When Tomorrow Comes...

When Tomorrow Comes…

The day has finally arrived and Adam Dixon sees his first release on TidyTwo, a double A-Side offering and it’s a big one. Johnny Dangerous catches up with the trance world’s new unsung hero of euphoric melodies.

Although you have been producing for a while, many would say you got your lucky break when you remixed Guyver’s – Man On The Moon… Would you agree with this?

I pledged for the Alien on Earth album and part of that was receiving the track parts to some of his biggest tunes. ‘Man on the Moon’ was one of them. But I would agree, it defo got my name about the scene. The remix was done just for my own DJ sets but my good friend Jon Hemming told me I should send it to a handful of DJ’s. So, I sent it to Steve Lid, he loved it and played it at his gigs, then he past it onto Lee Haslam who also loved it. Hearing it being played at Tidy Euphoria to a packed out room was a next level fantastic feeling. Blown away feeling.

Everyone is different when it comes to making music… how do you produce? Do you use various equipment or are you a ‘soft-synth’ driven producer?

I have a loft studio set up but it’s not a producer’s heaven full of gear. I have a powerful laptop and a midi keyboard with faders and knobs. It’s nice to get your hand on the faders to do gain controls and using the knobs for automation. Who doesn’t like a good knob twisting action?

Tell us about your latest offering which Tidy Two have signed. How did Tomorrow and Tension come about? Did you make this track specifically with Tidy in mind? What inspired the two tracks?

I don’t tend to sit there and try and make music, I’m normally just working on patterns and sounds, then when it all clicks I get in the zone and make a track. With ‘Tension’ I sent to Amo and he loved it but recommend that it needed a hook, which is exactly what my wife had said (Beth knows her tunes!). I did get Beth to record a hook, but she couldn’t stop laughing so I got the hook from a sexy porno vocal pack instead. Found the right vocal and it all gelled together. Jay Flynn gave it a listen and had an Idea to make it even bigger. So, he gave it a once over and it sounded huge! JAY has been a massive help with my music journey.

As for ‘Tomorrow’, I started to make that track the day after ‘Tension’ was finished… I was in the zone! It just all flowed! Originally it was called beautiful, but the vocal didn’t work with the breakdown.

Yes, I did make them specifically for TIDY. It been a very long dream since I started clubbing and DJing to get a track on tidy. I started producing again when I got back into hard trance, I thought this is the time to try and make it happen.

It appeared on the Tidy Lockdown Annual… Is this the first compilation your tracks will have featured on?

My house and techno tracks have been on Amsterdam dance music comps in the past and my more recent music had been on the Shed Session CDs. But I’m super chuffed I have music on a Tidy Annual.

Many people produced in Lockdown and one of the most difficult things to gauge is the crowd response… how did you know you had a crowd-pleaser with this release?

I didn’t until my wife Beth told me “You are onto a winner with them, I really like them” LOL! (she’s my harshest critic, as well as my biggest fan, she always tells me the truth). Normally you get a feeling. Once I’ve made a track, I go into a different room, turn the lights off and put my headphones on and just listen. If you get a massive smile on your face and the hairs on your arms start to stand, it’s gotta to be a winner.

If you could work with someone on a track who would that be?

I have two people I would love to collaborate with.

Jay Flynn
Metta & Glyde

Jay is at the top of his game with music and he has helped me loads on this journey. Also I’m a massive Unit 13 fanboy. Metta & Glyde’s music is just outstanding, every track is just top notch. Amazing music.

You are good friends with another Tidy Two artist, Bryn Whiting… will be see a collaboration from you both in the future?

We have spoken about it so I’m sure it will happen soon.

How do you manage to find a balance between working a full-time job, family time and making music?

At work during my lunch break I get a quick 30 min on Ableton. Then once home and I’ve spent time with the family I may stay up unit the early hours working on music if I’m in the zone. It’s very rare for me to get a full day on music. So, I take time on it when I can.

Prior to Lockdown you had been lucky enough to play at a few Tidy events including the Secret Vinyl Party, Opera house reunion and the Halloween party. How was that?

A massive dream come true!!! I still pinch myself now. The vinyl party was amazing and to get to play in between Sam and the Tidy Boys was next level. Also, Andy has soft hands. Then the opera house was insane. To play at the venues was a DJ dream of mine as it was my clubbing home for many years. To get asked to play was amazing. Maybe next year I’ll play in the main room? (wink wink). But the Halloween party was just out of this world and I got to play with Bryn. We really worked well together. The crowd were amazing.

Many producers aspire to have a release on one of the Tidy labels… you have managed to achieve that. How does it feel?

Dreams and goals can be achieved if you put your heart and soul into it. I’m over the moon!!!

Tidy are a great team of people and are fantastic to work with.

What can we expect from you in the future?

More Tidy releases!

More banging music!

Also more DJing (when all the lockdown’s blow over)

Can I just say a massive thank you to Tidy and the team but also.

To my brother form another Mother Jon Hemming, none of this would of happen without him.

To my wife Beth for putting up with listening to the same tracks over and over.

To Bryn… for the naked facetime chats.

All the Shed DJs… a great bunch of humans.