Thriftworks Talks About Major Influences And Releasing New Music in iEDM Exclusive Interview

When he isn't dropping witch blippy beats, Thriftworks goes by the name Jake Atlas. He is a 27 year old electronic music producer who recently moved to Portland, Oregon and growing in popularity for trippy bass music.

Music has been apart of Jake's life since he was kid. His mom put him in piano lessons at the age of 4 and by 16 he was creating music on old windows towers computers. 

Thriftworks began to take off in 2012 leading Jake's music to be known around the world.

iEDM:  How does it feel playing both weekends of Electric Forest?

Jake: It’s my second time at Electric Forest. I’m playing all weekend and then I’m going to spend some time hanging around Michigan for a little bit. And then I’m going to come back and play again, so I’m a very forest-ey boy these two weeks.

iEDM: How would you describe your music?

Jake: I’d say it sounds like Wu-Tang, ouija boards and wind chimes. It’s my own brand of ghost jangling, instrumental, electronic, hip-hop. Witch blip, for the haunted horny toad in all of us.

iEDM: Was there any special process in making The Feather and The Sword?

Jake: I’d like to believe the process of making music is special regardless. It is a magical thing when you’re in your true flow, in your true groove. I had that concept of The Feather and The Sword for a good couple months, I was marinating on it for a while. It’s more so of an EP and just a  representation of the music I was making at that time, less of a story. But I’m already writing new music and I have more of a theme. I really like to put albums together that tell stories and have a full on theme and that’s in the works right now.  I have a couple albums out that I think follow that agenda.

 iEDM: So you’re working on an album currently?

Jake: I’m working on a full length and it’s a more themed and contained piece. EPs are cool, I’m not saying an EP can’t tell a story. I think that’s just a sampling of the paints that I had on my pallet at that time.

iEDM: Who have been some of your major influences growing up?

Jake: When I was in high school Myspace was our sound cloud and that’s where I learned about the whole culture of instrumental, hip-hop, beat makers that made really snappy tunes. And we always liked to freestyle too, so we would just sit there and be like this is so snappy, I can’t stop moving my head. Hunchback Esquire is my man and shout out to Myspace for being the first Sound Cloud. The instrumental under lords of Myspace, those are my influences.

EDM: Why did you choose the pterodactyl as your symbol?

Jake: It’s my spirit animal. I love birds and I love flight.

iEDM: Do you feel like you were a pterodactyl in a past life? Do you believe in that kind of stuff?

Jake: In reincarnation? I’m about that. I’m about multiple lives with the same soul…. I hope so. I mean to be that powerful. I enjoy all things prehistoric.

iEDM: Is your favorite color Greenie Beanies ?

Jake: Nailed it, yes. Green and brown.

Find out where Thriftworks will be next HERE and listen and buy his music HERE.

Check out more iEDM exclusive interviews HERE.