1. Steve ReichMusic for 18 Musicians
That was probably the most impactful thing I’ve ever heard in my life in terms of the whole music creation experience. Hearing that for the first time was the moment that I realised that I wanted to make music like that, or attempt to make music that, for lack of better language, confuses the listener in a way that they can just relax and listen. It has very subtle changes and can also be quite confusing to new listeners in terms of whether it’s electronic or acoustic.
Have his techniques been a strong influence on your own work?
Definitely, but not in a direct way – mostly in the sense that I listen to this or other works of his and feel so strongly about them. The feeling I had when I first heard this record is embedded into my subconscious – it made everything in the room feel alive. I felt like I was in a pure listening state with it. I think I was 17 [when I first heard it] and I think it was recommended to me by music teachers at that time saying ‘hey, you’ve got to listen to this’.
