Girls Of The Internet: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix

From a musical perspective the music is deep, provocative, sexy and very much adjacent to the deeper origins of House music. Regularly performing as a live band Girls Of The Internet have become a staple of modern underground House music and represent the very essence of what the genre is all about.

This month marks the release of a new album on Classic Music Company, a twelve track record which Tom describes.

“The album title is loosely taken from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, via Star Trek Discovery. When things are hard, and you can’t find a way out, occasionally you need to take a step back and things can become clear. Sometimes, when you’re feeling the most lost, you can find yourself. A few years ago, I found myself in a hopeless situation. When I had nothing, nobody, and could not see a future for myself, I made ‘When U Go’, and I realised my whole life could change, just because Luke signed the track to Classic. I realised I made my own path from nothing – so this album is a full circle moment for me. Coming back to the place that gave me meaning when I had none.”

This mix features an assortment of emphatic Deep House, the sort which can be hard to find amidst the mutant haze of EDM meets club culture of the present. This is real sh*t.

Listen below:

Please introduce yourself…

Hello, I’m Tom.

Who are you, where are you and what are you?

I produce as Girls of the Internet, I also have a band under the same name. I live in Suffolk, and I’m just a person.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

I actually do a lot of the artwork for my releases myself – this is the first painting I did for this album.

Where was the mix recorded?

In a grotty DJ rehearsal space that smells bad.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

In the bath.

What should we be wearing?

A swimming costume.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

As long as the equipment works, nice sounding monitors, a great sound system, and ideally some dancing people, that would be lovely.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

I’m gonna say the Musique Tropique remix of Two Lone Swordsmen. It was one of the first house records I ever bought, and I’ve not played it for years. Kevin McKay very kindly sent me the digital master of it recently, because he’s nice. Club Lonely forever, though.

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

Mark Farina – Frisko Disko

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

I’m not really a huge fan of back to back sets – if I love a DJ, I’d prefer just to watch them and not be an absolute dick and ask to go back to back with them. Can I just go back in time and watch Ron Hardy at the Music Box? Either that, or Claude Young anytime before he gave up DJing.

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

It was 2 Gemini TT-1200 belt drive decks and a Gemini PMX-1000 mixer. Now, I don’t have a home setup. I use CDJ 3000’s in the club, and I can’t afford to buy them for home because they are crazy expensive, so I only get to try new things out when I’m playing out. I never liked mixing on CDJ’s as it’s just so easy when you’ve been playing vinyl for so long – but 3000’s are kinda like DJing with a sampler, which makes it a bit more interesting for me. I love doing live edits of stuff when I’m playing out.

I do have a broken pair of Technics 1200’s sitting in my wardrobe in pieces, but I’m not sure that counts.

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

Every track is important.

What were the first and last records you bought?

First record: I’ve thought about this so much as I’ve been asked this so many times – honestly, I can’t really remember. I used to buy tons of 7’s from Woolworths and this little shop called Infomax in the local town near the backwards little village I grew up in. I’m really not sure exactly what the first one was.

The first house records I bought to DJ with were Moodymann’s Silent Introduction and Skimming Not Swimming by Two Lone Swordsmen.

Last records: New were DJ Nature and Toddsonic33 records. Old; my last Discogs order was some bits from Wyndell Long, DJ Dozia & DJ Rasoul.

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

A Milky Way.

If it was an animal what would it be?

A snotty pug.

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

I have plenty of records that would be impossible to beat-match, but I wouldn’t put them in a set. I play house, techno and disco, so everything is mixable.

Upcoming in the world of…

There’s a bloody new album coming out! Go stream it, buy it, or add it to your playlists or something.

Anything else we need to discuss?

Yes. We’re curating a very special Christmas party with The Cause on 20th December with Terrence Parker & Oliver Dollar DJing, and lots more fun people TBA.

You can also see me DJ at XOYO on November 23rd with my mate Pinty!

We also may have a surprise release coming after the album, so keep your eyes and ears peeled.