Tom Sharkett has spent the last few years carving out a distinctly wonky route between Manchester’s DIY scene and the dancefloor.
As a founding member of W. H. Lung and a producer in his own right, with releases on Optimo Music, Okay Nature and Ransom Note Records, collaborations with System Olympia and Raf Rundell, and remixes for the likes of Pip Blom, Glok, Nation of Language and Nightbus. His much-loved edit of LCD Soundsystem’s ‘Home’ even went from bootleg to official DFA release, while his DJing has taken him through The White Hotel, Golden Lion and further afield, with appearances alongside names including Erol Alkan and Justin Strauss; he’s also hosted his Inside The Outside show on Soho Radio and contributed mixes to Phantasy Sound, NTS and Worldwide FM. For this Phonica mix, however, Sharkett turns away from the club records and production work to dig into a very different kind of archive: a recently inherited collection of 7″s from his partner’s family, spanning Sheffield synth and new wave, Northern Soul and forgotten oddities unearthed from her grandparents’ boxes. Played entirely from those discoveries, the result is deliberately noisy, crackling and chaotic — a lively little trip through records that might otherwise have remained hidden in the jukebox.
Hey Tom, thanks so much for joining us! Can you tell us about your mix and what the idea behind it was?
Thanks for having me! My partner and I have just got a Wurlitzer jukebox that she had growing up and with it, inherited a load of 7”s from her side of the family. I’ve been going through them all over the past few weeks and setting aside the ones that I liked most. Her Mum was in her 20s in 1980s Sheffield so there’s a lot of synth/new wave singles with some amazing remixes on the b-side, and some great Ultravox etc. b-sides I’ve never heard. Her Grandpa was a Northern Soul DJ and there’s so much there of his that I’d never heard before that I absolutely love. The idea for the mix was to play only what I’ve found from these new discoveries so I found it really fun to do. It’s vinyl only, not in a snobby way but just because that’s how it’s worked out from how I’ve gone about the mix! So it’s very noisy, lots of crackles and weird samples from some of the weirder records I found going through the boxes! It’s also quite older stuff – I think the latest one is probably early 90’s and everything else is before. I wanted it to feel lively, noisy and a bit chaotic!
What are your preferred methods for finding new music – do you still enjoy digging around in dusty crates, or do you prefer to buy online?
It completely depends and I’m not attached to either in all honesty! At the minute dusty crates but that’s very much led by the new revelation that nobody seems to want to buy 7”s and so they’re dead cheap. I guess you don’t really have the same mixing capabilities that you do with 12”s so maybe that’s why – but that’s also something I’m kind of wanting to push against at the moment. I’ve been a very late to the party reader of Last Night a DJ Saved My Life and I’m feeling very inspired by some of the things that were born out of limitations in technology as a result – so I’m trying to inject some of that into my DJing a bit at the moment. I’m all for overlaying records with odd little samples and snippets over other records I might or might not play later in a set or mix! I also love digging in shops when you’re on tour or on holiday – it’s a good way to bring back a memento from the trip. For newer records though, I generally will look online more and buy off bandcamp and I do love setting up camp and spending an afternoon doing that just as much!
What would be a memorable set you played that sticks out in your mind?
I’ve had loads of fun DJing this year especially and one that sticks out would be NYE with Erol Alkan and Boggy at the Social. I was on after Erol at 2am and I was proper nervous – a lot more so than usual as I was following one of my heroes who absolutely smashed it and the room was still full. I think that was a great experience for me though as I just rode the wave with the nerves and ended up pushing myself more and really loved it. Another favorite from this year was playing back to back with Justin Strauss at the Golden Lion in Todmorden, right across the road from my house. That was another learning curve playing back to back as I was in awe at how many amazing records he had at the ready across all the speeds and styles we were playing over the 5 hours. I think it’s the ones where you push yourself that I enjoy the most!
What are five records you couldn’t live without?
Todd Terje – Ragysh
Probably the first dance 12 I bought and my introduction to Running Back which has remained one of my favorite labels since.
Tirzah – No Romance
I love Tirzah but this is one of my favorites. I am obsessed with her vocal delivery as it feels so effortless but personal and close. The production is amazing and I listen to this if I’m on the train back home late at night all the time!
New Order – Age of Consent (or anything off Power, Corruption and Lies frankly)
I feel like it’s a cliche for a Mancunian to pick a New Order track but they are the band that changed my life musically speaking and learning the Factory story as a teenager and finding out it happened in the area you live was the most exciting thing possible and is what made me want to be in a band and start writing my own songs.
Nena and WestBam – Oldschool, Baby (Piano Mix)
I like many others I am sure, discovered this record through Optimo and to me it encapsulates the peak time absolute joy you can reach listening to a great DJ and dancing with your friends. It’s emotive but also just a banger. The perfect mix. Keith and Jonnie are heroes of mine and Keith was the first person to take a chance on me in dance music by releasing my music on Optimo and through him I’ve met so many people I adore so there’s also some Optimo inspiration running through everything I do.
Sinead O’Connor – War (Live on SNL)
Despite this being something I watch a video of rather than it being a recording I have to play, I’ve chosen this as it’s the epitome of an artist showing bravery and integrity to me. She’s one of my heroes and this gives me chills every time I watch it. A one of a kind artist.
What do you have up your sleeve for 2026/2027?
I have a few more remixes to come out for some artists and labels I’m dead excited about (my first remix release on Ninja Tune being one I’m super chuffed with) and then the debut release from my label, 93_94. They’ll be something from me but also other people I’ve been working with and more artists down the line. I’ve also been writing with Falle Nioke, currently working on the next W. H. Lung release and preparing for our show at the Albert Hall in Manchester. Plus more DJ gigs for me! Next is with Richard Sen in Brighton.
Thanks Tom 🙂
