9th September 2020

Tom

been looking at our collab folder on dropbox
Downloaded some stems of yours to play around with. I'd be surprised if you even remembered them
Called 'Frenetic' from a year ago
will send something through if I can make anything cool

Lou

yeah I know the one haha
I know the riff

10th September 2020

*Tom sends link*

Lou

This is super nice man
That bassline is great
I really like it

Tom

ah you rate?
wasn't sure haha
It's unique tho
Its v lost touch

Lou

yeah I really like it

Tom

dope
It's mostly your elements tbf I've added a few bits
But yeah shouldn't take long to get an actual full tune I reckon
Oh btw, where in London do you work again?
Like your office

Lou

Oxford Circus

Tom

Cool, what road do you live on?

Lou

kings grove
You wanna know my childhood pet's name as well?

Tom

Lol
Sorry
Looking at a place and it's well close to yours.
What's ur mother's maiden name?

Lou

hahaha
brb cycling to work
28th October 2020
Lou
Did you have any more thoughts on what you want to do with that tune?
Tom
tbh not really, what ya thinking?
Lou
been thinking a lot about the label and stuff.
Would love to put it out on valb tbf
Tom
fair well we can chat about it this week if we want? Have a catch up
Lou
sounds good
Tom
tbh atm I'm just a little bit cba. Finding it hard to think about future projects
Lou
yeahh I know I'm kinda in the same boat
Tom
well let's catch up again in terms of music this week
Lou
yeah sounds good, sure
Tom
this years been a total bust for me ngl. Kinda taken the wind out of my sails.
haha
Idk
Same for everyone But just creatively I'm not really on the ball
Lou
yeahh I know man, same here. I do just feel like we need to make something happen with this collab. I feel there's an avenue there
Tom
yeah let's discuss tomoz lunch?
Lou
sounds good
3rd November 2020
Tom
I worked out a fix for my broken screen btw. I just use a hdmi and plug into the tv so can still make music. It's shit but will work for now. So can carry on with these collabs
Lou
ahh sick
Yeah let's do it
Whens best for you to chat?
Tom
Friday probs
Lou
Sounds gd
Let me know a time, probs early evening best
Tom
Sweet
9th November 2020
Lou
I did some weird synth jams yesterday.
no drums or anything.
Can send
Tom
cool!

*Lou sends link*

Tom
Thaaanks
Lou
1 more comin
Its literally an arpeggio thing
Did them in mind for a collab tho
No bpm on this unfortunately
Was straight outta the prophet arpeggio so couldn't say
Tom
someone's been listening to Suzanne ciani
Lou
ahaha
Tom
cool idea though
Will fuck with it
Lou
2nd one cooler imo. Panned af tho
Tom
yarp, both cool
I may actually just upload some stuff after worm
Worm*
Fuck
Work*
Lou
hahaha
12th November 2020
Tom
added a bunch of stuff to the collab folder
Lou
sick, will get on it this eve
Tom
kinda going for a mix and match vibe. So yeah pitch shift, change speed.
Whatevs
Bpms are just for an indication
Lou
cool that's probs best
These loops are nice man
Gonna have a go in the morn
13th November 2020
Tom
wuu2
Lou
watching alien
Tom
lolll
Fairrr
Lou
also had a sick game of scrabble

1st December 2020

Lou
thoughts on this?

*Lou sends link*

quite barker
Lmk if you wanna work on it
Tom
super nice
Doesn't sound barker at all to me tbf.
You're good on that front.
Lou
haha sure. To me thats legit full barker.
Had me barkin
Tom
lool
Can maybe see a comparison in some chord work, but hardly
Lou
fair enough
Did you put that other track up I wanted to overdub on?
Tom
nah haven't yet sorry
Tomoz
Been kinda hectic sorry Had to just take a day to chill today as was off work
Did some of this though

3rd December 2020

*Lou sends link*

Tom
oy this is sick
Lou
sweet glad you like
Tom
gonna go in a kinda euphoric direction with this Hope you don't mind
Lou
hahah. Strictly no euphoria
Tom
okay done some chords
And feeling like I'm in the club rn
Lou
send a snippet

*Tom sends link*

Tom
no judgement cause literally first idea
But I'm vibing
Lou
it says track unavailable

23rd Jan 2021

Lou
workin on collabos this morning
Tom
yeee boi
Gonna get the arp out and lay down some shit
Hyped
Lou
I'm working on a new idea too
*Lou sends link*
Tom
wow this Corina idea sounds sick,
Is there any chance you have the synths with less 'drive'?
Got me feeling like ryan gosling over ere
Lou
nahh man that's part of the synth unfortunately
I probs have the midi loop tho
Tom
I'll try and make it work dw.
Actually scratch that. Sounding nice. Think it was more to do with my mixing
Lou
lol
It's defo crunchy af
was kinda going for a droney vibe. Like your intergraded
Tom
yep rate a lot
Sounds perfect infact, and my bits should work w it as well
sounding nuts btw
Lou
haha in a good way?
Tom
Yep
Lou
Awesome
Good progress today
Tom
tbh didn't actually think this was the direction we would be going in
But glad to go more down this vibe if you want. It's kinda where I'm at atm in terms of sound anyway
Lou
is it that different from the other tracks?
Tom
just feels way more energetic
And more clubby imo
Not way more
But I'd say it's darker sounding for sure
Lou
yeah makes sense. I guess we want variation in mood
Tom
well unique though I think
Lou
sweet, did you get it all synced up okay?
I know it's quite confusing
Yeah listening again it's defo darker
*Tom sends link*
Lou
yeah love it man
Think you've got the perfect amount of energy in the drums
Tom
not sure if it needs much more in terms of elements. Cause it's super busy already. Just more arrangement
Lou
yeah I agree
Rate it a lot
Tom
and as it stands, would probably bang in the club too
Lou
yeah it's got that sort of constant building energy Its funny I spent like two hours making all the background stuff then just last min went in on those two Moog notes and messed with the pitch wheel and that made the track
Tom
always the way
Lou
I said to jack earlier “just gonna send to tom to add a kick, then we're done”
Tom
hahaha legit
Tom
okay here is another version
*Tom sends link*
Lou
yeah man
Sounding huge
One thing - think that at the beginning, the hi note should come in before the bass
You know when you listen and you can't quite grasp what key its in till more elements come in
Tom
ah okay cool. Good idea
So that the bass coming in becomes more of a moment. I get ya
Cool so we kinda got 2 confirmed, this one and frenetic

