sound stands out in a crowd.
Known for their trademark stage prescience and funkalicious sound, the group sift through the layers of their music, from Fernando’s soaring trombone to Chris’ pickup booster that he adjusts on stage using his bare feet.
Nick Crameri – Drums
Zildjian 21” K Sweet Ride
This cymbal is my baby, my pride and joy. Nah but for real it was the first proper drum purchase and it’s been used on every Slapjack track that has been released. I use the bell of the cymbal a lot in my playing so that was a huge part of why I bought it. The sound cuts through so cleanly without being piercing, it’s got a really nice dark crash on it and dare I say it is pretty sweet. Paired with my 15” Paiste Giant Beat Hi-Hats and 18” Sabian HHX Complex Crash, it really brings the overall sound of the kit together and I honestly can’t see myself ever using a different ride cymbal.
Chris Holburn – Trumpet/Percussion
Sennheiser e608 Dynamic Gooseneck Microphone
Ever since myself and Fernando started playing with Slapjack, we were pretty set on the idea of not being stuck in one spot while we play into a mic. Having these clip-on mics allow us to get pretty loose on stage which is always a good time. I’m gonna say 9/10 times they never fall off, which in my eyes is a pretty good average. For real though these are actually fantastic, they capture such a focused sound when we play live and they’re pretty affordable as well! Plus when I’m doing percussion stuff I can put the shaker in the bell of my trumpet and shake it which works pretty well.
Chris Bass – Keys
Privia Pro PX – 560 Keyboard
This keyboard is perfect for delivering all sort of sounds from gentle concerts pianos to juicy synth layers, it’s perfect for someone who likes to dive deep into its many intricacies. The touch screen display makes it super easy to navigate and allows me to visually experiment and explore ways to play around with mixing sounds.
It also has this hectic feature that allows me to create up to 14 layer tracks or splits at once. 100% my favourite feature has got to be the Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action II keys developed by Casio. These weighted keys really fulfil the response and touch you get from a full concert piano, despite being one of the lightest weighted-key keyboards on the market. Although this keyboard is not as frequently played in gigs, it sits at home, set up as my experimental toy and writing space.
Izzy Rendina – Vocals
My cheeky, lucky piece of gear would have to be a pair of funky sunglasses that I keep with me whenever we have a gig. I might wear them or put them on my head or around my neck. I can’t really remember where it started, but I sort of just had them on my bag at every single gig and it felt off not too.
I have them in different shades, colours, shapes and sizes all depending on the vibe colour choice for the evening. I grew up with a musical theatre background so getting into costume before walking on stage has always been a signal that it was quite literally “show time”. Having these shades to slip on as we step on stage places me in that headspace and then I know it’s going to be a good show.
Fernando Carvajal – Trombone
YSL-456A BB/F Tenor Trombone
My prized possession. After starting off on a Jupiter student model, I felt the need for an upgrade for my HSC, and this horn was the perfect choice. This trombone is a fantastic all-rounder for all styles of music as it plays so clearly and soars in its top register as well as being equipped with an F rotary valve for some more low range and overall versatility.
Chris Turner – Guitar
Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster
This pedal is my way of squeezing more clarity and body out of my tone. I have it on for all melodic material, and seeing as though I don’t wear shoes on stage I can adjust the big gain knob with my toes for a hotter tone. Definitely a staple of my pedalboard and is the perfect bridge between my Fender Strat and Fender Deluxe Reverb amp. Matching this with some reverb, delay and rotary tones is a staple of my sound.
Ben Moonen – Bass
G&L L-2500
The perfect Swiss army knife bass. It has the ability to get so many different tones from the lighter, punchy stuff to thick, darker tones and everything in between. As well as being the most comfortable and enjoyable instrument to play that I’ve ever owned. Plus it looks really sexy.
Check out Slapjack’s new single Kinda Funny below:
