‘The drummer has been left alone
with the dull buzz of his drum
and the faded echo of his footsteps. There is no path, no route, no voice.
It’s as if he has reached the edge of the world where everything is lost, and there is no more, but he knows,
that there is always more
and there is always a way.’
These hopeful words – an excerpt from Spanish poet José Hierro’s poem El Tamborilero – introduce this percussion- and drum focused Strøm Mixx from Tea Lewis. A Spanish, London-raised DJ, artist and yoga teacher based in Copenhagen, he began his music journey as a record collector and his mixes explore the realms of bass-driven sounds, often towards the psychedelic end of the spectrum.
1. Who is your mix dedicated to?
My parents. Getting older I’m increasingly appreciating the influence they’ve had on love of art for me. Whether through literature, film, poetry, comedy, painting, music etc., the significance of art for expressing and sharing complexity and the nuances of existence is hard to describe. And that’s kind of the point. It’s so weird to be alive and aware. Art presents the humanness of what it is to feel.
2. What inspires you at the moment?
Discovering music, always. Hearing all the ways influences cross over and overlap as people and sounds
connect. While so much of the world feels like it’s becoming more segregated, music never stops
bringing people and culture together. Love wins. I’m starting a label next year to platform some incredibly
talented friends, which I’m finding very inspiring at the moment.
3. What is filling your life musically right now?
Swimful, Tristan Arp, Toumba and Hassan Abou Alam, who all feature in the mix (Toumba three times), scrunch my face every listen. Really feeling UK band Moin this year – cathartic post-punk rollers galore. Everything by Ecuadorian producer Joaquín Cornejo is on rotation these days. Manchester producer Alan Johnson’s new EP is as interesting as their first two. Not tiring of PMXPER – collaborative project of Perila and Pavel Milyakov – their show at Atonal in September had me in tears. Some sick stuff coming on the new label next year too – stay tuned! Big up Strøm.
Tracklist
Azu Tiwaline – Tight Wind (Ft. Cinna Peyghamy) [Livity Sound]
Shackleton – Death Is Not Final [Skull Disco]
Toumba – Shurooq [Hypnic Jerks]
Swimful – Viatica [SVBKVLT]
Ziplash – Agrippa [Brotherhood Sound System]
Photek – 101 (Boddika’s Drum Machine Mix) [Photek Productions]
Joe Koshin – 4 Percent [BELTERS]
DJ Plead – Lee’s Shuffle [DECISIONS]
Loefah – Western (did a skank) [Self-released]
Akkord – Megalith [Houndstooth]
Nomine – Nomine’s Robot [Tempa]
TVSI – Aziza [Nervous Horizon]
A:Tonal – Imbalance [Brotherhood Sound System]
Callahan – Kudzu [Brotherhood Sound System]
SYZ & LKY – Turbulence [Brotherhood Sound System]
Al Wooton – Body Healthy [Trule]
Bash – Jubilee (Al Wootton Remix) [Trule]
Frankel & Harper – Conquering Lion (ZeroFG Remix) [Council Work]
Gallegos & Baby Rollen – B45 [Holding Hands]
Toumba – Hazzeh [Hessle Audio]
Bluetoof – Cavernous [Infa Red]
Siu Mata & Amor Satyr – Phowa [WAJANG]
Lokane – Body Double (TSVI Remix) [Nervous Horizon]
Hassan Abou Alam – Kesibt Ft. SHBL-LBSH [Banoffee Pies]
Swimful – Backwards [SVBKVLT]
Toumba – Janoob [Nervous Horizon]
Stay up to date on Tea Lewis’ upcoming label and other artistic endeavors by following him on Instagram or find more mixes on his Soundcloud.