Washington D.C. artist soso tharpa explores the theme of intimacy for the latest instalment of Untitled 909’s mix series. With questions like ‘what does it mean to be intimate? Does intimacy thrive off curiosity? At what point does curiosity end and intimacy begin?’, soso tharpa throws conventional mix formulas out of the window to create a session that flickers between the challenging and the bliss, floating through the bass-heavy soundscapes of dubstep, dub techno and some wonked-out techno moments including a personal favourite Mike Parker track.
This contrasting element of chaos and balance is something that is found within soso tharpa’s productions too, like his most recent release ‘Fistful of Shells’ on Nervous Horizon. The six track EP released in September last year drew influences from bass, techno and IDM and unfolds like an ever evolving journey, continuing to discover new ground as you listen through. Noting DJ EZ’s Boiler Room as one of his most formative musical experiences, this moment led soso tharpa down a rabbit hole of bass and garage music, citing that ‘something about that swing and micro-riddim spoke to me’. This influence can still be found across his productions, releasing his first track for a Bon Appetit Records compilation in 2019, as well as tracks on Future Times, Rhythm Section, 1432 R and Human Pitch. Being nestled within the small music community of Washington D.C. has allowed soso tharpa to create a sound of his own, nurturing a slower approach to his output and appreciate every artist that comes through the city.
Hey Michael! How are you doing? What have you been up to lately?
Yo!! I’m doing great. I’ve just been doin lots of chillin, hanging out with friends and family, and making tons of beats 😛
Let’s start from the very beginning, what was your first introduction to music in general and then more specifically electronic music?
Sure thing, my first introduction to music had to have been what my parents played growing up. Lots of funk and gospel music. My first formal introduction was probably around the time I was in middle school. I had a music teacher named Mr. Wegman and he was always very encouraging and fostered my interest in the piano. I mostly gravitated towards video game music (this is when I realized I was a nerd) but had some classical piano chops even though I was never formally trained. From there, I played a little violin and even sang in a choir, so I’d say music was definitely my thing growing up.
AhHH I wish I had my old iPod touch on me lol, then I could pull up some of my earlier memories with electronic music. Hmm… do video games count? Lol. I’d say games like Maplestory, Kirby, Legend of Zelda, and all the like were my first introductions to electronic music.
Who was the first artist or band that you were a fan of?
Ok so I had to dig wayyyy back into my YouTube favorites for this and damn near had a heart attack. Imma have to go with Weird Al Yankovic…don’t judge me a lot of those parodies were hella catchy. Don’t act like you don’t know every single word to eBay.
Was there a formative moment growing up, whether that’s seeing your favourite band live or an incredible DJ set, that led you to this path?
Totally, that moment will now and forever be inextricably linked to DJ EZ’s set on Boiler Room. The one MCed by Bradley Zero. Man I couldn’t tell you how many times I ran that set back, not even quite sure how I stumbled upon it to be honest. From there I forayed into garage and bass music heavy – a lot of my earlier beats were garage actually. Somethin about that swing and micro-riddim spoke to me.
Where do you look for sources of inspiration outside of music?
NATURE, lol. Big big fan of nature. Besides that probably art, philosophy, and reading especially. I love to read 🙂
What has been your most recent musical discovery that you’re obsessed with?
I been going codeine crazy with Ableton’s operator. When I first started using Ableton I was pretty intimidated by it as I wasn’t experienced in sound design. I dabbled a little with Syntorial back in 2015 which is basically a sound design tutoring program and I still didn’t feel as confident as I do now. I think I reached a point in my life where I’m super comfortable just fucking shit up and that’s led me to experiment heavily with Operator.
Earlier this year you debuted on Nervous Horizon with the ‘Fistful of Shells’ EP. What can you tell us about the concept behind this release?
I never really have a concept for music that I make, I find that I just mess around and suddenly the track starts creating itself. Maybe one day I can be more intentional about the tracks I produce, maybe for an album or something.
What was the process like making this record and releasing it via Nervous Horizon? Was it a collaborative effort with the label to get it to the finish line?
