Welcome back guys to our final mix for the year in our Africa Distinct series. It’s been an
incredible ride once again this year. Thank you to everyone for the continuous support of
Tanzgemeinschaft and the Africa Distinct series.
Closing off an amazing year of music, we have a special guest hailing from South Africa. He is an incredible storyteller and sonic interpreter, whether it may be in his sets or through his own music. He’s known to draw emotion out of his listeners and take them through a journey of sound.
Connect with Ethan Tait on Instagram | Facebook | Soundcloud
Starting his very own imprint – “Yenrouj” which will be a home for his unique sound, he has
kicked off the label with its debut release “Warm Inside” – a beautiful two-track EP that
features a stunning instrumental/piano piece together with a club edit. With his debut release
on his imprint, he has also pieced together both a sonic and visual representation of the EP,
showcasing in full form the story he wants to tell.
To end off the year our guest has delivered an incredibly sublime show that stands testament to the bright star he is. Enjoy the ride!
As always we let the music do all the talking. Without further ado, we welcome Ethan Tait!
First of all, welcome to the show. It is such a pleasure to have you on. Let’s start off with where this beautiful journey with electronic music began.
Hey, thank you so much, It’s really an honour to be on the show. 🙂
My journey started back in high school, myself and a few friends used to share electronic music all the time. I think the fact that we used infrared to share made things interesting lol. I’ve always had a passion for electronic music, one of the first events I ever attended was Deadmau5 and from there I’ve always followed the scene.
In continuing to raise more awareness for mental health issues that artists go through, what have been some of your battles in this path of music & being an artist and what are some of the coping mechanisms you do to protect and maintain a healthy mental state?
I think time management has been a bit of a struggle for me, which results in me feeling overwhelmed. I’ve tapped into meditation a few years ago along with doing physical exercises & trying to eat healthier. I’d say to maintain a healthy mental state, you should definitely maintain a healthy balanced lifestyle as a starting point
You kicked off the year with a stunning remix for Cape Town-based label Modern Africa and then shortly after launched your very own imprint ‘Yenrouj’ this past November. Tell us a little about the birth of your new imprint.
Yes thank you, the remix was my first official release, and on the birth of my imprint, I felt a need to have a platform to be able to showcase some of my own music and explore new sonic avenues
With the beginning of ‘Yenrouj’ you kicked off the label with its debut and your latest release – ‘Warm Inside’. Walk us through this stunning EP off your very own imprint and why you went with showcasing something so different sonically.
To be honest I’ve always pictured a release like Warm Inside & thought it would be a perfect way to launch the label. The original is a stripped-down acoustic version and the retake is something more for the floor
What is your vision or goal now for the future of your new label – Yenrouj?
The vision for the label is to showcase not only my releases but also the music of other aspiring and established artists
What can we look forward to from Ethan Tait for the remainder of this year and going into the new year?
I am in Cape Town at the moment and for the remainder of the year, finishing up music, playing some gigs & just catching up with family and friends. A bit of a break before 2023 really kicks off
Can we expect Yenrouj to be a home for other rising artists or just one for the
sounds of Ethan Tait at the moment?
Yenrouj will definitely be a home for other artists and their sonic stories. Just last week at the Bridges for Music academy, I met a talented 20-year-old Cape Town producer who hopefully in the future would be able to showcase his sound on Yenrouj. At the moment I’ll be showcasing much more of my own music as well.
In releasing the visual aspect of ‘Warm Inside’ as well, explain to us the process behind that. Were you involved in the creative process all the way through and can we expect the visual aspect for more releases to come off the imprint?
I was involved in the creative & production process alongside two of my close friends who also do photography and cinematography. We went into it with no boundaries, wanting to carry the song’s mood and translate it visually. It took us a while to find the ideal location, eventually, we knew we struck gold when we saw the hand-and-face statues in the forest. Going forward, the visual aspects would definitely stay as it adds to the overall theme of the release and paints the complete picture
Lastly, what can we expect from the mix?
For this mix, I put together some of my current favourite songs from both local and international artists for a sonic journey. 🙂
Thank you.