Interview: Tom Vs Tom - Symphony Of Ruckus

Having spent the last few months releasing a wave of bright and impressive psych-pop offerings, Australian producer Tom Vs Tom has now returned with his latest intrinsic release ‘Symphony Of Ruckus’.

Capturing the same bold and bouncing grooves as acts such as Toro Y Moi and Glass Animals, ‘Symphony Of Ruckus’ sees him return in fine form. Filled with a dynamic and spacey production, alongside his wonderfully warm vocals, this new single cements him as a true visionary emerging right now.

So with the single available now, we sat down with him to find out more about his recent material and what he has in store for the rest of the year.

Words by Chris Bound

Discovered via http://musosoup.com

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Chris) Hi Tomas, how are you today? 

Tom) Hey man, I'm feeling pretty good. Safe and well.

For those that haven’t heard of you yet, how would you best describe your sound and who have been your biggest influences so far?

I think categorically my sound falls under indie pop, indie rock and psychedelica. But I try not to think about it too much, because I feel like I'll end up putting myself in a box. I just wanna make what I feel at that moment in time. Whether it's from a shitty place, or a place of love. I want it put it all out in the open, it's freeing.  In saying that I wouldn't have the sounds I have without artists like Kid Cudi, Brian Wilson and Tyler, The Creator to narrow it down. I'm greatly influenced by their approach to the craft.

And what would you say has been your biggest inspiration in music so far?

I study people who I consider to be great. Whether in music, comedy, film making whatever. I'm fascinated by individuals that beat the odds and take the long road, staying in their own lane and succeeding through being themselves. 

Do you remember what the first song was that made you want to start a career in music?

Shit, umm. It was always in the back of my head that I wanted to pursue a career in music since I was 14, but I think the first artist I heard where a light bulb went off was probably Kid Cudi. I can say he's the first person I truly felt a strong connection with through his music. When I first heard "Man On The Moon", I wanted to find other weirdos and bring us together, as whack as that sounds. But with every record you write, you have to dig deeper because you've talked about something already. So the process is a constant self-reflection, the way I view it. 

You have just released your new single ‘Symphony Of Ruckus’. Can you tell us how that track came about? Is there a story behind it? 

Symphony of Ruckus was written during a time I felt uncomfortable being myself and with that, the knock on the door gets louder. The only way to truly face it is to just open that shit up and look it straight in the eyes. It's therapeutic to write something out and just let whoever comes across it interpret it for themselves. What I get out of it is a clearer conscious. Maybe someone out there is going through the same shit and I hope it helps. 

And was there a particular style you were looking for when you wrote it?

Not really, I just kinda sit there until something happens. 

Can we expect a new EP, or even an album from you in the near future?

Actually the 28th of June was my first official release, A debut EP called "Bedroom Demos". Since then I've been releasing a single every 28th of the month until the end of the year. Symphony of Ruckus was the 4th single to be released. I've only been releasing music for roughly 5 months now. 

The coronavirus outbreak has obviously affected everyone’s plans, but what have you got in store for the rest of the year?

All of these singles are in preparation for a full-length debut album called "DWEEB", set to be released in 2021 mid year. I've made it a goal for myself to release 22 records within a year's time. 

And finally, what is the best piece of musical advice you have ever been given?

Umm… Sacrifice yourself to the art. Fuck it and just make what you want to hear. The people that gravitate to you will understand, and those who don't aren't meant to.