Kormac
Dusty jazz samples meet crisp modern beats and cinematic orchestration. A sophisticated blend of big band energy and late-night electronic textures.
Dusty jazz samples meet crisp modern beats and cinematic orchestration. A sophisticated blend of big band energy and late-night electronic textures.
Kormac creates a sound that feels like a bridge between a smoke-filled 1930s jazz club and a high-end modern production suite. It is music that celebrates the tactile nature of sound, where the hiss of a needle on vinyl is just as important as the sweep of a live violin section. The rhythms are rooted in hip-hop and house, but the soul is purely organic, often featuring a full eleven-piece big band or even a chamber orchestra.
What truly sets him apart is his ability to treat the turntable as a lead instrument within a classical or jazz framework. He doesn't just loop old records; he recontextualizes them, layering live brass and soulful guest vocals over intricate scratch patterns. This creates a sense of 'future-nostalgia' that is both intellectually stimulating for the crate-digger and physically infectious for the casual listener.
Start with the album 'Doorsteps' to hear his peak sample-flipping mastery, then move to 'Equivalent Exchange' to experience his more mature, orchestral evolution. It is the perfect soundtrack for moments that require both style and substance.
Cormac O'Halloran, better known by his stage name DJ Kormac or simply Kormac, is a Dublin-based composer, DJ, and producer renowned for blending organic recordings with expansive electronica. His work spans solo projects, collaborative releases, and film scoring, where he is celebrated for his innovative soundscapes. Since 2019, Kormac has composed scores for several acclaimed TV series and feature films, including This Town, written by Steven Knight and aired on BBC One in early 2024. His other notable compositions include The Boy That Never Was starring Colin Morgan, The Diplomat featuring Sophie Rundle, and Swift Justice, an Emmy-nominated short film exploring the inner workings of a Taliban courtroom. In 2022, after nearly a decade-long hiatus, Kormac released his third studio album Equivalent Exchange, featuring the Irish Chamber Orchestra. The project culminated in a sold-out performance at Dublin's National Concert Hall in early 2024.
Shares playful, nostalgic, energetic (moods); sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style)
Shares trip-hop, nu jazz, abstract hip-hop (subgenres); playful, nostalgic, mysterious (moods)
Shares playful, nostalgic, energetic (moods); trip-hop, nu jazz (subgenres)
Shares playful, nostalgic, mysterious (moods); trip-hop, abstract hip-hop (subgenres)
Shares trip-hop, nu jazz, abstract hip-hop (subgenres); sample based, analog warmth, layered dense (production style)
Shares trip-hop, nu jazz, abstract hip-hop (subgenres); urban night, late night, festival (atmosphere)
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