Primrose Mix
Bringing in Tapes #61 is London-based musician Primrose, who creates spellbinding, colourful electronic music.
He blends bouncy club focused rhythms and the other-worldly soundscapes of dreampop, film soundtracks, and shoegaze, culminating into a fresh and distinctive sound that he affectionately refers to as ‘Blade Runner Techno’.
As a DJ, Primrose is drawn to dramatic, emotional sounds and storming rhythmic transmissions from across the spectrum of electronic music and beyond, weaving between house, techno, 80s New Wave, post-punk & EBM.
Tracklist
Photek - Glamourama
Jonathan Kusuma - Energi Hall
Dazion - Blood Moon
Flore - The Way You
Alien D - Evaluate For Truth
Skee Mask - Routine
Boxwork - Pepper Stalk
Regular Citizen - Ultramarine Dew
Vivian Koch - Lil Birdy Starts To Fly Again
Primrose - Set My Heart On Fire
Nature Boy - 9 Ether
Mr. G - It’s Like Dat Boo
Triform - Vinaloop
Opal Sunn - Parallax
Luca Lozano - Why So Mad
Redshape - Rise
Voiski - Ultramarine Sunshine
Bayview Acid Squirrels - Love Is The Slug
Rhythmatic - Demons (Raw Mix)
2 Body’s - Body Drill
Diogo - Verde Grama
Sam Goku - Earlier Forms (Paula Tape ‘Bubble’ Remix)
Pépe - It’s The Lights That Make You Pretty
bas bleau – SOMA
Hey Primrose! How are things? Lovely to have you on the series. Why don’t you start by introducing yourself.
Hi! Thanks for having me. Things are good! Busy, but good. My name’s Jamie, I’m a musician from London who makes music as Primrose, and I’ve just released my debut EP, which is my first electronic output having previously only released with bands.
Let’s talk about your new label ‘Primrose County’ - when did you decide you would start it up and why?
I had the idea for Primrose County many moons ago but never really got round to doing it. I wanted to have an outlet to release my own productions while also overseeing the visual identity of it all, which I think goes hand-in-hand with my music.
My debut was initially due to come out on a different label. It kept getting delayed and then once that got cancelled I saw it as the perfect opportunity to get the ball rolling!
Of course, the first EP of the label is from none other than Primrose himself! What was the inspiration behind this four-tracker?
I write most of my songs by soundtracking something with an emotive flair – usually either a made up or real scenario, and that’s pretty much how this project came together!
Let’s talk about the music video for ‘You, Me and Everything To Me’, did you know the track would have these clips of you as a child behind it during the production process or did that come later?
Once I had written the song I had the idea for the video a while later, as I think that song particularly lends itself a lot to the soundtrack-leaning influences on the EP, so it felt right to give it a visual accompaniment. That sort of imagery has that kind of nostalgic feel that I wanted to invoke in the track.
Also using old family footage is a pretty cost-efficient way of making a music vid!
Who inspires you musically?
Honestly I think I could go on forever! But to make it brief, my main inspirations are Avalon Emerson, Cocteau Twins, The Knife, Nathan Micay, The Cure, and Caroline Polachek.
What’s your favourite track on the EP?
I like them all for different reasons. I think ‘You, Me & Everything To Me’ is the best-written song, but my favourite at the moment is ‘This Is How It Ends’.
What software/hardware do you use to produce?
Ableton is my DAW, then hardware-wise I’ve got a Korg MS-2000 and one of those SH-101 Behringer clones (can’t afford a real one). Then I also use various guitars and a Tascam recorder.
Honestly, though I mostly make stuff in the box because I’m obsessed with Diva by u-He (huge tip). Also, my writing style is to get ideas down as fast as possible, so I like having the ability to go back and edit sounds, which hardware doesn’t give me so much.
QUICKFIRE ROUND!! Arpeggios or chord progressions?
This Q is like trying to pick a favourite child, but I’d probably say arps!
What festivals are you doing this year?
I’m playing at Dusty Flyer’s Club in July, which is an unbelievably fun, super intimate festival, that a few friends of mine run. Last year was the first one and was frankly one of the best weekends of my life for sure, so I’m looking forward!
Most exciting gig coming up?
I’m doing a set on The Lot in NYC in June which I’m super excited for!
Thanks for being a part of the Tapes series!
Interview by: Alicia Steanson
Follow Primrose —
soundcloud.com/primrose_morse
www.instagram.com/primrosesound