Spencer Reid, best known by his stage name, Tails, has joined forces with San Holo’s imprint, bitbird, and vocalist Monsoonsiren (Odesza, Troy Samuela), for an expressive and poignant single, “second thoughts.” By using live instruments to share amplified emotion in his records, this song marks the Canadian producer’s exploration into the indie/electronic genre.
EDM sometimes gets a bad rap of being a less credible genre in the industry, and Tails has identified this as something he’d like to change by always striving for intention in his music. With this release, he’s tapped into an arsenal of instruments and created a vessel to thoughtfully deliver Moonsiren’s lyrical message. Monsoonsiren sent the vocals for “second thoughts” and Tails spent months trying different ideas but couldn’t find a way to do them justice; instead of forcing the track just for the sake of releasing something new, he shelved it. It wasn’t until a mid-quarantine breakthrough where he was fiddling around with a $10 ukulele that his girlfriend bought on a whim, where he realized exactly what “second thoughts” needed.
“I recorded the ukulele parts directly into my laptop microphone in one take. I didn’t even edit out the sounds of my bracelet and rings hitting the instrument and desk. I wanted the musicality and production of the song to match the rawness of [Monsoonsiren’s] vocals. After the ukulele parts were recorded, the rest of the song came together quickly.”
By waiting for the organic moment to occur Tails added a whole new layer of purpose to his production. “I’ve always put forward an effort to be innovative and authentic in my music,” he says. “It’s important to me to stay true-to-self and not limit my artistry by genres and sonics. If I feel something, I want to express it as organically as possible. ‘second thoughts’ about trusting yourself and following through on your word.”
Tails feels so passionately about making a positive impact on the electronic music industry that he’s even committed his time to teach a course with his production approaches at his local audio school in Vancouver. He went from alumni of the school to a full-time instructor and re-wrote the electronic music course curriculum. This was a pinnacle moment for Tails because he was able to leave his day job and not only fully commit himself to music, but also help others appreciate and perfect robust production skills, and hopefully better influence the narrative of electronic music today.
His latest single “second thoughts,” and its labyrinth of melodies, serve as a testament to Tails’ capabilities, and there’s only more to come in 2021.
About Tails
Born and based in British Columbia, Canada, producer Spencer Reid – better known as tails – has been forging a new path in the dance music scene since 2015. Often relying on immersive soundscapes, thickly layered drums, and catchy melodies, he has garnered millions of streams worldwide.
After busy years in 2016 and 2017, releasing independent singles like “Vega” and “Misted”, Tails defined his sound even further in 2018 by releasing breakthrough singles with Monstercat and Parametric Records – “Ghosted feat. Pauline Herr” and “Skeleton feat. Nevve.” All the while, steadily dropping a stream of remixes for the likes of Louis the Child, San Holo, Matoma, and Droeloe. He began 2019 with his American debut, playing forward-thinking sets at renowned festivals like EDC Las Vegas, Electric Zoo, and Veld. Now Tails will release his first single of 2021 on San Holo’s label, bitbird. Stay tuned for more to come from the rising producer.
Enjoy this Exclusive Playlist, curated by tails
This playlist was created to showcase songs that inspired him while making “second thoughts”
Connect with Tails
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | SoundCloud
Connect with bitbird
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website | YouTube | SoundCloud
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