Jonah Abraham of Toy Soldier Shares the Sounds that Shaped His Manic Debut

Photo courtesy of Toy Soldier.

Welcome to SOUND ADVICE, Interview’s weekly destination for playlists curated by our friends, enemies, and lovers. In recent weeks, we’ve featured playlists from Sunshine Benzi, Nat & Alex Wolff, and Skype Williams. This week’s playlist is courtesy of Jonah Abraham, AKA Toy Soldier, whose debut album HELP ME just dropped. The record is a compact, 20-minute sprint of pulsating beats that evokes the feeling of being chased through a sonic jungle. Though it’s his first record, the California-based musician is no musical novice, having produced for the likes of 2hollis, Playboi Carti, and Yeat. To celebrate the release, he made us a playlist of what he describes as the “rhythmic, focused sound design” that inspired his debut. Then, he gave us a peek into his notes app and offers his best advice for up-and-coming producers.

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What is this playlist about? It’s a mix of my current favorite rhythmic focused electronic music. I was really inspired while making this album by music that wasn’t catchy because of the melody but because of the percussion elements and the polyrhythms.

Where do you dance? In the studio.

The world is ending. What are you wearing? Probably sweats and Uggs.

Dream collab, living or dead? I would love to hear Prince and Yves Tumor on a song but it’s produced by Prince.

What’s the best setting to listen to HELP ME? In your bedroom, headphones on loud as fuck.

Who do you trust most with the aux? My dad.

What’s a piece of musical lore about yourself that most people don’t know? I played Lollapalooza in Argentina and Chile in a metal band when I was 14.

What does your notes app look like? Messy as fuck things I don’t remember writing.

What’s the weirdest place you’ve found inspiration for a song? Maybe in a hot tub? 

Name a song you always drop in a DJ set: “Million” by Yemi and Gud.

What’s one thing you think every up-and-coming producer should know? Putting too much emotion into your work will almost always bite you in the ass.

Where do you go when you need to disappear? The studio.