There’s no forgetting this superstar UK force
Welcome to DMCWORLD young man, back (yet again!) in The Buzz Chart with ‘Amnesia’, a tune conjured up with studio partner James Talk, tell us about the tune…
“This was just some fun in the studio almost a year ago. James was playing around on keys and ‘Amnesia’ happened by accident! We finished it ready for some gigs in Ibiza and chose to name it after the only club on the island we both haven’t been to (!).”
A question many of us in The Buzz Chart office keep asking, why does this dope producer shop around for each release rather than stick to the same label?
“Labels evolve with the sound they are looking for, and as the artist, I always want to explore and make different types of dance music. This has meant over time, working with loads of amazing labels.”
You have been DJing since primary school, what made you want to get into this profession in the first place?
“Just passion I guess – if you’re a DJ you can’t explain why you want to play music to people – it’s just programmed into you somewhere. I’ve had the desire to be playing music since I was 5 years old, and I still feel exactly the same at 32.”
What was the first ever proper house club you went to?
“The Manor at Matchams near Ringwood on the south coast. I used to love hearing DJs like Roger Sanchez talking to Pete Tong on Radio 1 whilst we were driving to the club thinking, “we are gonna see him tonight!”. Then to see the artist play in front of you live just a few hours later! Being so close to Southampton, it became a weekly thing and I got a chance to see all the heavy weight DJs from the age of 17 ’till it sadly closed.”
Early DJ heroes?
“Thomas Bangalter, Alan Braxe, DJ Falcon, Cassius, Pete Tong, Armand Van Helden, DJ Sneak, Roger Sanchez…”
Where and when did you and James Talk first meet – how did this incredible production partnership come about?
“There was a record shop in Southampton called Movement where a lot of DJs used to hang out. The Saturday boy was James Zabiela and lots of producers (most who have gone on to be well respected) used to hang out, buy records with our pocket money and chat music. Talky was one of the guys who used to hang out there a lot and we struck up a friendship via mutual friends.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning?
1. Jacques Le Cont – Church
2. DJ Kue – My Love Kills
3. Ridney – Sup
4. Mark Knight – Alright
5. Whirlpool Productions – From Disco: To Disco (Ridney Edit)
6. Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix)
7. Frankie Knuckles ft. B Slade – Get Over U
8. Etienne De Crecy – Am I Wrong (SCNTST Remix)
9. His Majesty Andre – Clubs (Phonat Remix)
10. Danism & Ridney – Fast Life
Your track ‘Sunshyne’ was voted track of the year 2008 in DJ Magazine, had you any idea just what a smash you had created…
“Absolutely no idea whatsoever – honestly. James and I were only ever gonna make one record together in the studio. We wrote “Sunshyne” over a couple of days, and for a week it was called “I Don’t Like Cricket” (true story!) … it was only at the very last minute we changed it to “Sunshyne”. Next thing, every major DJ wanted a copy after Groove Armada played it live on Radio 1 from Wonderland in Ibiza.
Finest record you have ever played to a dance floor?
“Definitely something on Roule or Crydamoure…although seeing the reaction to Demon vs Heartbreaker ‘You Are My High’ at Wonderland in Ibiza does spring to mind…”
What are the plans for Ibiza 2012, where can we catch you? Your first trip to the white isle in 1999 didn’t get off to the best of starts in San Antonio’s awful West End…
“Yep, my first experience was the West End after flying in late one evening. I genuinely thought ‘is this what everyone talks about?!?!?’ Luckily I was with some really good friends who knew some fantastic places on the island, and before long we were exploring the island by day and visiting clubs like Space, Privilege and El Divino by night! There are lots of plans for Ibiza 2012 – just working on getting all the dates in place. Hopefully I’ll be doing a couple of radio shows with Artful live from the white isle too this summer.”
Your discography is spellbinding for someone so young, your Pet Shop Boys “West End Girls’, ‘One For Me’ and disco sampling ‘Forever’ had us lot jumping on our desks in the DMC office. What though do you think is your finest piece of production to date?
“That’s a really really hard question, every record is different and every record can take you to a moment that you never thought would happen. ‘Forever’ took us a long time to get right (four versions). Once it was finished we were totally happy we’d created something we loved just for our own DJ sets and that was that. Fast forward to closing at Ushuaia for Defected in 2011 – Junior Jack & Kid Creme (two of my heroes) playing ‘Forever’ to 3000 people going mental. My parents and family were at the gig and on stage (I’d warmed up) – so for them to see first hand the reaction to something you spent hours and hours on was probably one of the best feelings.”
Cool answer. What are your thoughts on the whole USA EDM explosion – the scene has split so quickly between commercial and underground…
“It’s interesting to watch, thats for sure – the big synth thing seems to be rocking the EDM sound. I’m really hoping that people will continue to dig and look to the past as well as the future for real gems dance music has to offer.”
Your DJing has taken you around the world, DMC saw your rock out Ushuaia and the Ministry of Sound – where has been your favourite DJ set?
“The Box at Ministry of Sound in London after AN21 & Max Vangeli last year (for Size Matters) – honestly the most ridiculous thing ever, an amazing crowd who initially took my breath away when I stepped out, and raved right until the club kicked out at 7am!”
So we come back to yours after the club, what is the Ridney Back To Mine 10 you spin us to carry on the party?
“It would be a French house vinyl special!”
1. Thomas Bangalter – Club Soda
2. Romanthony – Hold On
3. Mike Delgardo – Byrd Mans Revenge
4. First Choice – The Player
5. Roy Davis Jr – Rock Shock (Thomas Bangalter Remix)
6. Daft Punk – Burnin’
7. Gabrielle – Forget About The World (Daft Punk Remix)
8. Scott Grooves – Mothership Reconnection (Daft Punk Remix)
9. Bob Sinclar – The Ghetto
10. Alan Braxe – Vertigo (Thomas Bangalter Mix)
Nice. What has the rest of 2012 got in store for us studio wise?
“‘Amnesia’ is out on May 5th. James and I got the chance to work with Defected artist Rae at the end of last year and the single we produced for her ‘Another Day’ is out on April 16th. I’ve got a collaboration with Artful coming out on the Shapeshifters label – Nocturnal Groove, plus a brand new 3 track solo EP on Nervous in May. There’s also a collaboration with the Danism guys and another solo single I’m working on at the moment (road tested it for the first time last week).”
And finally, what was Mylo’s reaction like when you played ‘Drop The Pressure’ just before he went on stage all those years ago?
“*Facepalm* moment. I was a young DJ, this was back in 2004. James Talk loves this story, equally so does Mr Zabiela. We always have to learn on this old-music-journey thing and I certainly did then (!). I had the pleasure of DJing alongside Mylo again last year and he thought it was funny – bless him! On a side note, during the “*facepalm*” gig (aka Mylogate), I asked him if he realised that Miami Sound Machine ‘Dr Beat’ and ‘Drop The Pressure’ were in the same key. Fast forward six months – the mash-up came out and charted. I’m saying nothing…”
Web: ridney.tv
Twitter: @ridney
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/ridney
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