EVL Tom was formerly one half of Evil Nine with Pat Pardy, originally signed to Adam Freeland’s label Marine Parade. Their award-winning ‘You Can Be Special Too’ and ‘They Live!’ albums received widespread acclaim and in the process collaborated with such heavy-hitters as El-P from Run The Jewels, Danny Brown, Aesop Rock and Emily Breeze. They were residents at Fabric London, did a BBC Radio One Essential Mix and toured the world several times performing at Fuji Rock Festival, Space in Miami, Twilo in NYC, Coachella and Arcadia at Glastonbury.
They remixed a whole host of acts such as The Temper Trap, UNKLE, Alex Metric, Timo Maas, Gorillaz and a tonne of others. The Evils also turned in compilation mixes for the ‘FabricLive’ and ‘Y4K’ series, establishing their credentials as one of the most sought-after breakbeats acts in the business in the process.
A pioneer of UK breakbeat culture, EVL Tom brings a myriad of influences to bear on his debut album, ‘Absolute Melt’. It’s an opus where Moodymann-esque Detroit soul flavours meet the psychedelic rave stylings of early Future Sound Of London, the raw but incessantly funky loops of hip-hop producers Madlib and the RZA rub up against the bass aesthetic of early ‘90s jungle/drum & bass. The album is soon to be released on Out Yer Box, the sister imprint to Irvine Welsh’s Jack Said What label.
“Absolute Melt’ was me endeavouring to make a truly autobiographical record that represents my diverse tastes and experiences but bringing them together to form a cohesive whole. It’s a hybrid opus, the fulfilment of a life-long ambition to make an album solely by myself — to resoundly kick back against the Imposter Syndrome on my shoulder whispering that it couldn’t be done.”
“The title ‘Absolute Melt’ started as an in-joke, just a dope phrase that made me and my crew crease up, but then as I started to think on it, many levels were revealed to me. There’s ‘melting’ everywhere, with its climate change connotations; the psychedelic slant; and also perhaps a self-deprecating angle where maybe I’m the absolute melt… or you are, ha ha!” – EVL Tom
Tom now chiefly DJs and produces solo as EVL Tom and has a monthly radio show The Evil Tom Show on Brighton’s 1BTN radio station.
Evl Tom
Tom now chiefly DJs and produces solo as EVL Tom, has a monthly radio show The Evil Tom Show, and will be celebrating the launch of the ‘Absolute Melt’ album with a big event in his home city of Brighton very soon!
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