Long Island Sound
DJs | Producers
Long Island Sound is an Irish duo comprising of producers Timmy and Rob who have been DJing and making tunes together for the best part of ten years now. Known for their vibrant sound of sunny, atmospheric house combined with their bouncy energy in the DJ booth, the years of honing their craft in the music scenes of Dublin and Berlin are paying off, and this clearly shows throughout their first Boiler Room set in February this year.
Having moved from Dublin to Berlin in the summer of 2017, it was here that Timmy and Rob poured their creative energy into a string of productions which were then released on Super Tuff Records, Body Fusion and gained support from the likes of Avalon Emerson, Bicep, Nabibah Iqbal and Laurence Guy to name a few.
While their tracks were also doing the rounds via a heap of Irish artists back home, the pair were playing out in Berlin at Watergate, Griessmuehle, IPSE, Mango Discs, OYE Record Store alongside bookings in Ireland and the UK at AVA Festival in Belfast, Pharmacia in Limerick, Wigwam in Dublin, Sheaf St in Leeds & more. Their debut at Corsica Studios with Cinnaman in London was supposed to be two weeks ago but for now, it’s postponed until further notice.
During spring last year, it made sense for Timmy and Rob to start their own imprint 'Signs of Space' to keep circulating their tracks to a wider audience. The label's vision is to explore 'our ever-expanding universe' through music with an emphasis on 'spacey synths, melodic rhythms, glistening textures and crunchy percussion.' With two of their own EPs on the label so far, it was the track 'I Still Love You' which caught Maribu State's attention and later featured on his Fabric mix.
Now back to home in Éire since Christmas, Timmy and Rob were consistently playing out in Dublin up until corona crept into Ireland. The below image goes back to exactly one year ago to the day, when they were both living in Berlin…
Photo: Unknown
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it?
This photo was taken in Berlin exactly one year ago. For anyone who doesn’t know, May 1, Mayday, is a festival when the labour movement and working class people are celebrated. It’s got a rich and crazy history in Berlin, which in the past has involved riots between various political groups and the police. It’s more recently known for big, beautiful, peaceful street parties. There’s thousands and thousands of people in the streets, with people DJing on practically every street corner in Kreuzberg. Basically anything goes. Unfortunately, last year the police became a lot stricter and a lot of these parties were forced to close, if they even went ahead at all.
We played at one street party before it was shut at 1pm. Then we went on to play at IPSE’s garden with the Koffain boys. It was bananas. It was sold out by about 3pm, since a lot of the street parties were called off. It was definitely one of the most memorable days in Berlin.
We’ve made a lot of really good memories at IPSE over the years. Unfortunately the club burnt down in a fire a few days ago… there’s a campaign called SAVE IPSE that’s been started to raise some funds for the repairs. Please donate if you can!
How has the pandemic affected your job?
Rob: Like a lot of people at the moment, it has definitely had an affect on my income, especially as we aren't gigging at the moment. Thankfully we still have our label ticking over, as well as some bits from royalties.
Tim: DJing was never our sole source of income, although it was a big part of it. We’ve been trying to put a bit of emphasis on our label, through Bandcamp sales, record sales and little bits of merchandise like t-shirts and hoodies, which have helped to keep us afloat.
What's the dynamic between you both with producing at the moment as you can't spend time together in a confined space like a studio/each other's homes making tunes?
Rob: It's not ideal as we can't really get in the studio together to make music at the moment which is pretty annoying, but on the bright side we are both generating a bank of ideas / half finished tracks that we can then work on and finish together once we can get back in the studio.
Tim: A lot of the time, even pre-corona, we would work on stuff on our own at home, and then bring ideas to the studio to finish together. So in that way, this time is not that different - it’s just a more prolonged period of time that we have to gather up loads of ideas.
What kind of music are you currently listening to at home?
Rob: I’ve found myself listening to a wide range of electronic stuff, some probably less suited towards clubs, a lot of ambient and more synth based stuff.
Tim: Been listening to loads of Mr.G’s mixes that he’s been putting online recently. He’s putting out some soul and reggae mixes along with other more electronic stuff. Sometimes it’s hard to go looking for dance music if you know you’re not gonna be playing anytime soon, but the time will come again, surely!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed about the uncertainty of what's going on right now, do you have a go-to track or style of music that significantly lifts your spirits?
Rob: Timothy - Your Love Rolled Me Over
Tim: Van Morrison all day!
How do you intend on celebrating once we’re out the other side?
Rob: That’s actually a really tough question but, some time together in the studio and a creamy Guinness is definitely up there.
Tim: Honestly I’m not sure. I’ve no idea what life on the other side is gonna look like. Beers in the park sounds like heaven at the moment. Just wanna see all my pals at once.
Any tips on how to look after your mind and body during this slightly stressful time, as well as trying to stay motivated?
Rob: Definitely routine, I have been forcing myself to get up early and get shit done, it also helps come night time because it means I’ll actually be tired.
Tim: Literally just do whatever keeps you sane. I get more productive if I get into a good rhythm. Even if it’s just basic shit like making a smoothie every day. Love smoothies. Love ‘em. Or spend the time taking the piss out of bitcoin scammers on instagram. Reading books has also really helped me to keep my head out of my phone screen, as well as helping me get to sleep at night.
Listen to Long Island Sound’s latest track ‘Pacific Forever’ as part of the China White Records fundraiser here and follow them below: