From bleak folk bands to electronic music, Tikoda isn’t afraid to try something new

Currently in their second year at dBs Institute completing an MA in innovation in sound, Theo Porter-Passingham AKA Tikoda’s taste in music is as diverse as it could get.

“I’m enjoying electronic dance music through my studies but I’m also in a band called Young Waters, which is kind of bleak folk and I also play in a band called KAJ [soon to be renamed Dog Daughter], which is more 90s grunge,” Theo tells Bristol24/7.

Through the pademic, Theo began focusing more on the electronic side of music, particularly in their band Young Waters, subsquently leading them to DJ under the name Tikoda.

Playing electric guitar in a band is very different to DJ’ing on stage alone, so do they have a preference on what they like to spend their time doing? “Performing is what I really love, being in a live setting so whichever one of those is happening at the time is great.”

Hailing from London, Theo’s decision to study at dBs was both a whim and a calculated decision to learn something new.

“I graduated from my degree nine years ago and I’ve been in Bristol, on and off, for about 10 years. It got to August last year and I wanted to do something different, I realised that live performance wasn’t necessarily stable as a career choice and I needed to have some more skills,” they explain.

Now focusing on immersive visuals, audio reactive visuals and surround sound systems in a club environment, Theo is currently working on their final project.

With the installation of the d&b Soundscape at Dareshack, Theo was one of the first people to experience the new Soundscape alongside performers such as Ishamael Ensemble, Paul Nolan and Loss Gain at an industry event last week.

The venue have also offered to host Theo’s final project which will hopefully be held in May 2023.

“I have a vague plan and it will definitely be something that involves audio visual elements, maybe a performance, but then maybe an installation as well; something that’s there, even if I’m not there as well,” they tell us.

“Also, possibly showcasing some other artists if I can, because I really love doing that.”

Do they have anyone in mind they’d like to showcase? “There’s obviously loads of artists that are above and beyond me that I’d love to showcase, people like Overmono and Giant Swan, people doing live electronic stuff. But whether it would be people of that caliber? I don’t know.

“But also being able to give them opportunity to work with the surround sound system if they haven’t done it, so I’m trying to trying to get some kind of proposal together that I could invite those artists and then collaborate with them.”

Experimenting with sight and sound is currently how Theo passes the time. Holed up in either the dBs studio (“which has no windows so it’s quite intense”) or their studio in Easton, they are always working on something new.

“I think I’ve got quite an addictive personality so when I start learning something new, I sometimes forget about food and sleep for a while.”

Keep up to date with Tikoda via their Instagram.

Main photo: Theo Porter-Passingham

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