Interview: TAYA.

Australian producer TAYA. adds another layer of quality to his growing catalogue of music as he debuts with the Crosstown Rebels family via their Rebellion imprint.

Previously his tracks have seen him release on labels like Realm Records, Circus Recordings, and Stone Seed, and Rebellion is a fitting addition to his sonic arsenal.

His new ‘One Day Around The Sun’ EP lands on the label as a 2-track offering, with the a-side coming as a collaboration between TAYA. and Quackers.

We had a brief chat with the now Canada-based talent to talk about the new EP, what advice he would give to any aspiring artists, and how his move to Toronto is going so far. Get the full discussion with TAYA. below.

Hi TAYA., I hope you’re good, what have you been up to so far this week?

I’m doing really well, thanks! Nothing beats the anticipation and excitement of a project you’ve been working so hard on finally being released for the world to experience.

This week I’ve really been focused on marketing our new ‘One Day Around The Sun’ EP on Rebellion, riding the hype of the new release and making sure I’m giving it the best chance to get to people’s ears. I’m thrilled to see that it has already made its way onto people’s playlists around the globe and is getting the recognition it deserves.

My music is very personal to me, as it is my art at the end of the day. My aim is that it touches or emotes something in the listener. In this case, I’ve managed to do that on a global scale, so I’m really happy with the outcome.

The EP is out on Crosstown Rebels’ Rebellion imprint, how would you describe the two tracks here in your own words?

‘One Day Around The Sun’ is a moody, organic house track. Its intricate, forever-changing elements keep the listener captivated, taking you on a journey through the vast and mysterious with a deep underlining groove. ‘Elevate’ is an uplifting organic house track with influences from African rhythms & vocals. The melody of the bassline is the main feature that builds throughout the track, evoking happiness and positivity.

The title track features Quackers, how did you two first meet and then end up working together?

Quackers and I met a few years back when we were both performing at an event in an incredible mansion that sat right at the edge of a vast cliff face in the rainforest overlooking the whole of the Byron Bay Shire in Australia.

He caught my attention with his solo live performance, where he bounced between playing the guitar, Moog Sub 37 & a Dave Smith Prophet 6! I thought, “this is someone that would definitely bring some flavour to the table,” in a collaborative sense. I remember praising Michael for his ability to work on all three elements at a professional level.

He explained that he was a classically trained multi-instrumentalist but had only been producing electronic music in a computer-based environment for about six months. He usually played his sets completely live, showing me that he was a seriously talented musician.

We became mates after that, playing some of the same gigs and hanging with the same crowd of music enthusiasts around Byron Bay.

Soon after, I invited him up to my music studio in the rainforest to collaborate and see if we could make some magic happen, as you now know, the rest is history.

Will this be the last time we see TAYA. and Quackers on the same track?

No, we actually had a call last week and have already planned to start a new track, working remotely.

After our first studio session, we quickly realized that our individual sounds compliment each other quite well. I’m pretty particular in the studio when it comes to who I collaborate with.

Having someone who understands my sound and who I gel with so easily is nice, and I feel that is something that should be fostered.

Previously your music has come via labels like Realm Records, Stone Seed, and Circus Recordings, what advice would you give to any aspiring producers aiming to get on these kinds of labels?

Okay, well, I have a few important things to say here: This is a job, so treat it like one. Implement a routine and be disciplined. Have balance in life by still doing things outside of music. For example, I get myself out into nature at least once per day. Learn your craft inside and out, then learn it again. Regularly take time to up your skills by learning new aspects of music production in some way, whether it’s sound design, mixing techniques, a new synth etc.

When giving advice to up & coming producers, I’ve always said the same thing “Shoot for the stars!” Because if you really put the effort in, you will eventually make it to where you want to be. I have never known a producer that hasn’t succeeded in their career if they’ve given it their best and not given up.

Lastly, if you are serious about starting a career as a music producer, I would highly recommend enrolling in some sort of electronic music course or school, like Point Blank, or by finding a music mentor if you prefer one-on-one learning. I am actually in the final stages of setting up an online mentorship program called Elevate Music Academy, which will include a self-running course and sessions with me.

And which labels might we see you on in the near future?

Crosstown Rebels and Rebellion are up there with two of my favourite labels of all time, so naturally, my focus will be on releasing music with them.

Saying that, I would love to get an EP to one of Lee Burridge’s labels, All Day I Dream or TRYBESOF. I really resonate with that dreamy, melodic sound and feel I could produce something nice for them.

I also recently connected with the well-accomplished DJ CHUS after noticing his support on my previous single on Open Records. Chus just happens to be the founder of Stereo Productions, another label that I rate very highly, and I would be thrilled to have tracks released on their label. So hopefully, we’ll see something there in the near future!

You’re Australian, but now live up in Canada, how have you found the move? And how would you compare the two different club scenes?

Yes, that’s correct; I made the move to Vancouver, Canada earlier this year. The change has been a huge growing experience for me. Not knowing hardly anyone here has given me the time to get to know myself better and focus on the things that I really want in life.

One exciting factor is that I’ve had the freedom to build my studio from the ground up again as I sold most of my hardware synths before leaving Australia. So I decided with the move that now would be a good time to elevate my skills and push myself to new limits.

I’ve gone in a totally different direction than my last setup and delved into the world of modular synthesis, building a Eurorack rig to start creating a full live performance. That has kept me occupied for the past couple of months in Vancouver so far.

As for the music scene, it’s great in Canada and has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for touring, especially being neighbours of the states. But you’d be surprised with how good the Australian club scene is when you find the right places, so I’m excited to bounce back and forth.

Do you want to mention anything else before we wrap things up?

Yes! Go have a listen to my new EP on Rebellion.

TAYA. & Quackers – One Day Around The Sun EP is out now on Rebellion.