News Troumaca: ‘You Have To Let Your Mind Wander, Or You’ll Sink’

There’s little dispute over Birmingham’s fledging reputation. Something is happening there, be it a process of us finally tilting our heads their way, or groups getting carried off on their own momentum. But there’s little to sonically align all of the city’s emerging talents. Musically, Troumaca are B-town just like Laura Mvula is B-town. Nothing but location fits Troumaca’s sound with the likes of Peace and Swim Deep.

In their debut EP ‘Virgin Island’ these guys set themselves apart from the rest of the stellar cast. The product of a couple of years worth of gigging, writing and devotion to the project, it is a remote, blissfully unaware work. Rooted in the kind of tropical pop that defined the early work of Memory Tapes, it nods to anthemia, all while immersing itself in the palm trees and distant happiness of an exotic yesteryear.

Samuel Cornforth spoke to the band about their roots to the island that formed their name, turning a blind eye to hype and the time they shook hands with Gilles Peterson.



What is it that inspires the tropical pop elements in your sound, is it a form of escapism?
Living in a place like Birmingham you have to let your mind wander, or you’ll sink. I guess we run with our longings, but, like everyone else, we yearn for kind faces and the sun on our backs. So yeah, we want to escape from our grizzly grey surroundings and burst out into a rainbow of colour and heat, we do that through our music. The kind of tunes we listen to, that turn us on, have that sun drenched feel to them too, it just seeps into your bones. Who doesn’t want to wake up in a hammock, look out from the beach and stare at the ocean?

After quitting your jobs, did you feel under pressure for the group to work?
Ha, I’d say the jobs quit us, and our girlfriends. You sacrifice a lot trying to make things work, and what seems like an act of insane chastity is forgotten when a tune comes together, or a gig goes off. It’s worth the pain, it’s what we dream about, or we are just masochists.

You recently signed to Gilles Peterson’s label. Is this the perfect fit for the band and was it an easy decision to make?
Man, Gilles is such a player! We met him when we played a Festival in B’ham, he loved it, and only offered to shake our hands if we were unsigned! It was actually like a story you read in Music bio or something. We spent some time down at the Brownswood office to meet the Bwood family and in the end the choice was simple. It’s great to be on a label that totally trusts your vision and hand over the reins. We are very happy.

Do you think being from Birmingham has helped you get noticed or do you see it as everyone expects big things from you just because you are from a thriving scene?
I would probably say both. Birmingham, being a small city does allow you to get noticed easier, than say London. The music scene is definitely at a great point, but it always has been, the only difference now is the rest of the country wants to know what’s going on here. We don’t get involved with all the hype cause we are always in the studio! But having said that, it’s about time there was some positive stuff being said, for too long we’ve been written off and misrepresented. Noddy Holder is not from Birmingham! To see all these bands coming through and to count some of them as our friends is even better. You put yourself out there not knowing who’s going to listen so all the attention is a bonus.

Geoff we understand that your family are from Troumaca and it certainly appears to have influenced the summery vibes you create. Could you explain the significance of this island to you?
Yes, my family on my mother’s side is from Troumaca, a village in St Vincent in the West Indies. This place holds great significance for the obvious reasons. As I grew up, the realisation of the journey my mom and her siblings made to the UK became apparent, in some ways it feels like we are doing the same thing, in a musical sense, I’m trying to make journey back, through the music.
When we are writing Troumaca is like a beacon in the night, like the stars it helps us find our way home. It’s the place where we want to put our flag in the dirt.

After hearing your music I instantly envisioned an energetic upbeat live show. Could you explain to us the experience you try to create when performing live?
The sets always go off, most of the time though it’s us moving more that the crowd. We love it though. I end up grinding my guitar like it’s a girl. She is a girl, but that’s another story! If we had the budget our shows would be total experience, we have ambitions to engage all the senses. We don’t know how yet, lick-able wallpaper is one idea.

So far lots of people have described your musical as being tropical, is there any dark undertones in any of your music or any ideas for a changed style?
Definitely, it’s not all suntans and ice-cream, we seek out the dark side of the island too.

Finally, if we were to squeeze you and your music up into a cocktail glass, what would you be?
Sex On The Beach.

‘Lady Colour’


The ‘Virgin Island’ EP is released on 25th February through Brownswood Recordings.