Jamie Tiller founded Music From Memory with Tako Reyenga and Abel Nagengast in 2013. Adopting the modest mantra of giving "overlooked and unreleased music that we love a second chance," the label and its wider network of affiliated crate diggers have been responsible for unearthing a treasure trove of genuinely astounding music in the decade since. Tiller, who died aged 44 on Sunday, October 15th, following a "tragic accident," took an active role in the curation of this special label, helping assemble compilations on everything from '90s ambient techno and Spanish New Age to Japanese bedroom experimentalism. In the process, he helped rejuvenate the careers of countless artists.

"Jamie changed my life," said Gigi Masin, one of the first artists to release on Music From Memory. While the Italian composer was hardly unknown before Talk To The Sea, the compilation won him a new generation of fans in the twilight of his career. "He pushed me to listen to my heart, to believe in my dreams like never before," he added.

Tiller and Hansom at The Lot Radio in New York on July 24th 2022.

Born in London, Tiller moved to Amsterdam in the late 2000s, developing a solid reputation among the city's digger community before later becoming a buyer for the illustrious Red Light Records. Australian DJ Lauren Hansom, who often played back-to-back with Tiller, believes he had a unique perception that set him apart from the average music obsessive. "Jamie saw things differently," she said. "His eyes and mind were unique."

In many ways, Music From Memory was simply an extension of the relationships Tiller formed during his time at Red Light Records. He and Reyenga also went on to launch Second Circle, a sub-label of Music From Memory focusing on the contemporary club sounds of artists such as Tornado Wallace, Yu Su and DJ Normal 4.

Alongside his label work, Tiller was a revered DJ in his own right, using his enviably diverse record collection and knack for reading the room to masterful effect. "The way he presented the music was so special," said fellow esteemed digger Raphaël Top-Secret. "He had a real talent for creating a story within a mix." The French artist played back-to-back with Tiller at Dekmantel 2018–a performance he insists was a breakthrough moment for both artists. "That set was the start of our DJ careers," he recalled. (Both of them received a wave of bookings afterwards.)

Billed as "an hour of unShazamable music" by Boiler Room stage host Gabriel Szatan, the set veers from Arabic boogie and bossa nova-inspired punk-funk to the breeziest New York house. Tiller, wearing an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt, dad-dances throughout in a state of bliss, stopping only to jump in the mix or enthusiastically hug Raphaël Top-Secret when he recognises one of his tracks.

Tiller and Raphaël Top-Secret at Dekmantel 2018.

Hansom portrayed Tiller as an effervescent character whose legacy extends far beyond his musical achievements. "Jamie was caring, thoughtful, always generous and never hesitated to be that friend you needed when your own life was a mess, as was the case for me, even when I moved back to Australia," she said. "I guess like many of Jamie's friends, we connected through music initially. But it was his warm heart, his wittiness and our constant banter which never ceased to have me crying from laughter that were the qualities I knew and loved. He was also the sort of person who always had time to lend a hand, help navigate you through sticky situations, bounce ideas off of and never make you feel judged. It was always safe with Jamie."

Masin similarly recalls how Tiller's "natural elegance and rare sweetness" shone through the first time they met. "I remember that we went for lunch in Brussels," he said. "Jamie was talking and Tasya, who would later become his wife, was looking at him with a smile as if she was admiring a sunny morning in springtime. Jamie was a rainbow, he was sunshine after rain. I think he now asks us to be even better people in his memory."

Donate to a fundraider for Tiller's family, and revisit his RA Podcast from 2017.

Resident Advisor · RA.588 Jamie Tiller

Update, October 27th: This article was updated to include a link to the fundraiser.