Oh yeah it was very collaborative which I liked. I really appreciated how they invested in my ideas and weren’t afraid to highlight tracks they liked and didn’t like. Everything went pretty smoothly.
What is your production process usually like? Do you head into the studio/start making music with an idea in mind first or is a lot of it improvisation? More based on emotions / environment of that day?
Very improvisational. I honestly just sit down, start tinkering with sounds, and if I’m lucky the semblance of a track will manifest after which I’ll flesh it out over time. If that doesn’t happen I at least got my reps in for the day 🙂
How has being based in Washington D.C. informed your work?
Being in Washington D.C. has informed my music by its nature of being slower paced, well – music wise. Obviously when people think Washington D.C. they think politics or what have you but in regards to the music scene, it’s poppin off but not as big comparatively. I think this being the case has allowed me to slow down and appreciate every artist that comes through here. In addition I believe it allowed me to find my voice in music much smoother. Everyone here is just doing their thing, trying to make ends meet, and sprinkling a little musical happiness in the cracks.
You’ve also contributed a mix for the 909 series, what’s the concept behind this one?
I originally wrote that I wanted to keep things simple for this mix but upon listening to it again it gets pretty complex! The theme of this mix is intimacy. What does it mean to be intimate? Does intimacy thrive off curiosity? At what point does curiosity end and intimacy begin? Is that even a thing or do the lines blur with them being one and the same? I drew a portrait of my little brother a couple of weeks back and was shocked to find all the little details of his face that I hadn’t noticed before. The way his eyebrows crest into the bridge of his nose, the fullness of his eyes and their almond shaped structure, the resting cat like smile he has when amused. It got me thinking about other parts of life that I filed into my brain as “known”. How could I approach life in a newness that I witnessed when drawing my brother’s face?
In a sense, this is the direction I wanted to take this mix to. Sometimes I’ll let a whole track play all the way through without ever transitioning just to see how it would sound paired with another tune. Sometimes I’ll loop a section over and over which after a certain point sounds like it’s part of the other song that it’s mixed into. Just having fun, and throwing out conventions of what I think a mix is out of the window 🙂
How does your approach to DJ sets differ from studio mixes? Is there a narrative in mind that you’re always trying to tell through your sets?
When I DJ live I’m really matching the energy of the environment through my perceptual lens of how I would want things to go. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s always a win as I learn something new each time.
When it comes to studio mixes however I had a paradigm shift where I remembered there’s a lot more room for experimentation. In addition to that, I’ve also been thinking about what environment I listen to mixes in. I honestly couldn’t tell you the last time I sat down and listened to a mix in its entirety. I’m either driving, cooking, or playing it in the background whilst doing something else. At this point in my life I’m starting to keep the club energy for the club (mostly), and keeping studio mixes in their own realm. This is when you would ask me what that means exactly for studio mixes to which I would say….more of an emphasis on storytelling and experimentation. I hope that answers the question!
When was the last time you were on the dance floor?
Bruh I ain’t gonna lie…it’s been a min. I’ve been hibernating tbh, last year absolutely cooked my sleep schedule so I’ve taken this winter solstice to tap into my inner groundhog and allow that for a sec. Last time I was on the dance floor proper though was for Jacq Jill’s set at the A7A Palestinian fundraiser. They killed it.
What are you most excited about right now?
That’s a good question. Hmm…I’m excited about my little bro graduating from college this year. He’s majoring in Biology and I’m keen to see where he goes postgrad. I’m excited about the Commanders going to the NFC Championship and possibly the Superbowl. I’m excited to bust out my Spring swag on these fools once the weather warms up. I’m excited for this new music I got comin out with my homie Kenzo. I’m excited for the new season of One Punch Man. I’m excited to keep reading all these books I’ve got. I’m excited to go home and rest with my cats. I’m excited about a lot, but what am I most excited for? I’d have to get back to you on that 🙂 hahaha
What’s on your vision board at the moment?
I don’t have a physical vision board unfortunately, I do have a mental one doe. Getting a new job is definitely there. Cooking these beats is definitely on there…. Traveling to South America is on there….Staying moisturized mentally and physically definitely is on there….Continuing to take care of my family and friends is definitely on there….yeah