About a month ago at Infrasound we got to step out of the rain and into some cover for a chance to interview one of everyone’s favorite artists of the weekend Thriftworks. After sliding around on stage and killing it in the pouring rain we were soaked and stoked to get to talk to the man with the brain behind some of the most unique and stimulating sounds in electronic music.
For those unfamiliar Jake Atlas, aka Thriftworks, is a 25 year old producer originally from Pennsylvania and currently living in Oakland, CA. His sonic powers range from creepy to crawly, eerie to banging, and everything in between. Get to know more about him below.
First we had to jump into how that signature sound was developed. I was hoping to learn more about where it originated and after reading him referencing Hunchback Esquire as an inspiration we decided to start there.
(1) You said Hunchback Esquire was your main influence and I can see similarities in your sounds like the flute on “Dreams in my hair” and “Fits The Bill.” Could you elaborate on his influence on you? Was he a remote inspiration meaning you heard his stuff and wanted to create music like his or were y’all more like homies who worked together and he helped define your sound?
When I was still living in Pennsylvania with my parents and I first started dabbling with beat production he was my biggest inspiration. Back in the days of Myspace it was all about your top 8 and he was my number one. He was out of Fresno California, kinda minimal, dusty, MPC hip-hop beats and inspired the hell out of me no doubt.
I’d learned that Jake attended Ex’pression School for Digital Arts in Cali, mostly for post-production audio. We see a lot of producers come from humble beginnings in their bedrooms so I wanted to know what kind of impact school had on him as an artist.
(2) You’d been making beats for a few years (since the Myspace Fruity Loops days) before attending Ex’pression. What made you decide to study there rather than a typical university?
I actually attended the University of Delaware for a full year but I wasn’t all about that go out and party life and I kinda just started working in Fruity Loops a lot. That became my first and foremost passion. My major was undeclared and I didn’t know what I was going for, that was 2007-2008.
After I realized I wanted to continue that in some form or another, the route I told my parents was that it’s a Bachelors and I can be a professional studio engineer and record bands and stuff. And I fell into that during school and I was recording some bands and I liked working large format analog consoles.
But really it was always the beats the whole while that propelled me.
We love that Thriftworks sound because it’s very distinct, cerebral, and evolving. I was hoping to pick his brain about his techniques used, particularly sampling and how that contributes to his sound.
(3) How much of your work is recorded yourself vs. sampled?
Definitely it’s on a song by song basis on whats going down in any particular composition. I sample tons of stuff, its all free game as far as I’m concerned. As long as you’re sampling pre-recorded work whether it be famous, very notable work or completely obscure shit that no ones heard, regardless, I’m not of the opinion that its ok to take someone’s work and keep it so simple.
If I’m taking someone’s sample I’m flippin it and I’m flippin it to a degree that I feel comfortable artistically that I’ve reworked it and made it my own.
I do a lot of recording on my own, tons of percussion. Lots of tinker tots, shakers, jinglers, janglers, I have a whole host of tinker toys that I use.
I found the fact that none of Thriftworks’ albums have been released through a label interesting, while Jake is still enjoying a lot of success.
(4) The status of labels in the industry is in an interesting spot right now. You’ve said “Once the right one comes along, I will take my opportunity, no hesitation. ” but Fade, Fader, Fadest wasn’t through a label.
I know you’ve mentioned Brainfeeder, the label Flying Lotus is on. What’re you looking for in a label? In regards to the bigger picture, what kind of role do you think labels should play in the industry moving forward?
Flying Lotus and that whole squad of artists have been a big inspiration to me for a long time. I’m actually playin with a dude by the name of B Lewis, Brad Lewis, tomorrow. I met him back in school and he was a big inspiration and turned me on to a lot of that sound. They’re as big as you get in the underground I guess.
Everyone knows that right now album sales aren’t the big money maker. Although I wouldn’t fully disagree. I have a pretty cool supplementary income from donation based Bandcamp purchases. And I super happy with it.
