Interview
TACIT is the producer and DJ alias for Portland's Zach Bowman. Zach has been producing electronic music for 10+ years, combining ethereal harmonies with dynamic rhythms to create emotive moments for the dancefloor.
Despite relative radio silence since their first full length release last year, Zach has been hard at work producing and returning to school to study audio engineering. It's a pleasure to feature them for Peace Portal's first live broadcast from Portland's Secret Grove on our host station Samewave Radio.
Tell us about your history with production.
I started producing music at 19 - fresh out of graduating high school, I enrolled in Lane Community College's MIDI Technology program, and absolutely fell in love with the art of producing electronic music. After the school year I realized I could keep learning at my own pace without having to be in school, and so I spent the last decade learning the arts of sound design, beat making, DJing, and songwriting.
Having recently enrolled in an audio production program, is there anything you're looking forward to learning more about in particular?
After ten years of honing my craft, I felt that once again enrolling in a music program could be the push I needed to align my passion for music with my career goals. I'm now enrolled in PCC's Music and Sonic Arts program with a major focus on audio programming. I'm learning the program MaxMSP, which has already unlocked so much potential for sound design and deeper understanding of how music works.
In December of 2023, I released my first album, "It Comes In Waves," which was the culmination of all the years I spent studying sound design, dancefloor-centric music, and life experiences that helped shape the person I am today. The album is eclectic, and while not singularly focused on any single genre, encapsulates my love of dance music as a whole.
When producing, what inspires your music?
My approach to making music typically starts with a feeling. I attempt to consolidate a singular moment, emotion, or memory in song format. The reason that I chose the name TACIT is that it perfectly matches my approach to creativity, "Understood or implied without being stated." The goal is to be able to share my expressions without having to contain them in explicit definitions.
Can you share a recent powerful, profound, or otherwise significant music or music-related experience?
Everyone who has encountered me in the last 6 months has probably heard me ramble about how profound DJ Screendoor's set at Canyon Vibration was. It truly changed the way that I wanted to approach DJing. To be able to communicate such profound music beyond the constraints of genres is the ultimate goal. Thank you Justin!
Having just begun the year, what are looking forward to or hoping for?
I'm hoping this year that I'll be able to have my main focus be developing my skills as a DJ, while still dedicating time for music production and collaborations with friends.
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