Tom Caruana
The mastermind behind Tea Sea Records and all releases. Tom has been making music since 1995, starting out recording on 4-track, using samplers since around 1998, working with rappers since 2000, remixing since 2005, running label since 2007. His production albums include Brewing Up and Strange Planet, and his remix albums include Enter The Magical Mystery Chambers, Black Gold, An Adventure To Pepperland Through Rhyme and Space, Baat Suno and Inner Space.
Production Credits
2019 - Oxygen - Age Appropriate (AE Records)
2019 - Inner Space (Tea Sea)
2019 - Baat Suno (Tea Sea)
2018 - Rough Versions Remix Series Vol. 6 - Biggie (Tea Sea)
2018 - Professor Elemental - School Of Whimsy (Tea Sea)
2017 - Son Of Sam - Cinder Hill (Tea Sea)
2017 - The Menagerie - Odd Beast (Tea Sea)
2016 - Dabbla - Year Of The Monkey ('Supermodified' and 'Super Happy') (High Focus)
2016 - Professor Elemental - Amazing Friends (Tea Sea)
2015 - An Adventure To Pepperland Through Rhyme & Space (Tea Sea)
2015 - Professor Elemental - Apequest (Tea Sea)
2014 - Longusto & Devise - Stumbling (Tea Sea)
2014 - Professor Elemental - The Giddy Limit (Tea Sea)
2013 - Professor Elemental - A Plater Of Platypuses (Tea Sea)
2013 - The Menagerie - Irregular Spirits (Tea Sea)
2012 - Professor Elemental - Father Of Invention (Tea Sea)
2012 - Longusto - Too Big To Play (Tea Sea)
2012 - Dr Syntax & Tom Caruana - A Slice Of Fried Gold (Tea Sea)
2012 - Dizraeli & Tom Caruana - White Man Moves (Tea Sea)
2011 - Rizzle Kicks - Stereo Typical ('Miss Cigarette') (Island)
2011 - Rough Versions Remix Series - Vol. 1 - Large Pro (Tea Sea)
2011 - Rough Versions Remix Series - Vol. 2 - MF DOOM (Tea Sea)
2011 - Rough Versions Remix Series - Vol. 3 - Brand Nubian (Tea Sea)
2011 - Rough Versions Remix Series - Vol. 4 - J-Live (Tea Sea)
2011 - Rough Versions Remix Series - Vol. 5 - D.I.T.C. (Tea Sea)
2011 - Tom Caruana - Instrumentals Vol. 5 - Elements of the Professor (Tea Sea)
2011 - Wu-Tang & Jimi Hendrix - Black Gold (Tea Sea)
2011 - Okayplayer The Bollywood Remake (Tea Sea)
2011 - Professor Elemental - More Tea (Tea Sea)
2011 - Special School - Special School ('So Special', 'A Scolding', 'Too Much Info', 'The Antidote', 'Second 2 None' & 'Graveyard Shifts')
2010 - Wu-Tang vs The Beatles - Enter The Magical Mystery Chambers (Tea Sea)
2010 - Tom Caruana - Instrumentals Vol. 4 (Tea Sea)
2010 - Delusionists - Prolusion Plus ('Supa Lyrical Excursion pt. 2 Remix') (Beats Lying About)
2010 - Professor Elemental - The Indifference Engine (Tea Sea)
2010 - Grand Agent & Tom Caruana - The Ghetto Ain't A Place (Tea Sea)
2009 - Insight - True Or False (Original version) (Tea Sea)
2009 - Bombadeal - Further Into The Woods (Tea Sea)
2009 - Wordsmith - In Pursuit Of Harmony ('Slip & Slide') (Def Ethics)
2009 - Mole & Iris - Clouds ('Great Expectations') (Rarekind Records)
2009 - Tom Caruana - It's So Different Here (Tea Sea)
2009 - Tom Caruana - Instrumentals Vol. 3 (Tea Sea)
2009 - Elemental & Tom Caruana - Rebel Without Applause (Tea Sea)
2009 - Teej & Tom Caruana - Sound Of Teejuana (Tea Sea)
2008 - Klondike Kids - Klondike Kids (Tea Sea)
2008 - Skreintax - Scene Stealers ('Back Down') (Dented)
2008 - Ez A Divat - Nofun Nofun ('Tom Caruana remix') (Budabeats)
2008 - Longusto - Back In The Bad Books (Tea Sea)
2008 - Tom Caruana - Instrumentals Vol. 2 (Tea Sea)
2008 - Tom Caruana - Welcome Aboard (Budabeats)
2007 - Bombadeal - Songs From The Wood (Tea Sea)
2007 - Munk 777 - Nocturnalism (co-produced 'Suddenly')
2007 - Tom Caruana - Instrumentals Vol. 1 (Tea Sea)
2007 - Tom Caruana - Bric A Brac (Tea Sea)
2007 - Boiler Room Collective - BRC Album (Tea Sea)
2005 - Genesis Elijah - Deh Pon Road ('Road Rage', '3rd Order', 'How It Goes', 'Make Some Noise'
2005 - Wordsmith - The Roadman Showcase (Son Records)
2005 - The Menagerie - Wild Kingdom (Esperanto)
2004 - Tom Caruana - The Splice Of Life (Breakin’ Bread)
2004 - Boiler Room Collective / The Menagerie - Way Of The Sword / Lets Ave Some (Fluid Ounce)
2004 - Teej - Step In My Adventure
2002 - Breakin Bread - Deadly Seven Inch Sins. Tom Caruana & Ahmos 'Green Fingers' (Breakin’ Bread)
Tom has produced beats for a number of projects over the years. His reworking of hip hop classics have caught the attention of The Chicagoist, The New York Times, The Guardian and Edgar Wright, most notably with his Wu Tang vs The Beatles/Jimi Hendrix.
