As Hannah Thurlow delves into drum patterns and innovative approaches to rhythm, she opens up about her exploration of hardware, blending live instrumentation with structured electronic tracks.

Born in Ireland but raised in the vibrant musical ecosystem of Bristol, Hannah Thurlow’s early exposure to the city's eclectic music scene left an indelible mark on her artistry. Bristol, renowned for its contributions to genres like dance music and drum and bass, instilled a rich musical tapestry in Hannah. In this Q&A Thurlow offers a glimpse into her musical journey, inspirations, and the exciting release of her new EP Grip.

For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

I was born in Ireland, but grew up from an early age in Bristol. The Bristol music scene definitely had a big impact in my formative years of music making. Surrounded by incredible dance music, drum and bass and guitars. The music I have been making is a mix of live and hardware based electronic. 

Your new EP Grip is set to be released on November 3rd. Can you give us some insights into what inspired the EP and what listeners can expect from it?

For this EP I found myself exploring drum patterns and experimenting with different ways of creating rhythms using hardware. I can definitely feel myself falling further into this and I’m excited to see where it goes. I’m very inspired by live instrumentation mixed into a more structured electronic track. I became very interested in using the room mics and natural reverb sweeping in and out of the tracks.

‘Spin Change’ one of the tracks from your upcoming EP, explores intricate percussion and rhythm. Could you tell us about your creative process?

This track started out with an experiment of sampling some live drums I had played in the studio and looping them through my hardware. This is a process I used for most of the record. 

The press release mentions that Grip was recorded in both London and Paris. How did the different locations influence the sound and atmosphere of the EP?

They’re both beautiful cities which I find very inspiring. The sounds of both can be heard within the record.

You've mentioned being inspired by live hardware shows and club nights. How has your exposure to these experiences shaped your approach to music production and live performance?

I’ve become very into the often randomness of hardware and modular hardware. Losing control of where the sound is going can often lead to discovering the most interesting sounds.

Could you share the story behind the name Grip for your EP? Does it hold a particular meaning or significance for the collection of tracks?

Grip felt like the perfect name for this EP. I often find I’m having to grip on in the studio as I fall further into sound explorations.

Your club night, Eterna, is an intriguing addition to your creative pursuits. Can you tell us more about the concept behind Eterna and how it complements your work as an artist?

Eterna was started as a place for friends, myself and musicians to play live hardware sets and DJ. It’s been a great way to meet fellow musicians and to road test new music. I’m really looking forward to taking it to new cities next year.

In addition to your music career, you've been involved in composing scores for global Nike campaigns and fashion events like Paris Fashion Week. How do you approach these different creative projects, and do they influence your music in return?

I approach each one based on the given brief but I have definitely found certain projects have crept into my own work - whether that be through sounds I’ve used or completely new styles of music. Creating music to accompany a pre-existing vision can be very inspiring and in turn influence my own work.

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?

I still listen to so many albums from my youth. Nine Inch Nails. Portishead. Deftones.. many more. All such important records to me growing up and today.

What do you love right now?

Erica synths, bassline and analogue synths.