Algorithms – those dreaded virtual creatures that hold all musos hostage. Artists never know 100% how their releases are classified and whether their target audiences will get to hear their songs. 

In Tatonic’s case, an AI tool did its job pretty well, though.

Not only was he “discovered” on the other side of the world, but it also led him to an interesting new release.

PART 194 OF “AM I EVER GONNA SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN?” A RANDOM COLLECTION OF UNKNOWINGLY OBVIOUS FACTS ABOUT AUSTRALIAN MUSIC SCENE

• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Threads
• Spotify
• X
• LinkedIn
• TikTok

When Tatonic approached me for the first time, I felt there was something distinctive about his music. And even though our collaboration didn’t work out then, I made a note to keep an eye on his future releases.

I’m glad he didn’t give up. Because it’s not every day you get to hear such an “exotic” collaboration with a rare story behind it. And that’s exactly what his newest release, The Norbert Files, is to me. 

Tatonic (real name Julian Tatton) is a Melbourne-based composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who likes to keep an aura of mysticism around his persona. But I’ve convinced him to share some of his intriguing background.

Born and raised in the UK, he lived in various towns in the North of England before moving to continental Europe to work in hot-air ballooning. He then spent a few years as a police psychologist in Yorkshire (UK) before relocating to Australia.

He now works as a psychologist and facilitator with businesses but applies his skills in other areas as well. That includes running programs on the power of learning music for brain and mental health, accredited by the Australian Psychological Society.

His pathway into music was rocky, to say the least.

When he was eight, his music teacher told Tatonic he was “too old” to learn to play the violin. In the following years, he was also kicked out of the school choir with a suggestion that he “shouldn’t be singing.” (That harsh judgment had a profound impact on his career as a musician. To this day, all his tracks are either instrumentals or feature guest vocals.) 

With no access to formal training, he taught himself guitar when he was 15 before joining an indie rock band Van Meets Wall at school. Then, he put music on the back burner turning his attention to other things.

Years later, he began to suffer headaches. He was sent to a neurologist who found holes in his corpus callosum (the part of the brain that joins the two hemispheres together). After receiving various life-threatening diagnoses, he set off on a journey to “re-grow his brain”.  

He came across a study that found drummers had larger corpus callosi. So he bought a kit and practised diligently until it was time for his follow-up scan six months later. The second opinion revealed he was fine and that the holes were – in fact – just vascular spaces (where his blood vessels were).

By then, though, Tatonic was already a keen drummer. He picked up the guitar again and started adding piano to the mix, needing a creative outlet for all his newly-found energy. Setting a challenge of recording an album in 2015 seemed like a fitting idea. So he also learned how to mix, master and release music. And the rest is history.

Today, over 50 tracks later, his music has been played on the radio worldwide. And his music is getting more traction on streaming platforms every day.

Asked about his style, Tatonic claims he sounds like “no one really”. His IG bio sheds some light on his musical vibe, though: “I make chilled tunes (…) You’ve probably heard it somewhere without knowing it…”. 

He’s often compared to Kerala Dust,  Koresma, and Portishead, occupying the downtempo, electronic space with hints of lo-fi hip-hop, 90s trip-hop and drum’n’bass. He’s a diverse artist, not afraid to be inspired by all kinds of sonic landscapes and cultures: from east Asian instrumentation to rock, jazz, blues and reggae. 

Many compliment his use of “samples” without realising it’s all original material and live instrumentation. Whilst he appreciates the sampling craft, Tatonic believes it’s the process of writing and creating each sound from the ground up that brings joy. What he often adds to his tracks is vinyl static “for the acoustic warmth and atmosphere it brings.” 

His songs often stem from a simple concept. Drumbeats, a bassline, chord progression or melody are built up layer by layer. Sometimes, the process is inspired by other music, too. But very often, it simply happens through tinkering on whatever instrument he’s currently using.

Music curators and journalists praise him for conjuring a nostalgic, cinematic vibe.

Lochie from Freshly Squeezed shared on the triple j Unearthed platform:

“Getting some Emancipator / Bonobo feels from this beautiful track. I don’t usually hear too much nu-jazz here on Unearthed, so it’s great to see a song of that style appear here. Everything comes together super nicely, especially at the end with all the gorgeous organic instrumentation coming to create a fantastic climax to the song. Great work!”

Jami Selikow left a glowing review of his track “Time Goes By”, featuring Annabel Claire on Indie Shuffle, stating:

“The melancholia of the track has the power to drop us into heavier emotion but the topline melody gently fastens the mind to a balloon-like uplift, creating the perfect balance, and ultimately the perfect experience.”

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he was “discovered” by a very special fan – another artist from a country half across the world.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Norbert Koenner (@norbert.koenner)

Norbert Könner is an award-winning German jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player who has performed with the jazz greats, including Benny Bailey, Bobby Shew and Ack van Rooyen.

He vividly recalls being introduced to Tatonic’s music by Spotify’s algorithm. While he was listening to his own album, Trip Heat, the platform suggested the British-Aussie artist’s “Moment of Clarity”.

“I was really flashed by the atmo and sound of this track”, Norbert claims. “I searched for Tatonic on Instagram and sent some congrats with a direct message. Shortly thereafter he listened to a track of mine and asked if I would be open for a collab. And yes, I was.”

Tatonic sent Norbert a group of released and unreleased tracks. Three resonated the most with the trumpeter, so they worked on them together to finally create The Norbert Files EP.

The result is a relaxed, enveloping listening experience that breaks new ground in its sound composition. Even though they form part of one release, the three tracks are quite different.

“Tomorrow It Will Be Gone (Norbert Mix)” is a welcoming piano bar vibe that unveils a deeper emotive story. This one’s my favourite on the EP.

The second track has a cheeky, playful title: “Some songs need a really long title to communicate their deeper meaning. This one doesn’t (Norbert Mix)”. Despite that complex approach to naming the song, it really is a simple interplay between double-bass and flugelhorn that builds with multiple layers throughout.

Finally, “Clanging (Norbert Mix)” sounds a bit like a dissonant Aphex-Twin-like piano melody at first. But it rewards the listener as it unfolds.

Jami Selikow from Indie Shuffle also said about Tatonic’s music: “It makes me feel something, and that’s all we ask of music, right?” 

So even though I recently wrote about how AI is not doing Australian music any justice, this case proves otherwise. Spotify’s algorithm might actually be on track to help artists connect with fans and fellow music creatives on a deeper level.

Fingers crossed we’ll hear more stories like this one in the future.

---