This whole new independent revolution, especially the Bandcamp thing, it’s kind of wild. Off donations too, people pay what they want and what they think its worth and it’s been a great supplement.
I’m sure as shit not desperate to get on any particular label. There’s a bunch that I highly respect and I regularly listen to and whose artists and rosters I aesthetically and sonically respect and that’d I’d love to be a part of.
I think one of the coolest thing about labels is the collective aspect and the kind of family roster and creating a kind of cohesive family of musicians, the family based aesthetics.
(5) Jake played some music in Australia last year and we were hoping to gain some insight on any more plans to go abroad as well as his philosophy on taking it international.
I just had some shit fall through recently in Europe and Australia, through New Zealand and in Asia that I was really stoked about. Its hard but I realize I aint no big shot quite yet, its not like someone like me is going to make bank right now. You go out there and you pay your dues and you be grateful.
When someone like me is going out there youre just going out to put in work, make connections and impress and connect.
(6) Where have you felt your music is most appreciated and known? Gem and Jam? Infra?
I find a surprising amount of appreciation for what I’m doing all over the country. Even if im playing a small show in a weird spot, its not like anyone is just coming out to the show. If you’re playing in some little town in Arkansas its kids who are really about it coming out. So you know youd be surprised.
Its about coming out and paying your dues and you will turn a couple heads and they’ll start showing their friends what they discovered. Even if you have huge markets where you can sell out 700 person venues, its still part of the process to go to the small corners of our great nation.
Do you like being in the small corners?
You know its weird. Sometimes it can feel strange to be a 300 cap room. Like in Louisville, Kentucky two weekends ago there were 80 people in there. And a lot of those people are really about it.
(7) After a roar from the crowd when he shouted out the Thrift Gang at the end of his set we asked how he felt about having such a die hard fan base. Can we get a shoutout to the homies on the Thrift Gang page? So much love and conversation on there for your music.
Shoutout to the Thrift Gang they gifted me up a bunch of crazy creations, pins and flags and stuff. Its cool to find people that are that about it.
(8) I believe we’re seeing a sort of “second wave” of taste within electronic music. Meaning less appeal of “EDM” to fans who have been “in it” for a couple years and that’s why we’re seeing fests like Infra sell out, and artists like yourself, Tipper, and Bassnectar getting bigger. Would love to hear your thoughts on that.
I think its cool, I think it’s a healthy balance man. I’m still a small fry in the grand scheme, and we’re grateful for the big corporate shit for bringing in huge money and it trickles down. And kinda more interesting sounds are creeping their way into the mainstream.
(9) You released Fade, Fader, Fadest late last year so I know it’s a lot to ask but, there is a new EP coming out soon right? Any collabs you’re excited for like those with Dragon House and Yak films? Other big plans for 2015 you can let us know about, you know how rabid your fanbase is about your music.
I’ve been steady crafting. I’ve got a new studio that ive been slowly dialing and I’ve got tracks in the works. I have an ideal label this time around, they’re LA based. I got thing thangs in the works.
I’m super stoked about Dragon House. I just found out on the way here that one of my tracks is going to air on So You Think You Can Dance so I’m super stoked.
(10) Similarly, I’d love to hear your opinions about the “scene” in a wider scope. Imagine its 2020, where would you like to see your live show progress to? What about the live show in general?
Ideally we take it to a more interactive level with just a whole host of different elements. I feel like one of the strongest full fledged performances I’ve put on was me and Russ did Terminal West. I’m doing my show, custom visuals behind me, Dragon House dancers in front of me, Russ on the trumpet. That kind of thing, just bringing a bunch of elements together on stage.
Big ups and a huge thank you to Jake for taking the time to talk with us. Best of luck to him in 2o15 and we can’t wait to catch him again soon.
Photo cred: Spectral Productions
Connect with Thriftworks:
http://jatlas.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/Thriftworks
www.soundcloud.com/thriftworks
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