Exron Exclusive Interview: Tom Tainted

As 2023 comes to a close, we’re taking the opportunity to look back at the thrilling year we’ve had within Electronic Music. Filled with memorable moments, from impressive productions to unforgettable live shows, 2023 was nothing short of extraordinary. We had the opportunity to interview Tom Tainted, a talented Producer who has stepped onto the scene to make his mark. With the release of his latest track “Beauty Of The Glen” his productions keep raising the bar every time. As he delves into his favorite tracks from 2023 through this exclusive interview, we learn more about the inspirations behind his unique creativity and striking talent.

Exron Music: Can you share with us your personal top tracks or releases from this year, and what makes each of them special to you?

Julia Eliza – ‘Follow Me’, I really love the original and it was one of the first tracks by another artist that I signed to my label, Red Trail Music. I was also really struggling with the remix I did of that track and not really happy with it but funnily enough that remix is now the top track of the label on Beatport.

08 Orbit – ‘Borderline EP’, because it comes with great remixes and being part of this release with all those other talented Artists was a fun experience.

Eelke Kleijn – ‘Transmission’, amazing Producer and likeable person, heard that track everywhere this year.

My Track ‘Things’, which I did together with my old friend DJ Paize; that took us back to our breakbeat roots a bit.

And my last release ‘Beauty Of The Glen’, I tend to dislike some of my tracks after a while when I’ve just heard them too often but it didn’t happen with this one… yet.

Exron Music: Reflecting on the past year, which track, either by your own production or by another artist, do you feel has had the biggest impact on your career, and why?

I’d say that’s probably ‘Beauty Of The Glen’ as it got great feedback and was also supported by DJs like Ferry Corsten or Hel:sløwed. It seems to appeal to a broader audience.

Exron Music: Were there any unexpected or surprising moments related to the tracks on your list, whether they are your own or by other artists? Any unexpected fan reactions or collaborations that stood out?

‘Things’ was featured in the German FAZEMAG print magazine. In the online world we live in today it was really special to have something written about our music in a printed magazine right next to Paul van Dyk’s ‘ACID TRAXXX’.

Exron Music: Can you take us behind the scenes and describe the creative process or inspiration behind one of your personal releases that made it to your top list?

Again, I’ll pick ‘Beauty Of The Glen’ which was inspired by a road trip to the Scottish Highlands in April. From snowy mountains to lonely beaches, that trip was a really great experience which gave me energy and inspiration for quite a while. The track itself was an easy one to produce. It just got me in the flow and the basic track idea was done within 1 or 2 hours.

Exron Music: Can you share a track by another artist that you discovered this year and felt a deep connection to? What drew you to that particular piece of music?

JODA – ‘Closer’ (Simon Doty Remix), I just love the vibe of it.

Exron Music: Are there any particular musical influences or experiences from the year that you believe are reflected in your selection of top tracks, whether they are your own or by other artists?

I like big cities as well as I like nature, musically to me nature is more the melodic sound whereas city nightlife is more the darker, harder sounds. This year I spent a lot of time outdoors, so it’s probably more of the melodic vibe for me this year.

Exron Music: Can you share any memorable anecdotes or stories related to the creation or performance of one of your personal releases or a track by another artist on your top list?

I was at Hafen49, a renowned open-air club in Mannheim when Pretty Pink played there. In the crowd, I bumped into a friend who was there with her sister. My friend told her sister that I was into music and her sister asked me what kind of music I do. Right at that Moment Pretty Pink started playing one of my tracks which was released on her Deep Woods label… so I go “ehm… well, I made that music”. It was a really funny situation.

Exron Music: Looking back on the year, do you notice any common themes or motifs that run through your top tracks, or were they intentionally diverse in style and sound?

I like to work with atmospheric layers, and I also like arpeggios, so that kind of vibe is probably in all those tracks even if some of them quite vary in style or overall mood.

Exron Music: How do you feel your music has evolved or changed over the past year, and do your top tracks, whether they are your own or by other artists, represent this evolution in any way?

Good question, I think it has gotten a bit deeper and more progressive towards the end of the year. At times it was probably more Melodic Techno focused but I guess that really changes all the time for me depending on my mood or what happens around me, what inspires me, etc. …But I think my production workflow has changed and hopefully improved over the year.

Exron Music: What message or emotions do you hope your audience takes away from your selection of top tracks, whether they are your own or by other artists, as they wrap up this year and move into the next?

I just hope people enjoy them. I think everyone has their own meaning of the music. I guess everyone has a few tracks in the back of their head that are connected to a certain memory, a certain time or feelings. That’s a beautiful thing about releasing music. It’s like it’s no longer yours but it belongs to everybody then and everybody can have their own thoughts or meaning to it.

We wrap up this interview by thanking Tom Tainted for taking the time to talk with us about his 2023; with such a passion and love for the genre, we’re sure Tom Tainted will continue to be a name on our radar throughout the next year. So, make sure to follow him across social media to learn more about his projects and releases.

Tom Tainted Online

Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram