THISISDA

PROLIFIC HIP-HOP ARTIST

ThisisDA’s catalogue features some of Bristol’s best contemporary hip-hop, with his latest album 0800-GHOSTconstituting his most bracing, inventive record to date: from the muscular, noise-facing ‘BOUNDARY DRIFTER’ to the percussively elaborate ‘ADDICTED’ How do you see 0800-GHOST as relating to your previous releases?

ThisisDA: 0800-GHOST is both a manifestation and a bridge. It’s what happens when you have a breakdown and a breakthrough simultaneously. It was everything I’d been doing up until that point, but polished – plus, a proposition of everything I intend to do going forward

Across 0800-GHOSTyour presentation of yourself shifts between braggadocio and vulnerability, suggesting on the openhearted ‘REAL ONES’ you were “brought up in a way/ if you have love you do disguise it ” How did you go about reconciling these different sides of yourself in this record, and how did this influence the production?

T: I really don’t think about it. When you’re young, you’re oblivious to what the summation of your upbringing may equal. As I’ve gotten older, the dividing lines within my life grow more apparent. I now see a huge culture of contradiction presided over me. It’s too late to change things, but it’s nice to sing about it every now and then.

On this record, you place your natural unaffected vocal in conversation with hooks and segments where it is warped or distorted (as on ‘SHORT CIRCUIT PERFECT’) What do you see the effect of this as being?

T: At this point, I’m trying to sound like as many people as possible.

While your previous release Aloof Gospel was characterised by brighter production and heavy use of piano, 0800-GHOST places flashes of this more sentimental side of your music (such as the gorgeous ‘FULL SCALE BLEW IT’) in the context of a more frequently dark, aggressive and electronically driven record What do you see the effect of this as being, and what influenced this stylistic shift?

T: Got done with holding back. Got told I was doing so on AloofGospel and in real life. Aggression and drive come with being direct. I was worried about dedicating myself to that. Over the years, I grew a little obsessed with trying to pre-empt what may be appealing. Internal desire burns brighter, and you eventually run out of fucks to give. Especially when life gets threatening, and options are no longer presented to you.

You are known as being fairly reclusive, and have spoken previously about not feeling compelled to place yourself in the context of Bristol’s musical landscape I was surprised as a result to see you contribute the excellent instrumental track ‘Encoding’ to Illegal Data Compilation #2 How would you characterise your relationship with Bristol’s wider music community, and how do you think it’s changed over the years?

T: I don’t know, man. I can be extremely strict with myself and on others too. I don’t rate a lot of things in general. Came to realise recently that it’s likely due to neurodivergence as opposed to me being intentionally exclusive or haughty. If I was different, I suppose it would be much easier to align with what’s going on around me, but I truly live on the inside.

In 2021 you released the instrumental EP Bone Deep, which featured some of your most unusual beats – especially the brilliantly erratic ‘Threats From The West’ What prompted you to create this instrumental project, and have you been tempted since to give these beats lyrical accompaniment?

T: Well, it depends on how you listen to it. I speak through instrumentation the same way I speak through vocal takes. Always trying to say something, even if I’m verbally saying nothing. I wouldn’t bother to go back, though. I create far too much music for that.

You’ve collaborated fruitfully with Lowkey-E over the years, including several collaborative EPs How did you start working together, and how do you think your collaborations have influenced your artistic development as ThisisDA?

T: Lowkey-E is my younger brother. We currently share a place together, and prior to that, we shared a room for most of our lives. He’s a stringman and I’m a percussive-punk. Two ends of two different spectrums. He had me switch onto melody more, as it was his primary purpose. He’s always encouraging me no matter what. My second biggest fan – after me, of course.

Since the project began, you have been extremely prolific, as gestured towards by the lyrics of ‘Some Kinda Mission Statement’ from TWO SONGS To what do you ascribe this desire to release music at such speed, and how do you think this has influenced your development artistically?

T: Was always natural to do loads. Not concerned with the quality/quantity argument. Life is not short, but it’s also not long enough to remain debating. I have an urge to go for it. No need to think twice or worry about who’s watching. Way more fun that way

The international profile and landscape of UK hip-hop has changed dramatically since you first began releasing music How do you see your own music as relating to the changes the genre has experienced over the years?

T: Hmm, I’ve never seen my sound befitting what UK hip-hop even is. The terms UK and hip-hop don’t come to mind when I consider what constitutes ThisisDA. I prefer time and space. The microcosmmacrocosm of the thinking mind and outer space. That’s the type of thing I’m on.