Tagavaka marks his return with ‘Save You,’ the first single from his highly anticipated album ‘Eternal.’ It boasts his signature blend of immersive soundscapes, driving rhythms, and evocative melodies, capturing the emotional intensity and meticulous production that define his work.

Drawing on influences from electronica, techno, and ambient, ‘Save You’ balances intricate textures and deep, pulsating basslines, creating a sound that is both expansive and deeply personal. Built around a blend of driving beats, atmospheric pads, and meticulously crafted sound design, this explores the push and pull between tension and release, capturing a dynamic blend of euphoria and introspection. With a signature approach that combines understated melodies and evocative sonic landscapes, Tagavaka continues to carve out his space in the electronic music world.

We caught up with the artist to discuss all things upcoming album, the meaning behind his name, going solo, and more!

WWD: Congratulations on the release of ‘Save You’ and the announcement of the album ‘Eternal.’ Can you tell us a bit about your musical journey leading up to this debut album? How did your background in music inspire the sounds you’re exploring as Tagavaka?

Writing an album is something I’ve wanted to my entire music career – somehow it’s never the right time to do one, or it hasn’t felt like I was capable maybe. But I got the itch to do one since creating my Tagavaka project, and I was fortunate to receive a grant from the PRS Foundation to do an album.

I have been listening to so much neo-classic music on the run up to writing Eternal, so I was definitely inspired to write something powerful, atmospheric and melodic. I wanted the album to be instrumental in its nature to help allow the musicality become the forefront of the story.

WWD: You’re well known for your work with Illyus & Barrientos. What inspired you to create the Tagavaka alias, and how does this project differ from what fans have come to expect from you previously?

During the COVID lockdown periods I had a lot of time to write. I was writing various styles and experimenting with things like granular synthesis that helped formed some early Tagavaka demos. It wasn’t until I sent some of the demos to a friend in the music industry and he helped me push the records to the right people. This really helped the formation of the project and since then it’s really become unique!

This project is so different from I&B in that it’s just a completely different world of sound design and writing. Tagavaka is more focused on create deeper, introspective connections with the music.

WWD: Your first single from the album, ‘Save You,’ releases on November 1st. What drew you to make this track the lead single, and what do you hope it conveys as an introduction to ‘Eternal’?

I really wanted this to be my lead single, as it’s a track that debuts very early on in the album. It’s almost explosive, it really captivates the listener and hopefully draws them into the journey.

WWD: Could you describe how ‘Save You’ fits into the overall album? Is it a good representation of what listeners can expect, or are there surprises waiting in the full project?

The album really is a looking into a glimpse of life from birth until an unknown point in time – Save You represents that explosive, energetic and beautiful time after a baby is born that moves quickly. The track maybe isn’t representative of the whole album but it certainly introduces things thematically.

WWD: It sounds like Tagavaka allows for a more melodic exploration. What inspired you to move toward a more melodic sound, and how would you describe the emotional or sonic experience you want listeners to have with this shift?

I’ve always had an interest in creating melodic music, given my background in classic music. It’s an aspect of my writing I’ve probably never really been able to explore in depth. But the beauty of writing music is when you start to write in a particular way, your journey takes you on a path unknown. I never truly envisaged the Tagavaka project to find its way into album form, but it had because it felt right. I really wanted to create powerful music for my listeners and I’m hoping this album will achieve that.

WWD: What are some key influences or inspirations behind ‘Eternal’? Were there any specific artists, genres, or experiences that helped shape the album’s direction?

I think like many people, hearing what Bicep could do in album format really paved the way for more artists to try and write albums. Same goes for Jon Hopkins, you hear the efficacy of his work through simple melodies, delicate synth work and often brutalist beats. This was always incredibly inspiring but you have to be careful not to emulate what they’re doing – the music industry is littered with copycats and I am always trying to actively avoid that.

WWD: Can you tell us about your creative process when making ‘Eternal’? Did this album allow you to experiment in ways you hadn’t before?

It’s tough to describe but writing and producing this album was hugely reliant on how my demos made me feel. I wrote a hell of a lot of demos, and I only really thought 8 of them were worthy of making the album. The process was far more difficult than I ever anticipated! I’m certainly not a perfectionist but I just couldn’t get every demo to level that I thought was good enough.

The most experimental part of this album was more in the sound design of it. I wanted to create sounds that weren’t presets or maybe other sounds that we’ve all heard before. I was hyper focused on making all the sounds across the album were almost thematic, but unique. It’s one part of the album I’m really proud of.

WWD: What role do storytelling and emotion play in ‘Eternal’? Are there particular themes or narratives you wanted to explore throughout the album?

The album is largely about life, from birth to an unspecified point in time. It’s not representative of my life by any means, as I wanted to leave the album open to interpretation. Maybe there’s part of the album that people can associate to previous parts of their life, or maybe it’s a body of work that contributes to a new stage in their life. I really do the album ends pretty ambiguously – I’ll leave it to the listeners to decide where they want the album to finish in their life.

The album does begin with a track named after the birth of my daughter, Órla. It was a beautiful moment to have your first child come into your life and that was a huge inspiration in getting this album going.

WWD: The choice of the name Tagavaka is unique. Is there a story or meaning behind it, and how does it reflect the music and identity of this new project?

The word Tagavaka is derived from a beautiful ancient language Tokelauan. It means to leave your home in search of something more, to literally sail in exploration of life, love or something else. It fits well into the introspective style of the project, and I can’t imagine it being called anything else now.

WWD: As we look ahead to the release of ‘Save You’ and the rest of the singles, what are you most excited for listeners to experience on Eternal? What do you hope they take away from this album?

I’m really excited for people to hear this record that I put so much work into. It should really feel like a journey. It’s almost a short and sweet album, but I think it’s enough to leave people satisfied. The way I’ve produced and mixed this album is sonically encapsulating and it’s definitely an album for the good headphones. I think I just hope the album will speak to someone in a way they haven’t heard before.

WWD: We look forward to listening! Thanks for the chat 🙂

‘Save You’ is available here