London-based artist, TÂCHES, has been making some pretty big waves recently with his signature style of house production, and his sound has captured the ears of casual listeners and dance music connoisseurs alike. Pulse Radio is always on the hunt for the next big thing, and judging by the rapid success that this young producer has already achieved in the last or so year as a musician, it’s clear that this is somebody worth keeping your eye on. With such great music already in the back catalogues, some high-profile remixes, and a steady stream of new releases coming out all the time, we figured it would be a good idea to catch up with the man himself, and pick his brain about collaborations, opera music, and everything in between. As it turns out, this mysterious producer is as interesting as the music he makes, so while you enjoy his insights on the production process, make sure to listen to his exclusive Pulse Radio mix complete with two (yes, two) unreleased originals.
You’ve got some great remixes out right now, and a lot of your exposure has come from your ability to develop a fresh take on the originals you work with. What’s your creative process like when it comes to reworking original tracks? I draw the most inspiration for remixes from the vocals, which is why I don't say yes to an offer unless I really, really love them and think I could do something that could justify them. Present me with a track with a killer vocal and I'll make you a remix. Smooth sailing.
Your music sits comfortably within the house family of genres, but there are also a lot of other music influences that seem to be in play. What would you say the major ones are? I think anything can and should be an influence but I also don't think they should stick around for much longer than a week or two at a time. While I may be heavily influenced by 80's drums one week, the next week I may hate them. This is great in the way that things always feel fresh; constantly changing what you listen to and immerse yourself in is, I think, a huge factor in reducing the chances of making 'just another' homogenised track (and keeping life interesting in its totality). If you never allow yourself to fall into a rut of surrounding yourself indefinitely in a genre or scene, you effectively eradicate that bitch of a feeling that you're fed up of music - which I used to get a lot.
Do you listen to any genres of music that people would be surprised to find out about, considering you produce mainly electronic music? I like anything warm and soulful but I also like stripped back emptiness, as long as it gets you feeling something. Instead of specifying any individual genres, I'll just say that I like to listen to pretty much everything under the sun except for opera - I've tried and failed to like it. I especially like things that don't really go anywhere, but where they do go is emotive and enthralling.
A lot of other producers collaborate with vocalists for their original releases, but your track “Hide From You,” featuring Jessica Sophie has a certain tone that meshes perfectly with her voice. How do you approach the collaboration process when working with vocalists like this? Jessica Sophie, might I add quickly, was just 15 (if I'm not mistaken) at the time of recording. I'd heard her voice and had fallen in love. Literally, all I asked for was for her to 'record some nice vocals please,' and about an hour later she sent through the stems. I finished the track that night I think which, at the time, was a real feat. I haven't collaborated with any other vocalists to date, not through lack of trying, but through a lack of finding any other true connections with the individual. If you have a voice, please send it to me. I'll try my best to get shit going.
When working on major pop songs like John Newman’s “Losing Sleep” and Naughty Boy’s “Think About It,” do you try to incorporate some of the more “poppy” elements directly into your composition, or do you create your sound from the ground up? Pretty much all remixes start with the sole vocal. I then like to look around, see what's what and chop it into workable pieces. Then from there, I put in some basic drums to get a feel for what I'd like rhythmically. From then on, it's never the same process, but somehow ends up with a finished (or as close to…) product.
What do you look for in an original track to determine if it’s remix worthy or not? Smashing vocals and an alluring mood. If the song would turn my head, I'd like to remix it. My list of songs that I desire is endless.
Have you ever had a track that came together almost instantly, or have you found that the longer you spend on a song, the better it ends up? "Don't You Know" and "Hide From You," for example, were made in a day, while "Confessions" and some of the stuff coming out soon were made in a matter of a few hours. I don't think there's any set amount of time that works as a perfect formula for goodness.
With the success of your latest singles, it’s obvious you’re on a roll right now. With so much momentum, what do you hope to accomplish by the end of 2014? Release a LOT of music and travel far and wide playing songs to nice people in dark rooms. I'm not averse to the idea of being outside on some occasions either. I also hope to have managed to grow what pathetic facial hair I do have into a more rugged and masculine goatee. Or not.
Mix Tracklist:
Don't Call It Love - Zero 7
Grapevine - Sllash
What I'm Missing - Sean Roman
??? - TÂCHES
Boy Boy Boy - Andhim
No Cure - TBoy
I'll Come Running - Iain O'Hare
Falling Sky - MAM
Nouvelle Future (Olivier Schories Remix) - Dan Caster & Björn Störig
Think About It Ft. Ella Eyre & Wiz Khalifa (TÂCHES Remix) - Naughty Boy
Baby Gurl - Miguel Puente
Something Blue - TÂCHES
??? - TÂCHES & Sonder