Genre: Singer Songwriter, Indie

In 2021, Berlin became the backdrop for the first meeting of Thom and Hugo. Resident in the vibrant city, producer Hugo, who was looking for new artists to work with, stumbled upon a video of Thom in a Facebook group. Their first meeting revealed a natural chemistry, setting the stage for a collaboration that would result in the production of an entire album.

Reflecting on their partnership, Thom shares, “We had no idea that we’d end up making an entire album together.” The revelation came after Hugo sent the first demo production, sparking a realization that they had stumbled upon something unique. Hugo, who loved Thom’s distinctive voice and songwriting, admits, “These songs really spoke to me in a way that resonated with me and instantly inspired ideas for the production.”

The production process, as described by Hugo, was something new and refreshing for both of them. Thom’s approach involves recording a one-take version of the entire song with just two microphones—one for vocals and the other for the guitar, whether acoustic or electric. Thom’s dedication to this method shines through, with Hugo recalling, “For ‘Don’t Know If I’m Walking,’ Thom almost did forty five-minute one takes before he sent them to me!” The result: two raw tracks, vocal and guitar, capturing the essence of the performance.
Hugo says that for the production, he wanted to keep things linear for that reason as well. “It felt wrong to receive amazing one-take songs like that and then cut them up and do a hundred recordings myself. For most of the songs, I played the drums, bass and most of the guitars also in one take. Of course, in the end, we did add ad libs, synthesizers, sound effects but the basis is very organic and you can really hear that.”

Hugo attributes Thom’s unique recording style to his background as a street musician, a busker who has spent years playing his own compositions daily.

“I find that amazing,” says Hugo, highlighting the authenticity ingrained in Thom’s approach. This authenticity extends to the production process, where Hugo opted for a linear approach, eschewing the temptation to slice and dice the one-take recordings. “The basis is very organic, and you can really hear that,” Hugo affirms.

‘‘The beautiful thing about this music is that we didn’t have anything in mind of how it should sound. For me, it was perfect and a very refreshing way of production,’’ says Hugo. “I received two amazing stems and had the freedom to add anything that I wanted, like a painter that starts with a blank canvas and can add any colors he wants! It really felt like total creative freedom and a very pure and unconstrained way of making music.”

Of course, we have bands that we absolutely love, the biggest one being Radiohead. We are both obsessive fans of Radiohead haha! The texture in their songs, the depth and emotion in their productions, were definitely a big inspiration for us.
Looking ahead, Thom and the Wolves have exciting plans for the year. In March, they’ll release their debut album, followed by a vibrant release show in Berlin featuring their full five-piece band. The live experience promises to be more than just a recital of their songs, incorporating improvisation and show moments to enhance the overall experience. The summer will see the Wolves embark on their first tour, playing stages in Germany and the Netherlands. And as if the excitement isn’t enough, Thom hints at a continuous stream of creativity, teasing, “We can’t stop writing new music, so we already have so many new songs ready. We could release another album next year for sure, haha!”

With their debut album on the horizon, the journey of Thom and the Wolves promises to be a musical odyssey worth experiencing.