Ayeyayaya it’s already October! Hoping that you’re all easing into fall and enjoying the changing seasons. It is definitely already soup and hoodie season over here at my place. I’m starting to get a little sentimental about these Lava Bangers II posts knowing that the full 20-track album will finally be released on November 11th. It’s been a lot of fun sharing two songs at a time with you throughout 2022. With that in mind, I’m pumped to present you with the penultimate release of “Rockers / Slumps.” Incredibly sick artwork courtesy of my dear friend Andy McAlpine.

So here’s what we’re dealing with this month. “Rockers” is just a straight up high-energy feel-good jam. It reminded me of being a kid again and all the wonder, curiosity, and carefree-ness that comes with that, so I named it after The Rockers – my favorite WWF tag team duo growing up. Big shouts to Marty Jannety and Shawn Michaels (before he turned heel and tossed Marty through that barber shop window). Hope this one takes you down your own little childhood memory lane and puts a smile on your face.

“Slumps” is a very different vibe and probably one of my favorite songs I’ve ever made. It’s definitely not a full-on banger, but I wanted to make something a little more chill as we reached the end of the album. A moment to catch your breath and reflect a little bit. It’s melancholy and brooding, but in a way that still feels a bit hopeful to me. The pitched-down horns and vocal sample get me every time at the end. And if it sounds familiar at all, it might be because my guy Ernest Third got an advance listen to this one and decided to rap for seven straight minutes over it on his recent track “Mountain Under Gray Skies.” He said the second he heard the start of the beat he knew he had some things to get off of his chest. You can listen to the original “Slumps” instrumental below and then hear how we flipped it a bit and upped the tempo for Ernest’s song.

Thanks so much for listening and supporting this Lava Bangers II project. I’m excited to bring it all home to you next month for the final drop. If you’re interested in procuring a limited-edition vinyl or CD copy of the album you can check out the Doomtree Webstore right HERE. We’ve got tie-dye t-shirts, Lava Bangers hot sauce, enamel pins, holographic stickers, and much more. Highly recommended, even if I am a bit bias. Have a great week and I’ll see you next month for the final drop!

— Beak