Darude is easily the best known DJ/producer from Finland.? Along with the rising talents of Super8 & Tab, Maison & Dragen, and Orkidea comes the engaging Tom Fall. His tracks like “iRok,” “Untouchable,” and “All This Time” showcase a variety of sounds that build on his massive debut “Cubic.”? Embracing the different elements of EDM, his unique sets are always quite memorable for the way he mixes his own productions with his reworks of other people’s tracks. Watch out for his forthcoming artist album.? I look forward to chatting with him again, not only for his vibrant personality but his amazing accent.
RS:? So you are from Finland, what is the Finish dance scene like?
Tom Fall:? It is growing rapidly, especially now that more and more Finnish artists are breaking through internationally.
RS:? Your first demo got picked up and exploded; did you have any idea that it would become as big as it did?
Tom Fall:? ?Cubic? was absolutely amazing, it was the first demo that I ever sent out and it was amazing how well it did, I was blown away.
RS:? Did you make that with Cubase or another software program?
Tom Fall:? Actually ?Cubic? was the first full track that I made with Cubase.
RS:? What were you working with before that?
Tom Fall:? I worked with a bunch of tracker programs like Modetracker, and later a VST-supported tracker called Buzz, and after that I went to Cubase. It took me quite a while to get used to Cubase and professional DAW,? ?Cubic? was the first full track that I made with it.
RS:? Are you still using Cubase?
Tom Fall:? Yes absolutely.
RS:? “Cubic” was released on Anjunabeats, how did you end up on Armada?
Tom Fall:? It was actually through remixes. I had always wanted to do more hard-hitting tracks and Anjunabeats wasn?t really having my sound, Armada gave me the chance to really explore my sound- whether it was trance, progressive, or house. It is a very good fit.
RS:? Where do you see your sound developing?
Tom Fall:? I try not to think about that, I just try to give it room to breathe and do whatever feels right in the moment.
RS:? Were you producing or DJing first?
Tom Fall:? I was DJing, but not in club events, I always did Top 40 gigs just to have some extra money. Producing basically came first in this type of club scene.
RS:? When you DJ now, are you playing just the club stuff or the Top 40 as well?
Tom Fall:? I do play a couple of Top 40 gigs here and there for extra pocket money, but usually my gigs are always Tom Fall gigs and it is all about my sound.
RS:? In your DJ sets, what percentage would you say are your own tracks?
Tom Fall:? I would say 50/50, usually I play other people?s tracks with my own edits and mash-ups to give it a fresh spin.
RS:? When I’ve heard you spin, you definitely don?t sound like anyone else.
Tom Fall:? That is my goal, to keep it simple and fresh yet new and exciting.
RS:? There is a lot of talk that after the dirty Dutch sound goes away the next is a trance 2.0 where it is a 128/130 BPM incorporating other genres into it, do you hear that also?
Tom Fall:? Yeah I can see that happening, dirty Dutch is getting a bit old at the moment and I am hoping the trance 2.0 is going to pick up speed. I hope that we can remain openminded when it comes to elements and what we borrow from different genres and other types of music. I really hope that trance 2.0 does well.
RS:? With ?Untouchable,? did you make the track and Jwaydan wrote to it?
Tom Fall:? Actually I have to give every respect to Jwaydan because she wrote the lyrics, melodies, and the chords, I just produced the track. Of course my ideas are in it, but most of the track is Jwaydan.
RS:? Have you worked with her again since?
Tom Fall:? After ?Untouchable,? she was really focusing on the stuff with Aly & Fila and other big artists like that. I am hoping that in the future we can do a follow-up but at the moment she is focusing on her own thing and I am focusing on mine.
RS:? Are you focusing on another album?
Tom Fall:? Absolutely, I am compiling tracks at the moment and really taking my time to make it a good album and as diverse as possible so that I can give people a true image of my sound, where it comes from and where it is going.
RS:? When you say diverse, do you mean that there is going to be dubstep and electro on it?
Tom Fall:? I don?t think there will be any dubstep on there. I like dubstep elements, but I don?t really like to listen to it too much. There will be dubstep elements but it will be everything from downtempo to trance to progressive house.
RS:? There a lot of talk about the importance of the DJ Mag list.? Have you made the chart?
Tom Fall:? No, I have never been on the Top 100 chart but I am hoping that maybe next year I will be. We are working really hard to make it happen and make my sound grow.
RS:? How do you work to make it happen, what does that mean to you?
Tom Fall:? I just work as hard as I can in the studio to make new tracks and try to keep up producing while touring. Nowadays if you write something on my Facebook page I most likely will comment on it, I don?t want to ever stop communicating with my fans. I am all about communicating and being involved with my fans.
RS:? How much of the year are you on the road, how many nights do you play out?
Tom Fall:? Nowadays, I am out every weekend but I am hoping that next year I will be out on the road most of the week and the rest of the time at home.
RS:? How do you maintain a life with such a schedule?
Tom Fall:? It?s all about prioritizing, you have to sleep when you can and not drink too much during gigs.
RS:? What is the best way to follow you?
Tom Fall:? Facebook is the best, it is?facebook.com/tomfallmusic?and my Twitter is?twitter.com/tomfallmusic?which has more of my casual updates.
RS:? What would you like to say to all of your fans out there?
Tom Fall:? Stay open-minded, keep bashing it out and expect anything from me.
RS:? I love the accent
Tom Fall:? Thank you, man.
Interview conducted during Amsterdam Dance Event 2012.