Untapped | The Trademark Experience

What happens when the worlds of Hip Hop, Heart, Hall & Oates, Erik Prydz & Daft Punk collide? While that’s not exactly a question I would have ever thought to ask myself, the answer is simply The Trademark Experience (TME). The TME is a production crew out of Philly that consists of Tom, Tom and you guessed it Tom. He sings, he raps, he writes, he produces (with a little help from his friends) and is basically a one man show with many talents. That’s not to say his work is monotone, rather he adds a lot of color by featuring other local artists in his songs. Tom was kind enough to forward a copy of his mixtape Volume 3 to me last week for preview and I can honestly say I was blown AWAY! With a heavy hand in hip hop, Trademark’s sound relies on a keen pop sensibility that’s spread over multiple genres including dance, electro-pop and 90s R&B.

Kicking things off is a rework of the massive Eric Prydz filtered classic “Call On Me.” Adding a sensible rap punches up the overall mix, providing freshness to a familiar tune, while boosting the song to another level. Frankly, this should be played on dancefloors across the globe now, it’s that well done.

Call On Me Remix by the Trademark Experience

The mood abruptly shifts to a big hip hop beat “Ecstasy,” which is one of several radio friendly tunes that are begging for airplay. Be sure to check out the bonus remix featuring South Philly Sheed towards the end, which kicks it up a notch.

“Losing My Mind” is slower number with hypnotic synths and rap reminiscent of PM Dawn. When TME sings “I, I, I, I, I, I, I think I’m losing my mind,” the addictive chorus sticks in your head like gum on the bottom of your shoe.

“Let Me Get That” featuring the vocals of KTA is a huge electro stomper. TME and KTA trade barbs “I want that vibe, I want that shine, I want that dress, I want that slide, I want that hit, I want those hips, I want that cash, I want that ass!” showcasing the the aspirations of the “everything now” generation.

“Out of Touch” moves more into electro-pop territory where TME’s rap takes center stage while the chorus from the familiar Hall & Oates pop hit of the same name pulls it all together, creating some seriously sweet earcandy.

“Until I Met You” is a bonus track (?) produced by The Presidentz with an unaccredited vocalist (though I’m guessing KTA). This is another radio friendly track that deserves immediate attention! This time Heart’s massive classic “Alone” provides the hook that glues TME’s rap together. Brilliantly written and produced, I wonder why this was included as a “bonus” selection and not part of the actual body of work. Regardless, this is a wonderful treat and further proves the “pop” smarts of the Trademark Experience.

Until I Met You by The Trademark Experience

Ultimately, Volume 3 is a solid piece of work replete with hooks that will be playing in your head long after it’s over. One can only wonder what several of the songs on here would sound like if Jump Smokers, Chew Fu or Space Cowboy got their hands on this stuff. Until then, you might want to hop on over to the Trademark Experience’s Fan Page and download Volume 3 for yourself. The nice thing is that it’s FREE! While you’re there, you can also check out some of his videos and always remember, if you like his work, let him know.

Released today, Tom remarked about Volume 3 “I can say without exaggeration, fabrication, or hyperbole, that this is my greatest accomplishment… this is my masterpiece.” Well, if this is his masterpiece, I want parts 4, 5 and 6 that are sure to follow. Trademark Experience clearly has a long shelf life and outdoing yourself should never be an option, rather an imperative. A+

Track List :

1. Call On Me Remix

2. Ecstasy (prod. by Jim Conway)

3. Around The World Remix

4. Losing My Mind (prod. by 4H2A)

5. Psychedelic ft. KTA (prod. by 4H2A)

6. Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (prod. by Soop)

7. Hater Man

8. Let Me Get That ft. KTA (prod. by 4H2A)

9. Co-Star (prod. by Soop)

10. Out Of Touch Remix

11. End Of Forever ft. KTA (prod. by 4H2A)