Stro Elliot’s “James Baby” and “Soul II Stro” Were “Happy Accidents”
For those unfamiliar with the name, veteran producer Stro Elliot set himself up to have a monster year in 2017. His 2016 highlights include collaborating with The Roots on their new album, work on the critically acclaimed and Billboard #1 Hamilton mixtape, a memorable performance with Wu-Tang at The Roots picnic, and his very own episode of Rhythm Roulette. “It’s surreal,” says Stro. “There’s an embarrassment of riches being handed to me over the course of the year that could be very well deserving to a bunch of other people I know. I don’t take it light, I’m truly grateful for everything.”
While Stro has an admirable level of humility for his newfound success, his latest instrumental effort on House Shoes’ Street Corner Music label should only add to his growing fan base and further bolster his reputation among industry peers. The album — which features 11 songs from Stro’s instrumental archives hand-picked by Shoes— is a feat of deft technical skills and unreal sample flips. And as difficult as it might be to believe after hearing the album, the majority of the tracks are five to ten years old.
Stro, who uses his background as a drummer and musician to bolster his production, pulls apart pieces from classic funk and modern R & B with equal dexterity. “Soul II Stro” is a prime example, as Stro utilizes a familiar R & B acappella to build an unforgettable blending of vocal samples, synths, and neck-snapping drums. “It’s probably opened more doors than any other track that I know because of the DJs,” says Stro. “All the DJs I know love that track and play that track.”
“My ears are always open.”
The song, which dates back over a decade to 2005, came into existence from a “happy accident” while Stro was preparing for a Root Down beat battle. The accident occurred while Stro was experimenting with his ASR-X sampler’s ability to repeat the end of a sample by having it loop forward or in reverse, helping him extend the length of the sample. By using this feature to extended the acapella vocal in the song, Stro stumbled upon the perfect foundation to layer some drums and Korg Triton synth sounds over. “I want to say it was one of the quickest things I’ve ever made. It kind of fell together,” he says with a laugh.
Much as “Soul II Stro” fell together, “James Baby” is another standout instrumental that Stro describes as a “happy accident.” The origins of this track came from a European tour years ago with former Procussions group mate Mr. J. Medeiros, who received the happy news that he was about to be a father while on tour. Medeiros started singing the “Baby, baby, baby” vocals of a classic funk/soul record and suggested that Stro make something out of the song to celebrate the occasion. “I think he said it in jest,” says Stro. “But my ears are always open.” While the beat may have started out as a joke, the end result is anything but.
“There’s an embarrassment of riches being handed to me…I don’t take it light, I’m truly grateful for everything.”
Though many beats on Stro’s latest release are several years old, they sound so fresh and different they could’ve been made yesterday. Song’s like the somber “Maybe Not” and Stro’s lone vocal cut “Virginia Wolf” round out the album and help make this one of the strongest instrumental releases from 2016. If his beats from years ago are any indication, Stro seems poised to add more remarkable albums to his already impressive resume in 2017 and beyond.
Connect with Stro Elliot on Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter @StroElliotMusic.
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