TOMC - Elan

Catalog: INNER215 Vinyl LP Marble Smoke Vinyl Limited to 200 Hand numbered Hype stickers PREORDER - starts shipping end of August, 2026 Cassette Tape Black and white marble cassette Limited to 150 This album marks TOMC’s first full-length beat release since 2023. While incorporating the ambient and improvisational elements that have become central to his recent work, it places a stronger emphasis on melody—resulting in a more emotionally resonant sound that can be seen as the most fully realized moment yet in his ongoing exploration of the intersection between beats and ambient music. Since 2021, TOMC has released three full-length albums via Canada’s Inner Ocean Records. His 2023 release True Life was hailed by music media as “a Nujabes for the 2020s,” earning acclaim for its melodious yet progressive style that paid deep respect to jazz and soul traditions. In the years since, he has deepened his involvement in the artistic ambient sphere: releasing an album on Kankyō Records (run by H. Takahashi, a leading figure in Japan’s contemporary ambient scene), touring India as a core member of the legendary improvisational group Taj Mahal Travellers (now STONE MUSIC), and performing at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai—an international cultural showcase. At the same time, he has kept his passion for beats and street-oriented music alive, regularly collaborating with contemporary beat luminaries such as AHNAMUSICA. Many tracks on this album focus on the subtleties of human emotion—sometimes melancholy, sometimes dreamlike, and at other times suffused with a quiet sense of exhilaration. They reflect TOMC’s recent travels abroad for live tours, capturing impressions of people’s daily lives, the air of different cities, and the surrounding landscapes. In these moments, he not only embraced the diversity of the world but also confronted the universality of human feeling—joy and loneliness, passion and loss—translating both into the emotional fabric of his music. From the ambient-leaning “Tokiwa” and the bluesy indie rock/dream pop–infused “Unforgettable,” to the progressively structured “Hyperfocus” and “Elan,” the funk-to-dance-inspired “Slowhand” and “Slowdance,” and the Brazil-influenced “Bittersweet” and “Encanto,” each track is both ambitious and distinctive. Yet, what runs through the entire work is a commanding melodic presence, driving an emotional atmosphere that resonates deeply with the listener. It is this dedication to articulating universal shades of feeling that so often leads to comparisons between TOMC and Nujabes. The album features a diverse lineup of collaborators. On the beat side, AHNAMUSICA, Notation, and Howiewonder—all prominent figures in today’s scene—join forces. From the ambient world, Tatsuro Murakami, a rising artist known for his releases on the U.S. label Mystery Circles and a fellow member of Stone Music, also contributes to the project. Release Date: August 7, 2026 All music produced by TOMC Mastered by Thomas Trueman Artwork by Meow Design by Cory Giordano Inner Ocean Records © 2026 Follow TOMC: Spotify Soundcloud Bandcamp Instagram Twitter