029 - Bolam
earworm029
~
Cascade of Haze
~
10/12/23
~
earworm029 ~ Cascade of Haze ~ 10/12/23 ~
Shetland-Born, Malmö-Based DJ and Producer Jack Hardie AKA ‘Bolam’ has been putting out music at a steady pace for the last 3 years on labels like Space Dust and Holding Hands and is the sole creator and manager of the earworm platform.
With 4 EP’s and 6 VA features since 2020 under his belt from heavy bass club tracks to tranced up euphoric bangers, Bolam has proved he has an sonic identity thats versatile yet easy to recognise with his overall sound sitting somewhere between tech house, OG breakbeat and prog trance.
During high school Bolam picked up Keyboard and Drumming lessons with the latter becoming somewhat of a passion / obsession. It’s no wonder the love for repetetive rhythms manifested itself via dance music in his later years.
Jack’s taste stretches much further than dance music however, and this special 2 hour “Cascade Of Haze” mix is a good representation of that, containing a varied selection of genres held intact by the concept throughout.
Interview
What’s your ideal breakfast?
Fried Egg, Avocado, Red Onion, Tomato and Cream Cheese with some Sriracha squished into a Bagel.
What was the first record (or CD) you ever bought?
The first record was ‘A Guy Called Gerald - Black Secret Technology’ from 1995, such an amazing dreamy jungle album with a sick alternate version of Voodoo Ray on it. First CD was either the first Gorillaz album or Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park, can’t remember which.
What’s your musical ‘guilty pleasure’?
Yodelling.
Does your alias have a backstory?
When I first moved to Edinburgh for music studies I lived in student accomodation on the college campus. One day I was staring out of my dorm window trying to think of a new alias and my eyes were locked with the name of the building written on the side with big letters and then it just clicked. The building was called “Bolam House”. I really liked the sound of the word so rolled with it.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever got for free?
I found a couple hundred dollar bills on the ground once. I’ve also been given a fair few cool hats over the years.
Do you have a party trick?
I can make far too many stupid pointless noises with different parts of my face and hands. Also accents, I’m pretty good at those.
What’s your current rotation of non-dance music?
I’m really into psychedelic surf rock and stoner metal at the moment. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard is a regular rotation. Also very much into an old Celtic Fusion / Folktronica band from Shetland called Bongshang.
Where's your current favourite place(s) in the world (and why)?
Scotland will always have a place in my heart because it’s my home, its beautiful, my family live there and it’s good craic. Malmö is also great, it offers so much for small city and your friends are never too far away.
Any other passions besides music?
Film and Animation. I used to make short movies when I was younger with a budget video camera before I even touched music production and have always had a real appreciation and interest for the craft behind it all.
What’s something you’re proud of about yourself?
I’ve built the Earworm brand from the ground up using my own vision for it all, have put in a lot of hard work and time getting it to where it is now. That includes this website, the social media, the ‘Malmö Multum’ Bolero Fundraiser VA and collecting all the amazing mixes I’ve recieved. I’m very proud of what its become and I’m glad people seem to like it as well.
Describe your Earworm mix
I’ve wanted to explore this side of my taste in mix-form for a while now. The entire thing has a focus on tracks that all have an element of “haziness” within them. Often psychedelic, misty and melty, enabling the listener to zone out into the sonic fog. I’ve listened to and loved music like this all my life and have always been attracted to it in some form, so it feels liberating to show you this part of me. I really hope you like it.
-
George Clanton - I Been Young
One Dove - Fallen
Sonhos Tomam Conta - Wild Strawberrys
Massive Attack - What Your Soul Sings
Eyeliner - Pictionary
テレヴァペ - スペクトラル流体
Brian Jonestown Massacre - Bout Des Doigts
Sibille Attar - Paloma
Bongshang - Tackhead
Bowery Electric - Freedom Fighter (Remix)
Avalon Emerson - Sandrail Silhouette
Bodywash - Massif Central
Slowdive - Slowdive
Lone - Inlove2
Maara - The Ancient Truth
Afro Celt Soundsystem - Eireann
Software - Island Sunrise
Haircuts For Men - 決して見ません
Darling - Kiss The Glass
Timo Torben – our concrete castles
Aphex Twin - We Are The Music Makers
Oso Leone - Virtual U
Little Dragon - Feather
Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas
follow Bolam:
soundcloud / instagram / bandcamp / youtube