INTERVIEW : Taymor Zadeh
It’s crazy how house music can take so many different forms in the hands of different producers. Take Taymor Zadeh’s new album Life Goes On EP, for instance, and how it can distill the legendary grooves of minimal electronic music through its 4 tracks, evoking the foggy ambiance and sweaty walls of clandestine after-hours clubs. Recorded with some vintage gear borrowed from a friend, Taymor’s new opus is an eclectic take on acidic tech house, a demonstration of his quality-over-quantity ethos that places him miles apart from the EDM leanings of commercial dance music. We had a chat with the UK-based artist to learn more about his sonic universe.
What inspired you to make Life Goes On EP? What were your desires with this release?
I made about 20 tracks in the summer with a few pieces of kit from a friend so naturally, I was just inspired to be using something different from my normal setup. There weren’t any specific desires for the release, I played them to Mikey and he really liked them.
Typically, what’s your creative process when you make a new track?
I’ll be honest there is no set routine, I wish I did have a formula sometimes as I would have a lot more music on my Discogs page ha! Any sound could set off some ideas in my head so I usually just try to go with the flow and see where it takes me.
Are there production tools that especially inspired you during the making of the album?
I’d say the modded original 303 helped out on that front just because it sounds so good. Also, the MC-505 is a serious piece of kit (especially for such a low price).
I sample all the analog gear I have into Ableton and get a decent sounding groove, then I arrange live, and tweak the arrangement afterward to get it sounding as perfect as possible. Then it goes to the mix-down process.
For this release, there were actually a few amazing sessions we had with the mixing engineer - Thoma - that really took things to the next level. I couldn’t believe how good it all sounded once we were done putting everything through all the warm external compression. It made a huge difference
Your EP features a remix by Subb - An. How did this collaboration come about?
Subb had just moved in round the corner from my studio so I got linked by Thoma who did the mix-down. I think he heard the tracks being mixed down and wanted to get in on the action! He created a stellar remix that really helps seal off the EP with a nice accessible, psychedelic banger.
What was your reaction when you heard the remix? And how does it feel to get your music remixed?
Yeah I’ve liked ash’s music for a good while now and wasn’t disappointed when I heard his take. I think remixes are a good way to hear another angle on the track. He chose some very interesting elements from my track that maybe I wouldn’t have expected somebody to develop. This is part of what I think makes Subb-an such an excellent artist.
What have you been listening to lately? Do you have new music discoveries or recent obsessions that you can share with us?
I’ve been listening to a website called Radiooooo, you should give it a try. It’s incredible for discovering music from around the world. I’ve also been going through everything I can find connected to Underground Resistance. ;)
What’s next for Taymor Zadeh?
I’m moving back down to the South Coast where I grew up and plan to set up a studio down there. I’ve been in London for around 5 years and I feel like it’s no longer the place for me. I plan to continue working on some faster bits and pieces under Taymor and trying to do some more work with Superlux Records.
I also have a pretty huge release coming out under an alias that I can’t wait for. I kind of want the name to stay anonymous for now though so I apologize for not spilling the beans at this point.
Taymor Zadeh’s Life Goes On EP will be released 7th December on Superlux Records, including the remix by Subb-an. You can pre-order it now.
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