SPARKLING ELECTRONICA, INDIE AND POP FROM A PROMISING NEW TALENT.

Up-and-coming Sydney producer Jerome Blazé showcases some of his favourite musical inspirations in the world of luscious electronica, including some of his own original releases.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Could you tell us a bit about your journey into electronic music? What’s the first thing you heard that you remember really having an impact? Around 2013 I remember listening to a lot of Nero, Daft Punk, The Glitch Mob and KOAN Sound, thinking that it was just really cool music. It was those artists that inspired me to pick up a laptop and give production a shot - I wanted to be as cool as them. Even though it’s not electronic, Coldplay have also always been a huge influence. Jon Hopkins’ production on the ‘Mylo Xyloto’ record is amazing. While the early electronic artists I was listening to are a bit of a far call from the music I’m making now, I think the influence of that Coldplay album has really carried through to today.

Could you tell us about your journey with production? I started playing piano about 12 years ago, but only picked up production at the beginning of high school. I’ve been creating and releasing music since then, spanning lots of styles and genres, but really only came into my own after I moved to Sydney and released my debut EP ‘Perspective’. Having grown up in the relatively culturally isolated Southern Highlands, starting a degree in Contemporary Music at the Sydney Conservatorium really pushed me, if only for the sheer amount of incredible musicians around. That was a big step in opening up the possibility to not only make music under my own name, but to produce for others too.

How did you decide to approach your mix? I simply wanted to showcase some of the music that has been inspiring me recently, a lot of which has been feeding into the new music I’m working on. Most of the songs really nail a beautiful blend between electronic and more traditional live elements. I also love music that is bright - I’m sure that will come through in the mix.

Which artists inspire you in the ambient/downbeat/electronica realm? Tourist has been a huge one for me over time, especially this year with the release of his album ‘Everyday’. The world he has been able to create over that record is so wonderfully gentle and vivid and David Wrench’s contribution on the album is some of the most immersive and deep mixing I’ve ever heard. His earlier music - like the songs on ‘U’ - are so raw and musically clever and the song ‘Run’ is an all time favourite of mine. More recently the UK duo Maribou State have been a big influence. ‘Kingdoms in Colour’ is a wonderful record and holds such a unique sound. They’re definitely underrated in Australia!

What’s your time favourite ambient/downbeat/electronica/experimental track, LP, mix or mix compilation? A song I’ve been loving very recently is ‘Clarence Difference’ by Baths. You can hear it at the beginning of the mix. I love how the piano is mixed beyond the stereo field so it sounds like you’re inside it. I also love the song’s harmony and chords, as well as all of the gentle textures that come together. The new Bon Iver record ‘i,i’ is amazing. It’s perhaps a stretch to label it electronic, but I think the production and electronic elements are truly cutting edge. I love how alive and chaotic the record is, the collaborative nature of the songs makes it feel so life-like. My favourite track off it at the moment has to be ‘iMi’ (that saxophone build!) or ‘Salem’.

You can check out the tracklist for Jerome’s mix over at SoundCloud.

What’s happening for you at the moment? Any upcoming releases or projects? Can we expect a live show in the future? I'm working on a a big project at the moment - just about to go into recording for it in two weeks! It’s the most proud I've ever been of something I’ve created and you’ll be able to hear it next year. It’s about the environment. Other than that I’m doing lots of production work with some very amazing friends. My bestie Ivy Jane Browne, Jofi (who featured on my last song), Billy Fox and Ruby J, to name a few. You’ll also be able to hear more from them very soon. I’m also in the final semester of my degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. A live show is something I’ve been planning for a very long time - I’ve only recently come to a definite place with it. There will be something next year. I don’t want to give too much away, but it will be very live and very special.