Tōth

Meet The Tōth

They are back in the saddle its our dear friend Tōth. Taking a brief break from making downright delightful, but devastating chamber pop music to lend us some of their thoughts. It is all in here folks from the first instrument they ever owned, to education on incredible 1980’s sci-fi campy movies. Speaking of movies Tōth has put out some downright hypnotic music videos. I will be putting one right below these wacky words.

Would you rather freeze things with your breath or melt everything you touch? Why?

I'd rather freeze things with my breath because that seems less of a drag/more containable somehow. If everything I touched melted I wouldn't be able to do anything I liked doing. I would be concerned that freezing things with my breath would make it difficult to eat and drink but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

Do you remember the first album you ever bought? Did it shape the kind of music you are making today?

it would have been a CD. which CD was it? Oasis' What's the Story Morning Glory? or Beck's Odelay? If the former then only tangentially because my dad was like "what is this? you should listen to the Beatles instead." And eventually I did and that was life-changing. If the latter (Beck), then 100% that record is a part of my musical make-up to this day.

What was the first instrument that you had growing up?

hmm a little "Miracle" keyboard and a trumpet happened around the same time. I'll go with keyboard!

If you could go back and record the score for one motion picture which would it be? Why?

Explorers because I wanted to be those kids. The idea of having my own tiny spaceship permeated my recurring childhood dreams and I think drove a lot of my behavior somehow. I could probably make strange songs and compositions from deep in my subconscious in a convincing way to that film. Probably use my Juno 60 synthesizer quite a bit. That said I think the score is fine as is!

Where does the process begin when you are starting to record a new piece of music?

either with me hearing something in my head or playing my guitar or synth and writing a song. the initial seed I capture in voice memo and then move over to basic home recording setup to finish the song or piece. I write a lot of songs and beats. when I'm not on tour I record something almost every day.

What have been your favorite albums to come out in 2019?

2019! I think my friends in Big Thief along with Andrew Sarlo (who mixed my record) made a very inspiring record. Also Aldous Harding made a crazy good song and best video ever in The Barrel.

Where do you see you and your music going in the next few years?

To Japan next week! And hopefully the rest of the world too ! I don't know I have over 120 unreleased 'homeless' songs right now! I'm going to release a record of Happy Birthday songs I wrote for friends and fam. I have about forty 10-60 second songs for it so far. As for the 'real' record I'm figuring that out now. A bit more rhythm & 'party factor' and a bit more humor and continuing to hone my production and writing crafts! I want to keep getting better at making records! And I hope to make quite a few more.

Do you have a favorite chord? If you do, why is it your favorite?

I don't really have a favorite chord. I like harmony to feel somewhat ambiguous/open/bewitching. The chord I probably use the most is a Major 7 chord. Probably C Major 7 or E Major 7 or A Major 7 or all of them in the same tune. That chord is useful because its pretty and its both sad and hopeful at the same time.

What kind of messages do you try to get across with your sound?

haha that feels like such an abstract question for some reason. I can speak to my aim/goals. For sound: 1) be interesting/moving to my ears/body 2) be helpful and maybe healing to other listeners in some capacity. For lyrics: same. I guess if the music I'm making helps counter the feelings of anxiety and separation in the world to me than I'm like "cool" and maybe it'll have a similar impact on others. This sounds lofty but its not. I.e. "Ob la di ob la da" accomplishes this 110%.

What was the first book you read that had an affect on you?

Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey

What would be your dream venue to play?

I'm kind of playing my dream venue on June 7th for my album release show at National Sawdust. It's gorgeous, interesting, well-curated and sounds great. Ok ok. But I guess big dream venue? idk Carnegie Hall or Radio City? I've played the latter a couple times actually in other projects but to headline it someday as Tōth would be beyond wildest dream I guess. But also some of my favorite shows for this project thus far have been little house shows. For real.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Just thanks for reaching out your blog/site is really fun and unique take on music writing and I hella appreciate that! <3