While previous LPs have been more funk and soul heavy, Trus’me uses his next album, the first since 2013, as a vehicle for his interest in deep space, physics and dark matter. As a result, it’s little surprise the musical tone is deeper, darker and more intergalactic as the Prime Numbers boss expands his musical horizons. You’ve heard the spiel before about albums being a journey, but Planet 4 (named after Mars) takes this one step further, into galactic territories. With such a strong concept to the album, we were interested to hear what had been the main points of reference in the artistic process. As Trus’me elaborates below, it ranged from lectures and interviews about space, the mind of Miles Davis, spaceship designs, futuristic art, a new recording studio and even his Manchester hometown.
Catch Trus’me at Dance Tunnel on 19th March. Planet 4 is released 30th May on Prime Numbers.
10 things that inspired Trus’me’s new album
Carl Sagon’s message to Mars
I can listen to this man for hours. How wonderful it must be, to be so educated in the field of space, that you can actually dumb down the explanation for laymen such as myself. Thank god shows like this exist, with the answers to so many of my questions in one place.
Radio interview with a former NASA agent
I fully believe we have already been to Mars, I just don’t believe we have come back. We are living in 2016, and the technology for the next 10 years is already in production. I don’t believe we are informed as a generation, the level at which our technological abilities exist, so I always try to embrace all new methods and ideology in the music making process.
Miles Davis talking about popular music and how society views his work
Pure motivation to keep pushing the envelope and trying to evolve, but not conform. Like Miles says, “I’m taking the food I like and leaving out what I don’t”. Miles is the epitome of the word cool.
A new spaceship being designed.
Is this stuff of the future or now? Imagine the possibilities and where would we go first. That keeps me up at night, jealous of the future generation who will get to explore the universe. For now I test myself with new styles and synthesizers, to hopefully go boldly, somewhere new.
Drexcyia – ‘Take Your Mind’
A track that sounds as futuristic as it does modern. Exploring new sounds, arrangements and madness to create a whole new genre. It sounds so simple, but from a production point of view, it’s controlled complexity. Something I have tried to embrace in my productions.
Daniel Bell – ‘Electric Shock’
All the essential elements stripped back and pushed through the desk, leaving the raw groove that just makes you wanna jerk that neck and pump that pelvis. How can you not dance to this? It is major inspiration for the core sound of the LP.
Moebius (graphic designer)
I’m not one for the comics, but when I was introduced to his work by my label designer, I was hooked. A whole other world is created and you are transcended into another dimension. I only hope Planet 4 takes you on a similar journey.
Moodymann – Forevernevermore LP
This remains my main influence as an electronic LP. The intros to the outros on this act as the pen that connects the dots, and makes a bunch of tracks stand tall and collectively as one. The ability to showcase various styles but remain true to your own sound.
Here I could submerge myself in a new alien environment, with engineers I had not previously worked with. The array of new synths and a new methodologies, helped to create something progressive and exciting to work with. I feel that comes across in the LP by the energy in the arrangements and production.
Manchester
Manchester is always the main influence, with years of being a student around knowledgeable and forward thinking selectors. Some say the city is already touched by outer space. Watch the video and see what I mean.
