If Misch seems surprised, it’s because his fanbase has developed naturally. He never set out with any grand plan when he began making beats, and uploading roughly three tracks a week to Soundcloud at 16. “ I prefer a more organic approach to making music, but also to building a fanbase,” he reflects. “I don’t want a big push on my music as I don’t want to be as big as possible.” And yet, he’s rapidly become one of the U.K.’s most exciting emerging new artists, gaining 1.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify and playing a sold-out tour of the U.K., U.S. and Europe in 2016. Collaborating with a clutch of fellow trailblazers like Novelist, Loyle Carner, and Zak Abel, he’s accumulated a total of 75 million streams across all platforms to date — and it all started in his bedroom.
Misch’s earliest introduction to music came via his artistic family, including his psychiatrist father, a passionate violinist, who would take him to concerts and the opera as a child. He sang in a choir at school, and picked up the violin himself at the age of four. When one of his older sisters took up guitar and later abandoned it, nine-year-old Misch inherited the instrument, and taught himself to play Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Nirvana songs. Today, he also plays bass, banjo, and a smattering of keys.
It was one of his sister’s boyfriends who introduced him to the music of J Dilla at 15, and from then on, Misch was hooked. He took up Music Technology at school the following year, and began learning how to create his own “really chilled out, boom-bap kind of ‘90s hip-hop” on Logic Pro. “When I wasn’t at school, I’d be making beats,” he says. “It was just what I did.” As he began sharing his tunes on Soundcloud, he found the response was overwhelming. “You put songs out and you build a fanbase — it’s kind of addictive.”
A collaboration with his sister Laura, on the jazz-inflected “Follow,” was a major turning point for both siblings after it was uploaded to influencer YouTube channel Majestic Casual. The track features Laura on sax and Tom on beats and vocals, intertwined to mesmeric effect. “That was the point where I was like, okay, maybe I could do this as a career,” Misch reflects. “Suddenly it had 100,000 plays.” Shortly afterward, Soulection co-founder Joe Kay commented on one of Misch’s productions on Soundcloud, asking the teenage prodigy to guest on his radio show.
Soon afterward, in 2014, Misch contributed to Soulection’s White Label series, weaving together obscure jazz samples, guitar, and vocals to create the perfect summer listen (including the dreamy fan favourite “The Journey”). His Beat Tape series collected the best of his hip-hop instrumentals, the 5 Day Mischon project featured collaborations with grime MC Novelist and singer-songwriter Zak Abel, and his 2016 Reverie EP brought the official release of Misch’s most sophisticated songs to date. As well as soulful singers Carmody and Jordan Rakei, he struck up a collaborative relationship with fellow south Londoner Loyle Carner, whose mellow bars flow over Misch’s productions like a breeze on a hot day. Both artists form part of the much-hyped scene of singer-songwriters emerging from south east London, including King Krule and Cosmo Pyke. Each has a DIY mindset and a brooding, poetic approach to lyricism that weaves them loosely together. “There’s definitely a certain sound,” reflects Misch. “Everyone’s music in south London is really chilled. It reflects the vibe of this part of London — it’s laid back.”
Misch has lived in south London all his life, and he loves it so much that his new single, “South of the River,” is dedicated to it. “I much prefer the general vibe of south London,” he says. “I love this area, Peckham, Dulwich, Forest Hill. Singing that line — You should come south of the river — it just felt really good.” With its string arrangements mirroring disco synth stabs and a funky bassline, it’s an irresistible bop that nods clearly to Misch’s danceable new direction.
One of the biggest influences on Misch’s sound has long been jazz. With a degree in jazz guitar, Misch is an avid listener of Robert Glasper, Roy Hargrove, Cory Henry, and jazz-influenced songwriters like D’Angelo and Erykah Badu. “It’s kind of a warm feeling, when you hear a certain chord progression,” he explains.
In the making of his debut album, he’s also been drawing on inspiration from disco, house, and techno, discovered through the portal of producers like Kaytranada and Motor City Drum Ensemble. The euphoric feel of 1970s and ‘80s disco (think Earth Wind and Fire or Gwen McCrae), and the thump of nightclubs like Fabric or Corsica, inspired him to bring more movement into his songs. “I want people to dance at my live shows, I want to bring more energy,” he says. “When you’re in a club and you can feel the bass...I want people to have that experience.”
