Getting To Know… Tommy Glasses

feeder: Hi, Tommy Glasses; it’s a pleasure to chat with you today; how are you?

Tommy: Hey! All good, thanks. I’ll be heading back to the West Indies soon for a 4th season as a DJ in Saint Barth.

f: Please tell us where you’re from and how you got into making music?

Tommy: I come from the South of France near Marseille. As a music lover since I was a child, it was under the musical and professional influence of my father, himself a DJ, that the passion for this job presented itself.

f: Did production or DJing come first for you? 

Tommy: It was first DJing that came first around the age of 14. I started mixing with a small DJ controller like many young people at the time and then playing at small parties with my friends. Music production came a little later.

f: Who did you listen to growing up, and do they influence your music career at all today? 

Tommy: The list is long, but artists like Michael Jackson, Jamiroquai, and Sade have marked and influenced me throughout my youth. There is also the whole French Touch wave (Daft Punk, Alan Braxe, Breakbot), who have greatly contributed to what I can create today.

f: How did your passion for 80’s music come about?

Tommy: As explained earlier, my father’s influence has enriched me enormously musically. I remember when I was young he made me listen to maxi versions of classics of all kinds of Funk, New Wave, House, and Slow jams. I think that this musical culture helps me to bring this melodic and 80’s touch in my tracks.

f: How would you describe your sound?

Tommy: A mix of pop and disco/funk, very groovy but always melodic. Usually accompanied by a female voice and embellished with floating synths. Of course, I also produce house tracks, but I always try to keep in touch that changes the game.

f: What was your first release? 

Tommy: “Alright” was released in 2017 on the Monegasque label. Moving Head Records. It always does something for me to listen to it.

f: Which of your own tracks was the biggest labour of love to create?

Tommy: “You’re The One” feat Pierrine Burgarella (Nervous Records) was one of the hardest because the basic production didn’t suit me. I had to rebuild everything in a few days. The mix for the vocals was also complicated because I really wanted a pure voice without too many effects.

f: And what has been your biggest release so far? 

Tommy: This year it’s “Beautiful” (Sakura Music). It has been played and playlisted by many DJs and he was ranked top 1 Nu Disco on Traxsource.

f: You’ve just released your new single ‘Time’ on Fool’s Paradise. How does it all sound?

Tommy: It’s a warm track in the same line as “Beautiful”. A relaxed and groovy bass line, shimmering synths and an irresistible female voice. It’s a real gem for Nu Disco fans. It was an honour to have been able to sign this one to Mark Knight’s Fool’s Paradise label.

f: Having been producing since you were very young, getting your first release signed at just 17, how has your sound grown and changed over the years?

Tommy: Over time I try to put fewer elements in my tracks. Today I’m looking for something simpler and more effective. The sound remains pretty much the same but with higher quality.

f: You also host a radio show on Radio FG France, how long have you been doing that and how’s it going?

Tommy: Radio FG is a big house that I’ve been following since I was very young. I’ve been working with them since 2020. I make exclusive mixes and share my future releases on their airwaves.

f: Which dance track holds the most precious memories for you?

Tommy: “Starlight” by The Supermen Lovers! It is a great classic of the French Touch that remains essential for me, and that makes me feel nostalgic from the first note.

f: Who are your top 3 current producers? 

Tommy: ANOTR, David Penn and Oden & Fatzo.

f: What else is in the pipeline for Tommy Glasses?

Tommy: To open my own label focused on House & Disco, play more DJ sets around the world and collaborate with other artists.

Tommy Glasses ‘Time’ is out now on Fool’s Paradise.

https://Fools.lnk.to/TimeAS