Slackline Radio: Who is Breakolage and where can we find you today?
Breakolage: Breakolage is a passionate old-school beatmaker based in Switzerland.
My goal is to create sample-based instrumentals with a strong sonic texture and character, rooted in a 90s hip-hop/trip-hop vibe, while mixing it with a modern touch—without compromising the original feel of the sampler.
Slackline Radio: How did Breakolage come to be? What’s your beatmaking story?
Breakolage:My love for music started during my teenage years in the 90s, when I first discovered rap. Hip-hop hit me like a wave—it was the style that spoke to me the most. I found it powerful, groovy, and full of life. For years, it became almost an obsession. I listened to nothing else. Over time, I’ve opened up to other genres, but hip-hop is still my foundation.
At 16, I bought my first synthesizer with my apprentice salary. I had no music theory knowledge, just a strong desire to recreate the music that moved me. I kept experimenting until I finally got my hands on a MPC, which pulled me deeper into the world of sampling.
Two years ago, I sold the MPC and bought an Ensoniq EPS 16+, a sampler that completely changed the way I produce music.
Slackline Radio:What are your musical inspirations? Who are your biggest influences?
Breakolage:My style is inspired by the work of other beatmakers, but also by soul tracks and various other genres.
The first beatmaker who really made me want to dive into production was Havoc, especially his work on Hell on Earth—not Shook Ones, as most people might assume (though that track is incredible too).
Today, I also follow the modern boom bap scene closely. It’s still very much alive and offers some amazing beats.
Slackline Radio: What kind of music do you sample from? Which artists are you currently digging for samples?
Breakolage:I usually find my samples in a wide range of acoustic sounds—jazz, French chanson, rock, ethnic music, soul, and even children’s stories or fairytales with sound illustrations.
I don’t stick to one particular genre when it comes to sampling. What really guides my choices are sound texture and frequency. I reshape the samples a lot, so the original style doesn’t matter much—as long as it has the right character and tone.
Slackline Radio: Tell us about your production process. How do you create your music?
Breakolage:I produce mostly using hardware. I try to stay away from computers as much as possible. I love the direct and tactile relationship with vintage samplers—their sound grain and simplicity. Especially the ones with only numeric screens, because it forces you to use your ears.
My main tool is the Ensoniq EPS 16+, a keyboard sampler that fits my workflow perfectly. I plug my turntable into it, pick my samples, and process them directly on the EPS—modifying sampling rates, resampling parts, filtering sounds, etc.
What makes the EPS 16+ unique is that it spreads the sample across the keyboard’s 5 octaves. So, when I sample a single note, I can loop it and play it like a synth. In a way, I’m creating my own synths out of vinyl samples.
Once the rhythmic and melodic patterns are set, I record each track into a DAW for mixing. I try not to over-process the sound—just “clean it up” a bit. This usually means light EQ, some compression on the drum bus, and the same on the master, ending with a limiter.
Slackline Radio:Outside of music, where do you find passion in life?
Breakolage:I’m a very creative person, and I also find passion in drawing, painting, and graphic arts, which I practice regularly.
I recently designed the entire visual identity for my upcoming album, which will be released on September 19.
Slackline Radio: What’s coming next for Breakolage?
Breakolage:An album is dropping on September 19 via La Mirage Records, a French label known for its eclectic taste.
It’s an instrumental boom bap project, fully composed on the EPS, featuring 16 tracks with a range of moods—always rooted in boom bap, but with multiple switch-ups and variations throughout.
You’ll find all the info on my Bandcamp:
https://breakolage.bandcamp.com/
and instagram @breakolage
Slackline Radio: What will you be eating or drinking later this evening?
Breakolage:Tonight, I’ll be enjoying a gratin of quenelles with tomato sauce, lovingly prepared by my wife