Misch’s sound is true to its roots — he still makes his tracks in the same bedroom studio in his parents’ house, and his mum produces his artwork. (“ Her work is very DIY, just like my music, and feels homespun,” he explains.) But he’s never afraid to explore new territory. “I think it’s really important to make music that hasn’t been made before,” he says. “I’m trying to work out what my sound is, and pursuing that.” Fans might think they know his style, but Misch is a restless experimentalist, keen to spend endless hours honing his craft. One of his favorite new songs is a “Brazilian-sounding” jam that reflects how deeply he feels about his work. As he puts it: “It’s about how you can’t take away my love for music. I’ll always have that.”
Before Paris
Tom Misch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Something like that, because you wanna make money,
Because you wanna do a job, that's- that's the wrong way
You have to do this because you love it
And it doesn't matter if you broke, you still gon' do it
I mean, I go out to jam sessions, and I play
Regardless of whether I'm getting a check or not
It's, it's about whether I, uh, you have to love this thing, man!
It's, it's your morning coffee, it's your- it's your food
That's why you become an artist
Art is a mirror of society, you know
The lyrics to Tom Misch's song Before Paris contain a spoken word segment in which an individual shares their perspective on what it takes to be a successful musician or artist. The singer suggests that if someone is pursuing music or art solely for the purpose of making money, then they are going about it the wrong way. The driving force behind a successful career in the arts is passion and love for the craft, not the promise of financial gain.
The singer goes on to explain that true artists are dedicated to their craft regardless of whether or not they are being compensated for their work. For them, music or art is a way of life. It is something they cannot live without; it is their morning coffee, their food. Artists are driven by a desire to reflect the society they live in and serve as a mirror for others. They are not just doing a job; they are fulfilling a higher purpose.
Overall, the message of the lyrics is that true artists are fueled by passion and love for their craft, and that this is the only way to truly achieve success. The pursuit of money alone will not sustain an artist's motivation or creativity, and artists must remain dedicated to their art through both the highs and the lows of their careers.
Line by Line Meaning
If you're starting to try to be a musician or artist
If you're just beginning your journey as a musician or artist
Something like that, because you wanna make money,
If you're doing this for money or something similar,
Because you wanna do a job, that's- that's the wrong way
If you're doing this as a job or for employment, that's the wrong approach
You have to do this because you love it
You need to do this because you love it
And it doesn't matter if you broke, you still gon' do it
Even if you are broke or financially struggling, you will still pursue it
I mean, I go out to jam sessions, and I play
For example, I attend jam sessions and play music
Regardless of whether I'm getting a check or not
It doesn't matter if I'm being paid or not
It's, it's about whether I, uh, you have to love this thing, man!
It's about passion and loving what you do
You have to love it, and breathe it and
You need to love it and make it a part of your being
It's, it's your morning coffee, it's your- it's your food
It's like your daily dose of coffee or your sustenance
That's why you become an artist
That's the reason why you become an artist
Art is a mirror of society, you know
Art reflects society and its values
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jamie Houghton, Thomas Abraham Misch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gabe_green
“If you start trying to be a musician or artist because you want to make money, because you want to do a job. That’s the wrong way. You have to do this because you love it. It doesn’t matter if you’re broke, you’re still going to do it. I mean, I go out to jam sessions and I play regardless of whether I’m getting a check or not. You have to love this thing man. You have to breath it. It’s your morning coffee, it’s your food. That’s why you become an artist. Art is a mirror of society.”
@raihanshrk1955
But
@CJ2by4
wow the beautifully artistic opening and the drum and bass in this is making me move. I still find it crazy how you can make a song that has so much hype and chill at the same time.
@louislawson5493
Really powerful message at the beginning, I wish I knew who said that. Tom Misch is such an amazing artist !
@justnotesmusic
Miles Davis I think.
@tawalare26
Roy Hargrove!
@duncanwilson2803
https://youtu.be/mIaONoYeDh4
@Lexos89
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIaONoYeDh4
here is part of the interview mentioned at the beginning
@maurotessaable
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIaONoYeDh4
here is Roy Hargrove interview, Thank you Samir Tawalare!!
@GilWandered
Underrated track of the album. Don't get me wrong, all of his songs on this album were juicy but this one literally has the message that some musicians nowadays need to hear. Even though it is from Mr. Hargrove (RIP), what comes after is just love, groove, feel, and true musicianship. This song makes me cry sometimes lmao. I was just listening to this before bed and it always gets me in the mood to continue to make music. UNDERRATED TRACK, STAMP.