Beat Tape 2 follows a string of well-received releases since its predecessor, Beat Tape 1, including his Out To Sea E.P with Carmody, a white label release on the hip-hop label Soulection, collaborations with the likes of Bearcubs, and reworks of Mos Def and Busta Rhymes. On Beat Tape 2, Tom has evolved his sound from its origins in Boom Bap hip-hop stylings of producers like J Dilla to encompass his diverse range of influences. Tom’s music finds the sweet spot between electronica, hip-hop, and acoustic, predominantly linked by a single quality: soul. “It’s about the feeling you get from the music that makes it soulful, and for me, that comes down to the chords. If it’s a nice, soulful chord progression, that’s what makes it soulful and gives you that warm feeling. A lot of Gospel music, J Dilla, Erykah Badu, and Jazz – I find that very soulful. That’s what I listen to, so I guess that comes out in my music.”
