INTERVIEW : Third Son

During tough times, expression becomes a necessity for artists. It’s a way to process things that elude their grasp. Necessity is the mother of invention, which might explain how Third Son came out on the other side of his new album 20 Days with some of his most inventive work to date. Conceived during the lockdown as a self-imposed exercise of constraint, the LP was produced from the first programmed note to the last mastered sound in just - well - 20 days. As luminous as they are exciting, the 11 tracks that comprise Joseph Thomas Price’s new record reimagine techno and IDM with uplifting results. We had a chat with the producer to discuss music making, sample chopping and lemon juggling.

Your album 20 Days has a very interesting concept. How did you get the initial idea?

I really wanted a project to get my teeth into, and it felt like a good time to do an album. I bounced ideas back and forth with my management and finally came to a decision on 20 Days being the minimum amount of time to make an LP without totally breaking me. 

How was the album developed? What were your favorite moments of its creation? What were the most challenging aspects?

It was an inverse bell-curve of enjoyment. I was pretty chipper going in but then as the process went on I think I started to want something GREAT more and more. Which actually never helps the situation. Keeping people up to date on socials added another lemon to juggle, which I ultimately chilled out on towards the end. I’d recommend keeping your phone far away from you when doing anything creative. 

How do you approach the production of a new track? Are there things you do to spark your creativity?

I really just jam until I find a seed of an idea I think is worth developing. Once that’s there, the arrangement flows pretty quickly, but I have to love that initial idea. Using traditional compositional techniques to stretch and mold ideas to the max.

Credit : Sandra Seaton

What has been your most inspiring production tool lately?

I have to say I’ve been loving Slate and Ash - Cycles. It’s a loop chopping and shaping instrument which completely changes the sound of whatever you put into it. I’m usually a hardware guy, but this has been particularly helpful when working against the clock. 

On Bandcamp, Polymath is described as a “concept label”? What’s its mission and its role and your creative life?

Polymath was born from the idea of asking a handful of artists to make a track from the same theme. That theme then became the title of the track. Decay, Sonder, Sanguine, etc. Its mission, like mine as an artist, is to experiment with new ideas until something new and exciting comes. It’s all about development. 

In your opinion, what makes a good live performer?

The best live acts are those that are all in. You can tell when someone lives their art. 

Credit : Sandra Seaton

Have you discovered any interesting artists lately? Who are your favorite artists at the moment?

I really like what Ghost Culture and Kincaid are doing. Artists like Jas Shaw and Squarepusher always excite me. I like to hear the life in music. Something recorded in by hand, random, performed, warts an’ all. 

What can we look forward to from Third Son in the upcoming months? 

There’ll be a string of remix releases to follow the album. Some very exciting artists coming on those. There’s also some interesting video bits coming out about the LP, which I’m looking forward to. I’ll also be waiting by the door for lockdown to end and clubs to re-open.

Third Son’s 20 Days is out now on Polymath.

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