Influences: TUSH Share Five Records That Continue To Shape Their Sound Ahead of ‘Heavy Weather Remixes’
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
TUSH return this month with a fresh perspective on one of last year's most celebrated projects as ‘Heavy Weather Remixes’ arrives with contributions from house legend Ian Pooley alongside Afrique Like Me, Olive T and Pursuit Grooves. Following strong support for the original release from names including Sasha, Laurent Garnier, Radio Slave and DJ Bone, the remix package revisits the duo's blend of live instrumentation, electronic production and soulful songwriting through a collection of entirely new interpretations.
For Kamilah Apong and Jamie Kidd, music has always existed beyond strict genre boundaries. Their work regularly moves between house, disco, jazz, soul and machine-led experimentation, shaped by records and artists that informed not only their sound but also the way they think about creativity itself. Ahead of the release, the pair look back at five records that continue to influence the world of TUSH.
Ian Pooley feat. Esthero – Balmes (A Better Life)
Kamilah Apong: "I have a core memory of when I was 10 years old, watching a video of a CGI lady in an egg waddling around and a CGI dude smelling a rose… Balmes, featuring Esthero (Canadian legend!), one of my earliest memories of hearing house music and still a track that brings me immense joy. It reminds me of simpler times. We are honoured to have Ian remix one of our songs, and it's so fulfilling and affirming to connect this seed from my youth to who I am now."
Galaxy 2 Galaxy – Transition
Jamie Kidd: "Detroit techno was the first electronic music that I connected with, opening my ears to how techno can be musical, funky and soulful, and that electronic music can be an extension of jazz, following the experiments of Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, and Weather Report years prior (all also hugely influential artists for us). The entire Galaxy 2 Galaxy era from Mike Banks and members of Underground Resistance is as fresh yet timeless as when it was released in 1993, with Transition, Jupiter Jazz and Hi-Tech Jazz (which this style came to be known as) being among some of my favourite tracks to come from Detroit. Mike Banks' commitment to the music, underground culture and the community is something to be admired and celebrated."
HERBERT – The Audience
Jamie Kidd: "Matthew Herbert's influence spans beyond his incredible catalogue. An absolute legend for his art, his advocacy, and work ethic, we were immensely honoured to have Herbert remix our song Don't Be Afraid in 2021. Matthew taught me that a sampler is the most versatile instrument in the studio, not as a tool to sample other artists' music, but rather as a tool to musically incorporate elements from one’s own daily life and story, sometimes shaped and played just as you would a traditional instrument; other times as micro building blocks to rhythmic patterns or soundscapes. For a time, I followed his Personal Contract for the Composition of Music in my own productions and have always encouraged happy accidents and working within limitations to my own students."
Universal Togetherness Band – Real Thrill
TUSH: "Universal Togetherness Band’s music has been deeply impactful to TUSH. We covered their music as a full 7-piece band in our early days when we performed live rare groove. Kamilah learned that Andre Gibson, lead signer and writer of UTB, was still producing music, and this felt like a rare opportunity to connect with a pioneer who was presently shaping new generations of musicians in disco/rare groove/house. Even more importantly to Kamilah, a chance to meet a Black elder who was still practicing in Black art forms. These intergenerational moments are unique. What came out of it was a trip to Chicago for Jamie and Kamilah to meet Andre, lovingly known to them as Dre (and sometimes Unc :)), co-produce a track with him, and spend time seeing Chicago through Andre’s eyes."
Outhud – One Life To Leave
Kamilah Apong: "I adore this song so much. There is a wonderful producer, musician and friend of TUSH - Cyclist (Mark Gonzaga) - who put me onto this track. I can feel the early 00’s basement party vibe while also feeling like this song is timeless. I think I feel connected to it as TUSH has similar approaches in blending digital & analog sounds together, and Jamie and I have had a few jams and album cuts that explore dance rock/pop. I want to hear this played in a dingy, dark club while I wear a DIY crop top I made out of an old t-shirt."
Alongside the records themselves, inspiration often arrives from places that sit outside music entirely.
As Kamilah explains in a bonus influence behind the EP's wider themes, activist and educator Mariame Kaba played a major role in shaping both the storytelling around ‘Heavy Weather’ and her own perspective in recent years.
"The lyrics ‘hope, a discipline, your practice’ in our song Push come from Mariame Kaba."
Looking across these selections, a common thread becomes clear. TUSH are drawn towards music that carries weight beyond production alone. Whether through emotion, community, experimentation or memory, every influence here feels tied to something larger than the records themselves.
That same approach runs throughout ‘Heavy Weather Remixes’, a project that takes existing material and reimagines it through fresh perspectives while never losing the spirit that made it resonate in the first place.
TUSH
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