One of our favorite things to do here at The Indy Review is to discover talented new artists right at the start of their careers. Recently I was introduced to the debut single “Enough to Drink” from UK indie/folk singer-songwriter Tomo.
The delicate acoustic track instantly connects emotionally, while also conjuring similarly strong nostalgia pangs. Tomo was kind enough to answer some of my questions about the single and his musical inspirations. 
IR: Can you tell me a little more about the track? What was the lyrical inspiration for it?
Tomo: The lyrical inspiration initially came to me when I looked out of a bus window and saw some graffiti by Extinction Rebellion that read “if not now, when? if not you, who?” I used this as the first line of the song “if not now then when” and went from there, focussing on creating an atmosphere of reflective introspection. I have struggled with alcohol use in the past, and I often found that such moments of intense introspection would arise after having too much to drink; thus I attempted to create the image of someone looking deep into their person while sitting in a room having had too much to drink.
IR: Where did you record it? Who produced it?
Tomo: It was all recorded and produced by myself in the living room of my parents’ house, using one condenser microphone. I found that this method of production was particularly effective in conveying the intimate atmosphere of the song.
IR: Were there any specific musical inspirations that led to the sound of the track?
Tomo: Musically, I have been inspired by a number of indie folk musicians. Gregory Alan Isakov is a particularly significant inspiration, both in his poetic, blue-collared lyricism and also in his often stripped back instrumentation. This is a combination I am trying to develop in my music as well. Radical Face is also a key inspiration for me; he produces in a similar way, from the living room of his Mother’s house, and the haunting, raw atmosphere evident in his music is something that I am trying to create as well.
Take a listen to the track in our A Single Sit-Down Playlist!
The Indy Review 