Middleton has recorded under numerous monikers, including Global Communication, the Jedi Knights, Schizophrenia, E621, Mod Wheel, Amba, and Cosmos. Classically trained in the piano and cello, he grew up listening to 80s electro, synth pop, hip-hop, goth rock and later jazz funk, early acid house and Detroit techno.

How has 2005 been for you?
Seems too short?...I haven't stopped to catch my breath! Lots of travelling to all corners of the globe, new directions to explore in sound and excavating some musical obscuriosities.

What have been your best gigs this year?
Providing the soundtrack to an awards ceremony in Tunisia where United Nations Delegates and Heads of State where rubbing shoulders with high tech global brands in a celebration of online inclusivity (something we take for granted...some countries simply don't have the resources to provide access to a network yet..think about that..) and the future of the global internet society. There where some extraordinary speakers

What new projects have you been working on?
AMBA...it's a progression from where Global Commmunication was left. It's all about purity of emotion in sound. Super deep, super chilled, super sexy, super sweet and super soulful. These are simple, melodic and harmonic Lifetracks that resonate with everyone who hears them. There's a big classical/soundtrack theme that runs through them and I've arranged live strings for some of the tracks...(you just can't beat that sound!)

Any new influences or elements in your sound this year?
Always evolving the sound. I'm still enjoying these new young electro rock and punk funk bands, they are providing a refreshing change of energy into a satandard 4/4 and Breaks set...which in some cases means changing the tempo drastically too...it's fun to see people respond to new tempos..to push them a bit..get out of that dull monotonous rut! The best way to describe my sound and style now is probably the energy and diversity of a festival brought into a club!

What has been your greatest achievement in 2005?
Re-relasing the seminal chillout classic CD Global Communication '76:14' and celebrating it's 10 year anniversary. Hooray!
Oh hold on...can't forget visiting George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch. It was amazing, I was so lucky to get invited to see it. And I can cherish the memory of a lightsabre fight right on Mr Lucas's front porch overlooked by his office! And with Episode III done and creating a Star Wars Essential Mix Special that's pretty much it now..time to move on.
My Cosmosonica Crazy Covers Vol 1 CD/LP was great fun to make...just party and chilled cover versions of new and classic tunes..now that's a funny conversation once you get people started...

Top 5 Tunes on Tom Middleton's dancefloor:
Buy Now - 'For Sale' - just about the biggest bassline I've heard in ages..it's so intense I laughed my ass off for 5 minutes when i heard it first time!
Gnarles Barclay : 'Crazy' - what an infectious tune this is...everyone gets it..and what an awesome vocal delivery!
Karizma - '4 Da Love' - back to sub bass deep house with a great spoken vocal top line and a really sweet sentiment..I love this record!
DJ Phully : 'Jedi's Disco' from Aucklands finest funkster, this one's been wreaking absoulte 'kinhavoc on the dancefloors..
Kerri Chandler 'Bar A Thym' - easily one of the house anthems of 2005 (and my back to 'The Way' style new mix seems to be doin the business too!)

We see you are a 2005 Essential Mix of the year finalist - congratulations. Does that mean anything to you?
I was thrilled to be asked to do it. It made sense asking a Jedi to do a Star Wars special I guess! I put in the hours of research, key mixing, editing, sound effects, soundtrack samples.. and lots of love, so it's sweet to be acknowledged for it. It generated so much positive feedback because it was so different from the ususal mixes and had a theme to it as well. Was itching to drop some of those tracks into a set for years!

Plans or goals for 2006?
There's gonna be plenty of Goals in 2006..."Come on England!" ..hehehe...My debut AMBA CD, another Trip/Sound of The Cosmos style comp.
And first up for Jan is my mix compilation with Mark Pritchard as Global Communication for Fabric. A blend of Jedi style fresh beats, breaks and bleeps. Hold tight!

Catch Tom @ SunElectric Sunday January @ Belmont Racecourse