Oriental downtempo from Thoma

Influenced by jazz, world music, house, and techno, Thoma is a project that grew out of a desire between producers and long-time friends Tristan de Liège (formerly Stratus) and Benjamin Hill (Askanse) to bring together their creative abilities and challenge themselves beyond their solo efforts.

Their unique fusion of electronica and organic elements has brought them high praise from tastemakers and fans alike the world over.

Relocating from a small island near Vancouver in British Columbia to Los Angeles, the duo recorded their debut full-length with an array of synths with a strong focus on modular synthesis, samples, processed acoustic instruments, woodwinds, and upright bass. More recently, Benjamin moved to Detroit and new Thoma material was crafted there, drawing more on the techno and house roots that are so pervasive in the Detroit music scene.

Ahead of their upcoming album Ikiru set to drop later this year via Audio Network, the artist brings us a preview of what’s to come with the release of the album’s title track. “Ikiru” is a track borne out of a beautiful sampled Koto instrument combined with taped guitar loops to make a track that offered a sense of poignancy and transience, reflecting on the passing nature of things and how so much of life is about embracing the small moments that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Channeling the sound of early Bonobo, paired with far eastern instrumentation, Thoma deliver a delicate downtempo piece full of colour and intrigue.

Listen to Ikiru below