26th January 2021

Lou
I've been working on a track called Southpaw
*Lou sends link*
Tom
This is sickkkk
Lou
haha I'll get it over

27th January 2021

Tom
okay, I've worked on Southpaw. It's still ambient tho
cause wasn't sure if making it Beaty would take away from the charm
should we keep it ambient?
Lou
I like it ambient I think
Tom
Love those reversed bits
Lou
which bits?
Tom
on the singular note that hits 1/4 you added some reversey bits
Lou
oh that's just the weird envelope I had on the Moog
the mono synth bit?
Tom
Yeap
Lou
yeah man I'm super hyped about this one
It's all really clicked the last couple of weeks.
Dunno why haha
Tom
Yeah I like all of this. Quite classy.
Lou
rate it. Defo very cohesive with the other tracks
Tom
Cut to 6 months time
No record sales
haha
Lou
hahahah

23rd February 2021

Tom
I know I said I'd be on valby stuff this week, but I think its probs more likely next week
Lou
haha nw man
No pressure
I think it'd be useful if we did a studio session soon
Tom
sounds good. Like an actual studio session or a your room studio session?
Lou
actual studio
Alsoo dyo fancy an early morn bike ride this week
Tom
yeah for sure
Could do tomoz?
Lou
yeah whats the weather sayin
Decent tbf
Actually tomorrows no good thursday?
Tom
yeah Thursday
Lou
sounds gd. Shooters hill again?
Tom
How early are we talking?
Lou
idk how long were we out for the other day without the break?
Tom
left urs at 11
I took a photo of that castle at 1
But we pumped up tyres
And also stopped loads
hahah
Detective work
Lou
yeah but it's only a 40 min ride. We left at 11.35. I remember checking my clock after pumping up. If we set off at 7.15 we'll have loads of time
Tom
for me it's like a proper work out ngl
Lou
yeah that hill is brutal
Like wasn't easy for me either haha
Tom
idk man. You were racing up
Lou
yeah but I've been doing like 50 miles a week when commuting haha.
Plus been doing some mad hilly rides man
Tom
that's true
But yeah, I'm down!

2nd March 2021

Lou
acid stems are on the dbox btw
Track is called harmonix

15th March 2021

*Tom sends link*

Lou
this is sick
It is quite fast track to bliss tho haha
Like format wise
Tom
yeah I mean if it ain't broke…
Lou
haha yeah fair point
Tom
also just whacked a 4 to the floor kick in there and it sounds sick too
But yeah if it sounds too much like fast track then let's go a different route.
Lou
nah let's just have some variation
Just to make it a bit different. Nothing major. I'm down for the consistent kick if its sounding good too
Tom
I'll send you a demo of the full thing in a bit
You can be the judge
Personally I think it's better without the 4 to the floor kick
Lou
also with that acid line I gave you, I kinda fed you the bait haha
As in, it was always gonna sound like this
Tom
hahaha
Evil genius shit
Kinda gone half time on it now
Bit dubsteppy
It actually sounds sick
Riiight uploading now
Nervous now
Bigged it up
Lou
hahah
Yeah man
Love it
Gonna work on it after dinner
My traybake takin ages hahah
Tom
lol

17th March 2021

Tom
yeah I'm happy with Harmonix
Sounding sick
I can imagine it in a smokey club
cringe
But when it drops that's all I can think of haha
It's leftfield/but will bang I reckon Midland will be all over this
Lou
yeah these are sounding amazing on my earbuds
During my lidl trip
haha I'm listening again now
Only thing I noticed is the high freq riser before the first drop on Corina. Still a bit hard on the ears
Tom
okay we can work that out in the studio

13th April 2021

Tom
Random Q
but are you on a chair or a stool these days when making music?
Lou
Chair
Tom
I'm stoolin it
Lou
I would get a sore back
Tom
it's actually pretty comfortable
I don't really get tired out
Lou
yeah fair man
Ngl my new setup is mad ergonomic
Weird sentence haha
Tom
lol
All words are taken from conversations on WhatsApp between Tom VR & Louf before, and during the writing and production process of their collaborative EP titled Harmonix. The artwork was created by State of Inertia, who layered physical materials and photographed them. We have scanned these and used them for the above piece, as well as the cover for the EP. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and we hope you enjoy the music
Tom & Louis