1.Growing Up
My mum Lisa is a vocalist who does a show in memory of The Carpenters. She brought me into music at an early age. My father was always listening to earlier, more experimental types of electronic music like Kraftwerk, Focus and Massive Attack. These artists interested me a lot as a kid – my childhood has definitely inspired my passion for music production and DJing.
2.Inspirations
My earliest memories were listening to Daft Punk and Fatboy Slim on Video Hits and Rage. Growing up during the birth of the internet, I spent way too much time researching music production and watching internet tutorials. Some of my current biggest inspirations are Oliver Heldens, Diplo and Calvin Harris – all of these guys have been extremely successful.
3.Your Crew
I met my identical twin managers Michael and Anthony Di Francesco about five years ago. These boys have been there from the start, helping me with everything they possibly can. They spend time every week in the studio with me, work on my general direction, all things business-related and everything else an 18-to-20-year-old doesn’t quite think about. I don’t really work a day job but I am studying full-time at UTS, which makes things pretty interesting when it comes to paying the bills. Hopefully one day music will make them all go away.
4.The Music You Make And Play
I try to keep my original production as dancefloor-worthy as possible. I do love to push the boundaries of sound design, though I understand it’s a balancing act between being experimental and keeping it relatable. I also try to do the same in my sets by maintaining a high energy whilst offering a very relatable sound for all audiences to enjoy. I am currently really into artists like Throttle, Calippo, EDX, and I also like listening to other genres such as trap, hip hop and funk as it consistently offers a creative sound that is refreshing to my mind and ears.
5.Music, Right Here, Right Now
In Australia I think it depends on where you are. In Sydney the lockout laws have wreaked havoc on what was once a blossoming scene and industry. That is really sad, especially because Sydney is my home. Though through my recent gigs in Melbourne and Adelaide, it seems these places are rocking! I’m heading to Brisbane, Canberra, New Zealand and other parts of Australia soon, so I am really looking forward to seeing what they have to offer. To make things easier on your music journey I think you need to align yourself with key people you can trust, that are unbiased, that give you genuine and constructive feedback. This way you can ensure you are always learning, growing and making yourself a better musician.
Winter Nights at The Argyle Friday July 22 on featuresTom Budin.
