In Conversation With #269 - OhEm & Tarquin
Rising pop icon OhEm paired up with renowned producer and DJ Tarquin for the recent release of their EP ‘Bumps’.
Lead single and title track ‘Bumps’ sets the stage of things to come on the duo's full EP - an innovative take on bassline meets hyperpop. OhEm pulls out vocal dexterity over the unparalleled sounds of Tarquin. OhEm brings sweet vocal energy to the plate whilst Tarquin keeps it boisterous with his refreshed take on those staple bassline synths. An all-round hyper coloured drama.
Speaking of the collab, Tarquin says, “Me and Em had collabed on a few tracks beforehand and then the idea to vocal my crazy bassline tracks came about after sending them her way. I'm always astounded with how somehow Em creates the inventive and memorable vocals over the wild and frenetic bass. We both feel excited about how fresh and different it feels as it's a new collision of worlds.”
OhEm adds, “Tarquin and I had been writing together a fair bit and we got talking about old Bassline tunes we loved as teenagers. He ended up showing me some stuff he had made in previous years and I loved them so much that I asked him to send them to me, I think this was maybe in 2018 or 19. Bumps was the first track that we wrote and then honestly, we just sort of forgot about it for a bit.
They took a moment to talk to us about how the EP came together.
Hey there OhEm and Tarquin - how are you? So your EP is out now - how does it feel to have it out there in the world?
T: It feels great, it’s garnered some nice support! The live show was also super fun and satisfying to play it in a live context
E: Yeah, it’s been so lovely to finally get it out in the world, we’ve been sitting on it for years and so many of my friends had heard early versions and been obsessed so it almost feels like a little gift to them. The weekend it came out some of them had a party on the beach and played the whole EP.
It is called ‘Bumps’ - what is the meaning behind that?
T: To me bumps describes a punchy four to the floor kick drum which features on much of the EP. It also conjures up goosebumps which hopefully some of the drops create for human listeners as well as the popular teen spooky horror novels.
E: Bumps is a little bit of a 90’s/2000’s reference. A bit like something you’d hear in mean girls or legally blonde. That’s the energy I wanted to portray I guess. This ditsy girl who’s having a great time even though she’s a fish out of water in the situation. Which is kind of what I am when it comes to bassline. I didn’t really want to mimic another MC, I just did my thing.
So how did this partnership come about? What did you both bring to the project?
T: After having previously collaborated on tracks before in London we would occasionally share tracks with each other. Gladly she was inspired by the instrumental of Bumps, I think it was the first to materialise. The EP is a mixture of styles that I don’t think I’ve heard before. I bring a playful approach to production and Em brings her own inimitable lyrical and vocal style.
E: It really was just quite random. Lots of years of trying to make stuff together paid off in Bumps.
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories from the creative process you are happy to share with us?
T: Some of it was recorded where I was staying in London but most of it Em recorded on her own. The process is largely a remote one v 2023!
E: Yeah, It was kind of a slow process, some was written in 2019, some in 2021 and then all the final recordings were in our own studios and sent back and forth to each other as we lived further away by that time.
What are the key themes and influences on the EP?
T: ‘Bad Babysitter’ by Princess Superstar
I love bassline particularly by Burgaboy and London’s Champion. There's also plenty of garage tropes and grime tinges.
I was making Grime at the time in a similar playful cut up fashion. That may have permeated into the bassline productions.
Themes are definitely tongue in cheek humour and fun with a bit of aggressive seriousness thrown in.
E: I wrote a lot of the bulk of the melodies and lyrics on the ep when I was sitting in a sunny living room during lockdown kind of just in a goofy mood. I think Fun is maybe the main theme and Nostalgia, it’s very reminiscent of being a teenager for me. Playing video games, flirting with boys, getting into stupid fights, discovering music. I listened to a lot of Bassline and Happy Hardcore as a young teen and I think that’s the time this brought me back too.
If the EP could be the soundtrack to any film - which one would it be and why?
T: Mean girls, human traffic – the bonkers energy and youthful club excursions fits well, lara croft Tomb raider – for obvious reasons!
E: Omg yes deffo the early Tomb Raider films. Jolie model 2001! I think maybe also I’d love to have seen it in Charli’s Angels but as for more modern stuff I guess maybe something like Bodies Bodies Bodies. It’s like music for a Party scene in a campy horror I reckon. Or like “What it do” could be a girly car scene track where everyone is putting on lipgloss.
Do you have a favourite lyric on the EP - if so, which one and why?
T: ‘I’m Lara Croft bitch, get off my dick’ – It’s hilarious!
E: Yeah agreed, either that or “DJ’s spin my favourite bangers just to get inside my panties” I had A LOT of fun with these lyrics, I was giggling to myself as I wrote them.
Now the EP is out there - what next?
T: We have been writing some new material including a tasty cover version..
E: It’s true, there’s definitely going to be more on the way!
Photography credit: Stefania Semini / @arach.nee
