Fossil Studios fuelled by chart success

Composed: Raz at Fossil Studios

After four years of honing his skills as a music producer in Israel, Raz Olsher moved to London in 2003 to pursue his dream of opening his own studio.

Nine years later, he is the proud owner of Fossil Studios in Clapton, where he produced a chart-topping hit single as well as Sam Lee’s Mercury Prize nominated album.

Raz, who has also composed several film scores, did not set out to top the charts. “It was never an aspiration to produce a number one single,” he explains.

“Obviously I wanted to make great music and for lots of people to hear it, but with the nature of what I do, I never expected to top the UK charts. It’s definitely a bonus and I’m happy to be here now.”

You will have heard the single in question. The inescapable ‘Bom Bom’ by Sam and the Womp topped the charts earlier this year and has been a common fixture on commercial radio stations across Europe for the entirety of the summer.

As well as being a full time producer, Raz is also an unofficial member of Sam and the Womp, playing bass and synth for the band on tour.

“I met Sam and the Womp about a year ago on the festival circuit. I was playing with a band I was in called ‘Zej’ and they liked what I was doing so they asked me to go on tour with them. They knew about ‘The Fossil’ so they asked me to produce the record.”

With an album in the pipeline, a tour of Holland and another UK tour it is hard to imagine that Raz has time for anything other than his work with Sam and the Womp.

“I’m also scoring a couple of films at the moment and working with some other artists and doing some remixes so it’s very busy. I have a laptop that I take on tour so I can work when I’m away. The work never stops.”

A rapidly growing workload can be enough to dampen the most sprightly of spirits, but for Raz it’s a dream come true. He bought his first desktop computer 13 years ago and began making music. Immediately he knew it was what he wanted to do with his life.

Raz chose to move to London, singling out Hackney in particular, which he saw as the ‘beating heart’ of music.

“London is the capital of music and all my influences come from here. I wanted to come straight to the source.

“I love Hackney. I lived in Dalston for five years and have now been in Clapton for three years. I love the people, the atmosphere, the creativity. I really feel comfortable roaming the streets here – I just enjoy it.”

With Fossil Studios making its mark in the music world, Raz has definitely began to achieve his goals, but the hard work is never over as he strives to improve with every new project he takes on.

“For me personally as long as I keep improving and getting better and better with each record then I am happy.”