Daisychain 269 – Sobolik

Wiggling through the bass.

Name: tom
Alias: sobolik (@tomsobolikmusic)
Pronouns: they/them
Location: brooklyn, ny

Influences:
producers who use their DAW to spawn and grow inconceivable organisms, or build and sculpt vast architectures. artists who use their music to break their gender, or other people’s. artists whose music helps you engage with your body with pure openness. artists who make music to excavate things out of themselves. musicians who can conjure ineffable forces by playing their instrument. artists who write music that reflects their world (inside or outside) at you. music that carries memories and sensations with me that would be otherwise lost. working musicians who break the borders between practices, cultures, and industries. people who invent new genres by djing, throwing parties, and starting labels. djs who understand how rhythm affects the body. djs who throw away established definitions about music and come up with their own. djs who can play for eight hours and never lose the plot. clubs and rave spaces where you can park your mind until you forget what you have to do when you get home. clubs and rave spaces that can serve as the stage for moments of self-discovery, healing, and catharsis. ravers who throw away their pretensions, exercise care and show love to their peers, and put unbridled energy into the music. ravers who will still be here when the trend forecast blows everyone elsewhere. ravers who will move on, but carry the music with them to the next era.

my heroes, friends, and comrades — SOPHIE, aya, martyn, flying lotus, lychee, t.wan, pent, cades, no sir, CCL, sister zo, uyu, grymynk/peripheral pups crew, ma sha and ru, nic & emma, laced, symposium records crew, ema, ophelie, msjy, dileta, zi!, anabasine, ron like hell, dj voices, dj noir, dj pitch & simkin, alec pace, ari, anna, rahul, joanne, frankie weiner, nick boyd & tony g, james bangura, livwutang, anna morgan & bell curve, batu, ariel zetina, nikki nair, source direct, sam gendel, esperanza spalding, objekt, call super, yumi, yushh, tom boogizm, k means, amelia holt, dj healthy, dj temporary, akanbi, k wata, big room boogie crew, tristan arp, nopeakhours, escaflowne, karlala, rose kourts, boxofbox, sputnik one, third self, big j, laenz, lithe, lara david, caterina barbieri, kiernan laveaux, physical therapy, davis galvin, adab, 30000ad, cay horiuchi, total freedom, steve rachmad, ayesha, charles mingus, duke ellington, mica levi, more eaze, ulla, oli xl, j dilla, minor science, peverelist, dj fart in the club, jam city, adrianne lenker, arthur russell, frank ocean, …

Daisychain · Daisychain 269 – sobolik

Affiliations/Residencies/Projects:
trax via Kindergarten, All Centre, early reflex, Woozy, Cloudcore, 3024, Sorry Records, Audio Bambino

parties with the Antidote collective — Lychee, T.Wan, Nutrition Facts (djs), Glimmer (lighting), Yaya (yoga instruction)

i co-run All Centre with DJ Pitch and Simkin, organizing the Discord server, planning masterclasses & production challenges, and doing a bit of A&R.

in 2022 i ran a party series at Jupiter Disco called Inside Voices. new iterations are in the works, now with No Sir copiloting.

Favorite Quote:

“this community will give you everything, but eventually you have to give it all back.”
a wise man carrying a comically oversized mug once told me

Advice for the DJs, producers and artists of our community:
take the time to think about what you really want to do with your work, and pursue it unapologetically. but as you get more and more from the community, think about what you’re doing to pay it back by supporting and uplifting others. try to learn when to make sacrifices in your commitments/presence in the community for your artmaking, homemaking, and personal wellness. try to learn when to do the opposite. show up for your friends and the people who inspire you. tell them how you really feel about them. all it takes to turn a club friend into a full-fledged one is a DM for a daytime hang. always post your tracklists – and tag the producers in your posts. don’t worry about making your tracks dj friendly – let them catch up to you. find someone you trust and admire who doesn’t make music or mince words and get them to listen to your WIPs. find ways to share your knowledge and ideas with your peers, and try to find elders/betters who’ll do the same for you. be on point when you’re out at parties and set a good example for the young/new ravers and the clueless riff raff. try not to talk shit about things just for fun, especially when you know deep down you don’t actually have such strong opinions about them. it’s never the wrong time to take a beat, consider how you’re taking up space, and consider the effect you have/could have on the people around you. if you don’t get booked too often, always show up early and stay late when you do. for the most part, don’t ask for guest list unless you need it. don’t use all your drink tickets. don’t be a green room/smoking area goblin – go dance! if the dj plays your tune, find them afterwards and say thank you. don’t rush to put your tunes out right away, but as soon as you feel good about them send them to djs to play. whatever you do, hold yourself accountable to push your craft as far as you possibly can – all of us doing that is what keeps the community alive.

With this mix sobolik asks to please learn more about and consider donating to:

trans people are under an unprecedented attack in the US national/state legislatures. help orgs fighting this legislation in your state, and help orgs that work to help trans people survive and thrive amid a deeply violent social and political reality.

❁ Sylvia Rivera Law Project (www.srlp.org)