"Caruana is a producer of considerable imagination, skill and potential". (The Guardian)
Read 'A conversation with Tom Caruana' via M3
Here's a few reviews and interviews with Tom Caruana, mostly to do with him Wu-Tang vs The Beatles album
Acclaim Mag interview with Tom Caruana (link)
New York Times / Artsbeat Blog interview with Tom Caruana (link)
Chicagoist Review (link)
Wait--before you start, we know that mash-up albums are, like, so last decade. We know that every so-called unsuspected relationship between rock and hip-hop has been bridged by ambitious producers all over the world who happen to have some acappella tracks and GarageBand. While we still love the great bits, like Chicago's own The Hood Internet, so much of it is just sloppily placed together, without regard for what makes two different tracks work well harmonically. But, amidst a trend that we can't quite figure out is leaving or here to stay indefinitely, every once in a while a well-intended and talented soul finds the right match. In this case, it's Tom Caruana and his free album pitting Wu-Tang vs. The Beatles, Enter the Magical Mystery Chambers.
Enter the Magical Mystery Chambers explores the entire chronology of Wu-Tang, using tracks and verses from all eras, including group and solo efforts, and stages them against the instrumentation of The Beatles. What stands out about Caruana's mash-up album is that it maintains a hip-hop feel while allowing The Beatles' dynamic musical bits to peak through. Had RZA not been dabbling in classic Charmels tracks and instead buried himself in the Beatles back-catalog, this is the album he might have produced. Caruana uses his samples selectively, only taking the best parts and reinterpreting them in true hip-hop fashion. In a radically different world where The Beatles are not the biggest band to ever exist, this album could have dropped in 1993 and we would have called it just another great record, not some gimmick as manifest through current music trends. And that's why it's great.
Quotes about Tom's Splice Of Life EP
Wicked 12" just had to write to tell u, lov all the trax and smashin them all out , especially it's arch and i created this style. i dont know if this has been out long or when i got it but this is really good.
DJ Vadim
OVERALL A STRONG 12”. TOM’S BEATS ARE DOPE, AM LOVING THE ‘ITS ARCH’ BEAT. STARTS OF REALLY STRAIGHT AND THEN WITH THE ADDITION OF A LITTLE SHUFFLE LOSSENS UP INTO A HEAVY DANCEFLOOR TRACK. SYNTAX KILLS IT ON ‘STRAIGHT UP’. BIG UP BREAKIN BREAD. WILL SUPPORT ON RADIO.
TOM SIMPSON
Feeling Tom's production - especially on 'It's Arch'. Lyrics are all tight from the mcs and DPF steps a gear on 'I Created This Style'. 'Choosing The Right Bird' is very amusing! Charted at no.12
Eddie Rishue (Steady Diggin Workshop / Carbon Imprints)
Another quality release from the BB lads, high in value (yeah I know it was free but...) with a good range of styles (both beats and the emcee's), Toms got some wicked beats and a sense of humour (very important). Great stuff, nice cover too.
DJ Cro (Main Ingredient Radio Show, Medicine Bar, Attik)
Really nice EP, loving “Its Arch”. The other 2 tracks are solid too, but unlikely to be suitable in clubs for anything other than a warm up bit. Will probably be playing “I created this style” on the radio a little, as I really like the vocal on that. But would have bought this on the strength of Its Arch anyway, and will be giving it 9/10 in City Lights, possibly as tune of the month depending on what crops up between now and then.
Santero (Stealth/Freeze Fm/City Lights)
Took me a couple of listens to get into, but really good. Played on the radio this week.
Chris Read (Substance)
I really like the flow on the first track, the beat is wicked and bassy and actually mixes well with JAYLIBs ‘the red’
Joe Rorke (Music Evolution)
Tom Caruana made excellent hip hop ride at his “The Splice Of Life” EP…
“Its Arch” is the winner for me, FAT FAT FAT, what else i can say…
“Straight Up” delivered a great flow as well, both tracks will roll for a long time…
Nesho
Tom Caruana's single is crazzzy, my favourite is I Create This Style, but all the tracks are heavy and the cover too.
Suefo
Good solid ep, more please!
Mr Scruff
Love the beats
Sean Shiggz - Rawganics
This guy is an interesting producer for sure
Andy Smith - Portishead