Here is what went down when we recently managed to catch up with Thabo Getsome in line with his release on Nite Grooves…
How are you, what’s good, what’s bad in your world right now?
Today is the release-day of my Nite Grooves EP, so I am obviously pretty happy. On the downside, someone broke into my apartment recently. Nothing really valuable got stolen but it still feels pretty bad.
What are the most important lessons you have learned in your 10 plus year career?
Thabo Getsome: Trust your gut! Do what you love, be present and the rest will follow – eventually.
How much does the Berlin scene shape your sound and who you are as a DJ?
Thabo Getsome: I think the Berlin scene is more diverse than ever before. The capital of techno has so many faces at the moment. There is a niche for every genre and every gusto. As I personally prefer the more housy vibes, I tend to go to places where this sound is present from P-Bar to Heideglühen to Ipse. At these venues, you luckily have the chance to witness everything from legendary headline artists to up and coming youngsters. This is therefore rather a pretty international influence then a Berlin one but of course the special setting and surrounding in its own way has an influence on me.
As a producer, do you make tunes you want to hear in your own set?
Thabo Getsome: Of course. I do the music I like. At some point I can´t really stand the tracks anymore once they have been released, so I don´t play too many of my own music. But with the current release, that’s not the case.
Do you have any favourite pieces of kit in the studio that define your sound?
Thabo Getsome: Not really. Love the SH 101 and the 909, but I usually produce with a prerecorded selection of sounds or come across a sample or sound and start from there.
How did you come to link with Nite Grooves?
Thabo Getsome: I did release with them a couple of years ago and I just thought this could be a good fit for the EP.
Did you feel pressure working on such a legendary label?
Thabo Getsome: The pressure is to produce the music you are the most happy with. No matter which label.
And did you tailor your sounds to what they release usually or did you just do your do?
Thabo Getsome: I used to produce “concept songs” for certain labels. I would listen to their 10 most successful songs and see where there would be an overlap with my sound and then produce to make it fit for their output. To be honest, this a very very annoying way of working. Today I produce the music that I want to do and that I can identify myself the most with. This makes me so much more happy and confident.
What else have you got coming up/are you working on?
Thabo Getsome: I have a track coming up on Get Physical on a compilation in August. I also recently moved into a new studio, so I hope to be able to make much more music very soon.
Tell us about your day job with HYTE – what challenges and rewards does that present?
Thabo Getsome: I run the marketing division at 99 Ghosts, which includes also the HYTE brand, and others. Before that I was running club shows in Berlin and studying cultural management.
From day one I was thrown in at the deep end and had full responsibility, getting an apprentice, being measured on ticket sales, etc. But what can I say? I am still there! I love to work in the music industry and marketing, although the politics involved get a bit too much at some point. I think my biggest challenge is to arrange my own dj career with my day job. I remember when I realised that I haven´t done any Instagram or Facebook post for a month while preparing 25 a day for other pages.
Thabo Getsome’s ‘Body Talks’ EP is out now on Nite Grooves
Grab it here – https://www.beatport.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thabogetsome/
https://soundcloud.com/thabo-getsome