On Oath’s latest release, the imprint are proud to present the latest offering from London based producer and DJ Tom Jarmey, on a record that sweeps beautifully across the electronic music palette and comes forth sparkling, enticing and enveloping all at the same time. We caught up with the diverse producer to chat about his new EP, inspirations, upcoming projects, and more!
WWD: Hi Tom, How are you? What’s happening in your world at the moment?
Very well thanks! I’m busy playing Elden Ring, planning some camping expeditions and writing lots of music…
WWD: You’ve just released your EP ‘Swing Through Spaces’ on Oath…can you tell us about it and your inspiration behind the release?
The ideas and inspiration for the EP are in the name, ‘Swing Through Spaces,’ I wanted the tracks to meander through a breadth of different sounds or ‘spaces’, taking inspiration from Trip Hop, Jungle, Electro and Ambient music. Each track occupies a different world in terms of genre, something that’s mirrored in the artwork with the different slithers of skyline, each portraying the sun’s position at various times throughout the day.
I wanted to step away from some of the darker, clubbier music I had been writing through my Ocean Stirs alias, and focus on creating a listening EP that bridged a lot of the styles of music which I listen to in my downtime; Hip Hop, Ambient, Jungle and so on. It’s an EP for headphone listening. I like to think I’m world-building with the music, in a similar fashion to writers and game developers – think Patrick Rothfuss or Robert Jordan!
WWD: Are there any standout tracks you’re particularly excited about?
‘Stay Hidden’ is my favourite from the EP, I just managed to match a certain feeling that I was trying to portray when writing it, so on a personal level it stands out as the most meaningful. I’m also really excited about Negative, with the incredible vocals and sax work from my good friends Dodd Noble and Ed Hodge. It’s extra exciting and enjoyable to work with singers and instrumentalists as they always offer something that I’m unable to bring to the table myself, taking the music to another level in terms of depth and feeling.
WWD: Where was the EP made? Can you expand on some of the notable gear/plugins you used on this?
The EP was made on the move, between Manchester, London and my Mums home in the countryside. I used a mixture of hardware, soft synths and samples on the project. The synths on Deep Speed are made on my Prophet Rev2 for example, whereas the pads and lead on Portal are created using u-he’s Hive 2. This is now the only soft synth I use, it’s an absolute beast and can create everything from fluffy pads to punchy percussion – it features on almost every track I make!
In terms of additional gear and plugins, there’s sprinklings of my Moog Grandmother across the EP, as well as Decapitator for added grit across most channels, MComb and Zebrify for injecting some weirdness to percussion and textures, and ABL3 for the acid bassline on ‘Stay Hidden’. Trackspacer is also a game changing plug in for mixdowns which I use heavily, it allows you to sidechain specific frequencies on a channel – the ultimate tool for carving out pockets of space across a mix.
WWD: As a producer, what message do you hope to convey through your music? What themes or ideas do you find yourself returning to again and again in your work?
In a similar vein to what I mentioned above, I think of each track in terms of world building, creating a space full of textures and samples that help build a little world of sound… as cheesy as that sounds. I don’t think there are any other specific themes that run across everything I produce, I try dipping into lots of different styles and genres, and with those come different feelings and ideas.
WWD: Can you describe the connection between your music and your London roots, and how they continue to influence your music today?
So my roots aren’t actually in London, I only moved here two years ago! I grew up in a village in Wiltshire with a non-existent music scene. As a result, me and friends would travel up to London via train after school on Friday, we’d see our favourite DJs at Oval Space and Corsica Studios (Object, Andrés ++++) and then catch a wink of sleep in Hyde Park before grabbing the earliest train home on Saturday morning. It was a mission but a fond memory – all the music I’d hear at these events no doubt influence what I DJ and produce today.
WWD: Which other artists have had a big influence on your sound?
The Prodigy, Pendulum and Kasabian were my favourite groups growing up, so there’ll be sprinklings of influence there. I also listen to a lot of Hip Hop which has fed into tracks like ‘Dusk’ on the EP. Guru and The Roots will always be on rotation. I started collected records while at school, starting with an obsession with deep house from the Chicago greats and beyond, so elements of classic house music will always creep in one way or another.
More recently, DjRUM is a big inspiration, his music is completely unique and brimming with so much texture, never sticking to a single style or sound. I also love everything that Leon Vynehall, Jennifur, and Yu Su create, they’re always on rotation. Ben Howard’s latest album is also a big one for me, as much as I like his previous work, ‘Is It’ is a pretty sharp departure from his earlier sound. Produced By Bullion, it’s weird, creative and nectar for the ears. I’ll be referencing this album for inspiration down the line no doubt.
WWD: Give us some other producers we should be listening to right now?
Litherland is one to watch, he’s basically the British / Syrian Traumprinz, a master of emotive pads and stripped back drums. Pulls the heartstrings every time. Lucas SM is making some wild, leftfield music, accompanied by his own animations. Another favourite is Kloyd who makes some beautiful music, ‘Sur’ is one to check out. Finally my good pal 1-800 Girls, he’s just released an EP on Seb Wildblood’s imprint – he never misses.
WWD: What’s next for you? Can you tell us about any upcoming projects or collaborations you have in the works? Are there any new directions or sounds you’re exploring in your music right now?
An album is in the works, it’s a new direction for me, moving further away from club music and delving more into trip hop, ambient and beyond. The idea is for the album to be listened to whilst taking a bath or driving at night – that should give an idea of the vibe! I’m collaborating with Korron, an incredibly talented spoken word artist and rapper I’ve been following for the past year. JT Norton of Haulm is also writing vocals for an exciting track which is very different from anything I’ve made before, leaning on an Indie tip.
WWD: Finally, which are the three records that you’ve been putting in your bag without hesitating?
Coloray’s ‘Fantasy’ has been a feature in all my recent sets – an absolute ripper, enough said.
‘Momus’ by Aleksandir is another track I play out on repeat – the epic buildup creates a tense buzz that releases when the drums hit, creating an epic moment every time.
Sam Goku’s ‘b-nova’ is a favourite, perfect for building energy.
WWD: We’ll check those out! Thanks for the chat, Tom 🙂
‘Swing Through Spaces’ is available here