It’s Not That Deep EP Tom Sharkett

Tom Sharkett – It’s Not That Deep

‘It’s Not That Deep’ is the second release from Manchester producer Tom Sharkett via Optimo Music. Following up on last year’s ‘Futuro EP’, the inspiration behind this latest release was the wonky, warped and psychedelic moments on the dancefloor that shift the night into a different realm without you even realising. The time of a night where you become utterly transfixed until you’re reminded where you are with a sudden pang of energy from music and lights that signifies you’ve tipped over the precipice into the darker phase of the evening. It was experiences like this that led to the hazy Sunday morning studio sessions that formed the EP’s writing and recording from Sharkett’s home in Levenshulme, Manchester.

A-side, ‘Mechanical Love’, features a dark, icy vocal from close friend and collaborator, Emily Z, aka Modema, over a relentlessly throbbing SH-101 bassline. Emerging from a bed of spitting Juno saw-waves, rhythmic guitars, rolling toms and self oscillating space echo swirls, Modema’s vocal is the eerie guiding hand that leads you into the dark depths of the dancefloor. Much like Sharkett’s previous productions, the structure is purposefully loose and was recorded live instrumentally to capture a sense of unpredictability as the harsh, worn and distorted sounds come and go throughout. B-side, ‘It’s 5am Somewhere’ captures late night tension and release to ease you towards the reflective and transcendent closing chapter of the EP. Fractured and disjointed drones build together to snap into an assertive combination of acoustic drum samples and a mechanical bass line that nod towards Tom’s EBM and Dark Italo influences. An organic plucked synth line leads the melodic charge in this instrumental track, whilst rhythmic modular sounds flicker around the outside, in and out of focus.

Final co-production and mixing comes from long-time collaborator Matt Peel, who Sharkett has worked with on both W. H. Lung’s (his band) records to date. The pair spent two days at the Nave recording studio in Leeds running the mixes through Peel’s collection of tape echos and outboard equipment, to give a finishing touch of abrasiveness and harshness that reflects their punk approach to making dance music.