Features
Artist Spotlight: RUMTUM
Here at Anjunachill HQ, we’ve been hooked on the ‘In A Forest EP’, an intriguing four-track release from Denver-based producer and visual artist RUMTUM. Blending raw, organic textures with modular synthesisers and loose grooves, the EP is designed to help you enter ‘float mode’. RUMTUM. Blending raw, organic textures with modular synthesisers and loose grooves, the EP is designed to help you enter ‘float mode’.
Now, we talk to RUMTUM about inspirations, IDM and being an interdisciplinary artist…
Can you introduce yourself, John?
My name is John Hastings. I’m an electronic music producer, DJ, and visual artist based in Denver, Colorado. My creative work spans both music and visual art, and I’m especially interested in exploring the connection between sound and visual expression. I enjoy bringing these different mediums together and finding new ways to connect with people through my work.
As well as being a musician, you’re an artist as well! Which came first, art or music?
I started drawing and painting when I was a little kid before I ever played any instruments, but I got serious about being a musician well before being a visual artist.
How do you combine your two loves of artwork and music?
They naturally relate to each other and speak their own language. The best thing I can do is try not to edit things too much and trust the authenticity of the process to “get out of your own way”. Sometimes a design I created years ago ends up vibing perfectly with a new track, or it sparks ideas for a music video or projection visuals for on stage; other times the music and artwork are created together as a pair. There’s really no rhyme or reason to it. Sometimes it feels completely accidental, and other times it feels like it was meant to be.
Is there anyone you look up to, or are inspired by, in music?
I’ve really been loving everything from Tom VR. The new LP from Not Even Noticed is incredible too. I’ve also been listening to a handful of Four Tet side projects, as well as pretty much everything Ramon Pang is putting out. Boards of Canada is probably my favorite band of all time.
I love that ’90s and early 2000s electronic sound. It feels more IDM, raw, and expressive. I’m drawn to music that has a certain rigidity to it and doesn’t feel overly polished or overproduced. At the same time, I love the entire spectrum of electronic music, from rave to downtempo and everything in between.
What’s something a fan might not know about you?
I’m a big believer in escapism and never fully growing up in some ways. I’ll spend hours studying museum dioramas to figure out how they’re made, have phone-free ’90s nights with my wife playing nerdy games and eating pizza and candy, or drive aimlessly listening to unfinished albums until wherever I end up inspires me. We’re living on a rock flying through space, life’s too weird and short to take too seriously.
Tell us a little more about the inspiration behind your ‘In A Forest EP’.
'In A Forest' is about connection through escapism. It’s about stepping away from technology and the stress of everyday life, reconnecting with nature, traveling, exploring, and being present. Take the hike. Visit the place you’ve been dreaming about. Put your feet in the grass. Stop waiting because it could pass you by... Escapism and connecting people to nature runs through all of my work. If my music or art can give someone even ten seconds where they forget about bills, stress, or whatever else is weighing on them and instead feel a connection to something bigger, that’s the secret, that’s the win.
How do you stay creatively inspired?
I think having both art and music in my life is a huge benefit because it gives my creativity more longevity and allows me to stay prolific. When one starts to dry up or slow down a little, the other tends to take over. At the same time, they’re constantly inspiring each other, so I feel like I’m in this creative whirlpool where one thing continuously touches on the next.
I also think there’s a spiritual side to creating, you’re bringing light into the world, both for yourself and for other people. I think it’s incredibly important to keep making things, especially when you consider what we leave behind. We call those things artefacts, and even the word “art” exists within that word. When we look back at the past, so much of what remains and helps us understand people who came before us is from art and creations they left behind. I think expressing yourself creatively is one of the most important things we can all do.
What's next for RUMTUM, now that your EP is out?
I’ve really been enjoying seeing the response to the new EP. There have been a lot of new people finding the music, and it’s been really fun seeing everyone connect with it. I feel like I’ve mostly just been trying to stay present and enjoy the moment of having this EP out in the world. Lately, I’ve also been focused on figuring out how to perform a lot of the new material better. I want to keep becoming a better live performer and have more fun onstage, breaking songs down into different pieces and parts using samplers, synths, and other gear. Developing the live show and finding new ways to perform the music has been a big focus for me.
I’ve also been touring with Monster Rally, playing drums in the live band while also opening the shows as direct support. We did a full North American tour, which was great, and there are still a few dates coming up. We’ll be playing Denver, Aspen, and Fort Collins soon.I’m excited to keep moving forward and release more music in the future, but I’m also really enjoying where I’m at right now.
