[INTERVIEW] From Mixtapes To Melodies: Tom Tainted Discusses His Electronic Music Evolution

In this interview, we sit down with Tom Tainted, a talented producer with a passion for Electronic music and a drive for sonic exploration. Join us as we delve into the beginnings of his musical journey, his inspirations, and his creative process. Discover how he navigated the challenges in his journey so far, and what he has in store for the future; get ready to uncover the melodies and stories behind the music with Tom Tainted. 

 
Hi there Tom Tainted, thank you for joining us. How are you?  

I’m doing great, thanks for having me. 
 

Can you take us back to the start of your musical journey – how were you first introduced to Electronic Music? What was it that sparked your interest?  

 
I think I was 14 or so, hanging out with friends and someone brought a mixtape with Happy Hardcore, Breakbeat and early Jungle sort of stuff and that really blew my mind… I really loved the positive energy of the music, so I started buying the records and hanging out in local record shops really opened the whole world of Electronic music to me. 

When did you start producing music and how did you learn? 

I started with DJing and at some point, I wanted to make my own tunes, that was probably 15-20 years ago. At the time, there were no YouTube tutorials so you had to figure out a lot of stuff yourself. Back then, I did some mashups for my DJ sets and also a few original tracks that I would sometimes play in a set but never got to a release-ready level. It was during Covid that I really got back into producing and taking my music to a more professional level. 
 

How would you describe your sound and how do you think it stands out within the genre? 

 
I like a lot of different genres so I take influences from House, Techno, Breakbeat, whatever… trying to create a Progressive / Melodic vibe sometimes a bit more relaxed sometimes more energetic but I always try to find a nice groove and a melodic feel. 
 

Have there been any challenges that you’ve faced so far in your career? 

 
I think the biggest challenge for upcoming artists is to get your music heard, whether it’s a label you’re approaching or finding your audience… that can really be challenging sometimes. 
 

What are some of your favourite production techniques? Could you share with us some tips? 

 
I like working with atmospheric layers, sometimes I have one playing the whole song through but very subtle in the mix, so you can hardly hear it in the intro and outro but it kind of creates a mood and fills the frequency spectrum and I recently did work more with recording reverb tails and highly processed versions of a melody or a chord and then using them as subtle layers underneath… I picked that up from a workshop with Eelke Kleijn at ADE. 
 

Can you remember what your first performance was like? Can you tell us about it now? 

I think I was 14 playing at a party of a local youth club for like 10-20 friends, I didn’t have enough records back then and had to borrow some vinyls from a friend, and I had no clue what I was doing but it was so much fun. 
 

Are there any techniques, gear, or sounds that you would like to experiment with next? 

 
Probably experimenting a bit more with analogue and acoustic instruments. I still have that idea in my mind for a track with an acoustic guitar in it. 
 

Do you have any goals that you are hoping to achieve soon? 

Keep growing my artist profile and playing more gigs. 
 

To close, can you share a fun fact about yourselves that might surprise your fans?  

 
Besides music, I also have a passion for mountain bike riding and originally, I came up with the red trail name and logo because I wanted to do a blog about building my own custom bike. I did build the bike but I never did the blog, but I really liked the logo and so I just used it for my label and radio show. 

We’ve had the privilege of exploring the musical world of Tom Tainted, a producer with a knack for crafting powerful Electronic music. From his early inspirations to his creative journey, we thank Tom for sharing his insights and experiences with us. We conclude this interview, looking forward to hearing more of his captivating melodies and watching his career continue to flourish; make sure to follow him to stay tuned for what’s to come from this talented artist. 
 

Tom Tainted Online 

Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram