Artist Spotlight: BSEARL
In this playful Artist Spotlight, BSEARL links up with the producer behind No More Pain, an 18 track journey through emotion and club energy. With viral singles Believe Me and Ride or Die, BBC Radio 1 support, and sold out shows worldwide, he reflects on influences, experimentation, and finding balance between light and dark.
Your album No More Pain is a massive 18-track journey. How did you decide which tracks made the cut and which stayed in the vault?
I started off making a playlist of all the tunes I wanted to include in the project and it ending up being between 23-26 or something crazy. I just wanted to be able to showcase all the directions of my music so people could just listen to it rather than listening to one single every couple of months. I’ve still got loads of tracks I’m sitting on though so more to come soon
You’ve described the album as sitting somewhere between light and dark. How do you balance those vibes while keeping it fun for listeners?
It’s always been my style - there’s certain chords that I play to get a darker melody with an uplifting vocal - that’s how I balance the light & dark. My music is very emotionally driven - how stripped back can I make it but still keep a vibe.
Your music fuses Garage, Rap, D&B, Dubstep, House, and UK Bass. Is there a secret formula or do you just let it flow?
I just let it flow. Whatever I'm listening to that week guaranteed I will end up making it that weekend
Fans have compared your sound to early Flume and Mura Masa. Were they huge influences or just a happy coincidence?
Huge influences. Mura Masa was what I grew up listening to - his tracks are timeless and cross over into not just dance music but into other genres too and that’s where I think (and hope!) my music sits. Gassed to hear that those influences are coming through in my music too
Your singles Believe Me and Ride or Die racked up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube and got BBC Radio 1 support. Did you ever imagine that kind of viral success?
Nah - if you’d told me that was going to happen a few years ago I wouldn’t have believed it. It feels like a bit of a fever dream - I’m so so grateful for it.
You’ve sold out shows across multiple continents. Which performance stands out as the most unforgettable moment so far?
Either Melbourne section 8 show or Bristol 395 w/ CA$PAR. Probably the Bristol one. I’d never done a set with him before but it sounded like we planned the whole thing. The chemistry between us was just nuts and the atmosphere was crazy.
How do you balance making club-ready tracks that hit hard with emotionally charged vocal tracks that touch people at home?
I think because I’m not making it for a crowd reaction, I make tracks for how they make me feel/what emotions they bring up for me and then if they resonate then great. Some of my tracks are meant to be played out in the rave and some are meant to be played out loud in the car with the windows down just thinking about life.
Can you give us a peek behind the scenes? What’s your process like when taking an idea from a beat in your head to a finished track?
I usually start with the hook or the drop - I find a vocal sample I like then play a counter melody. Then I take the sample out and can sometimes listen to it for hours. If I still like it when I get home from work the next day then I know that it’s a banger
Do you have a favourite track on No More Pain that fans might be surprised is your top pick?
I love the skit. It’s just an interlude piece but I love it. I played it on my Prophet-6 analog synth and made it all on hardware rather than my laptop so it feels like a special one to me.
When you look at your viral moments online, what do you think made people connect with your music so quickly?
Firstly with SOLD MY SOUL - I feel like it had the nostalgic feeling from Mura Masa - similar vibes to lovesick - that people really vibe to. Lovesick is such a timeless tune and I was trying to go for that vibe. I feel like BELIEVE ME taps into that the Streets sound which is also pretty timeless - you hear people saying they love the Streets, their parents love the Streets etc its just timeless. I do try and make my tunes sound older on purpose for that reason
How does it feel to have public support from artists like KETTAMA, Mincy, Killowen, and Camoufly cheering you on?
Yeah it’s sick. I really look up to them & KETTAMA is just the goat - if he’s putting your tune on a story then you know you’ve made it
If someone is listening to your album for the first time, what track would you tell them not to skip and why?
Probably tell them not to skip 011 Dreamline. I messed the mixdown up so you’ll have to bear with it. I feel like I semi rushed it out the door - if you listen to that & then listen to Burial’s old stuff then I think you can hear a similarity - it gives a nod to what was groundbreaking music back then. That’s the reason that I made that sound
You’ve been praised for pushing creative boundaries while staying grounded. What’s the wildest experiment you tried in this album?
Would have to be SOLD MY SOUL was the maddest one. It started over a drum & bass layout and then Sam & John (PullUp / my managers / best mates) loved it but I thought fuck this - I’m guna make it like a Flume tune and it went down pretty well.
Are there any new sounds or genres you’re itching to explore next that fans might not expect?
Really want to dive into make alternative rap beats - it might not suit my style but I'm really keen to dig into it. I’m also leaning more into the Kaytranada sound - I call it alternative electronic dance music haha but yeah I feel like his tunes are all pretty timeless too
Finally, if you could sum up the experience of creating No More Pain in just one word, what would it be?
Wholesome