Tom Tainted – ‘Beauty Of The Glen – BTS Interview

Tom Tainted continues to make striking waves across the Electronic Music genre, and his latest release emerged to prove why; bringing hypnotic energy to listeners around the globe, shining a light on his impressive production skills, his single ‘Beauty Of The Glen’ continues to gain attention as genre enthusiasts become captivated by Tom Tainted’s unique signature sound. 

So, with such an innate ability to craft mesmerising soundscapes, we’re thrilled to have Tom Tainted joining us today to talk about the production.

Hi Tom Tainted, how are you? Congrats on the release of ‘Beauty Of The Glen’! 

Thanks very much! I’ve been busy in the studio, so all good.

To start, can you tell us about the key influences and inspirations behind the track? 

I’ve been to Scotland a few times already and I always enjoy the beautiful landscape. I was there in April and also stayed in the highlands for a while… which is always impressive and inspiring so it was kind of obvious to make a track about it. 

How did you find producing this track? What did you enjoy most about the process? Did you face any challenges at all?

I have to say that this was really an easy track. With some tracks, it feels a bit hard to get where you want to but with ‘Beauty Of The Glen’, I more or less had the basics done within an hour.

Can you walk us through the production process? Which element did you start with and how did you then build on this to create the rest of the track?

I came up with the chord progression first and then added the arpeggio and from then the rest was easy. The hardest part was finding the vocal… originally I had the idea to use some Gaelic lyrics but when I was looking for that I didn’t really find something suitable but I found the violin sample which is used in the break of the violin edit. My daughter really liked that so I put it in the song but I thought it was probably a bit cheesy for a club tune, so I also did the version without it.

How do you think this track showcases your signature sound? 

That’s a good question as the vibe of the track is a bit different from most other tracks and remixes I have done lately, these have been darker and have had more of a Melodic Techno vibe to them. But in general, I really love melodic elements and arpeggios so that is probably typical for my sound.

‘Beauty Of The Glen’ features a particularly catchy synth lead, can you tell us about this? How do you create such hypnotic melodic lines?

It’s based on the chord progression and the main sound comes from DIVA which I really love using at the moment. I also layer the sounds and add delay, reverb, filter automations, etc. …I also add some saturation and polish the sound with an analogue-modelled EQ. I also tend to have an atmospheric layer, like a thin pad for example, and have it sit rather quietly in the mix and that helps to create a vibe and fill the soundscape.

What about this new release would you say makes it stand out from your previous releases? 

It probably has a bit more of an uplifting vibe compared to previous releases and like I said, it’s a bit more progressive.

The soundscape of the track builds as new instrumentation joins the mix; can you walk us through any techniques that you use when layering a soundscape? How do you create such full and mighty-sounding tracks?

I think sound selection is very important, you have to choose sounds that work well together and not just layer sounds randomly… from then it’s automation, saturation, FX and EQ. EQ is essential to make sure every element has its space in the mix, you can also add warmth and character with an analogue modelled EQ. When I start doing the mixdown of a track I also usually start in mono and begin with setting the levels. Sometimes it’s really mind-blowing if you switch back to stereo after a while.

How do you hope listeners react to ‘Beauty Of The Glen’?

I hope it takes them on a journey and makes them think of a beautiful place or at least gives them a good time.

Do you have any more releases coming up? What can fans expect to hear next from you? 

I did a remix of a track called “Alive” by Jackie Jeff & Otto Notman which was just released on Sounds of Meow. It’s a Melodic Techno track with really nice vocals and I enjoyed making that remix. I’m also working on several other projects in the studio; one is a remake of an 80s classic and I hope we’ll be able to release it soon.

As we round off our conversation with Tom Tainted, it is clear that he plans to keep impressing, continuing to build momentum as he gears up to strike back with even more music soon. So, make sure to follow him across social media, as Tom Tainted is no doubt a talent not to be missed. 

Listen and Buy ‘Beauty Of The Glen’ Now:

https://hypeddit.com/tomtainted/beautyoftheglen

https://open.spotify.com/album/2okRsSrhbkWqbTVa25hDjT?si=QFSt80atRV20uuxSqhJrVg

https://soundcloud.com/tom-tainted/beauty-of-the-glen-radio-edit-mastered

Tom Tainted Online: 

Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram