What a busy year it has been for Nick Riley & Andi Durrant! With their monster night ‘The Electrik Playground’ jetting off to the white isle this summer, followed by the release of the compilation album under the same name, it’s surprising they have found time to get back into the studio to bring you ‘Progressive House Producer’ from leading sample pack company Loopmasters! We catch up with the guys to hear more.
Hi Guys! Where are you both and what have you been doing with your day so far?
Andi: We’re in the studio at Galaxy at the moment – listening to all the new for the shows over the weekend. We get around 150 records a week – everything from house to trance to drum and bass and breaks, so it takes a full day to sit down and check everything out.
You have just released your own sample pack exclusively for Loopmasters, how did that come about?
Nick: We got a call from Loopmasters asking if it was something we were interested in and we said yes! It took a lot longer to make than we initially thought and contains over 330MB of samples covering house, electro, tech, deep, progressive and trance sounds and patches.
Andi: Basically – everything you need to start making music, or a nice new set of sounds if you already do.
Obviously the sample pack is influenced by your music, have you been using the sample pack yourselves to produce your music?
Andi: Actually – we have! It’s been great to spend a couple of months getting all our favourite sounds together in one pack – it’s made us do a bit of sample housekeeping – now we just go straight into that folder and grab the beats and bleeps we need for a track.
Will it put that distinctive Riley & Durrant stamp on our music?
Nick: I suppose so yes… but only if that’s what you wanted to do with it, otherwise it’s pretty broad, covering quite a lot of styles – much like our music and DJ sets, so people should be able to go where they want with it.
You support a lot of up and coming underground talent. What advice would you give to people trying to make in the industry?
Nick: Perseverance, be prepared to work very hard and fully understand that success doesn’t happen overnight. Don’t let anyone tell you won’t make it – if you really want it and you’re prepared to work, be polite and enthusiastic, and you will. Rude or arrogant people never get far though.
Andi: From a production point of view it has to be originality. Its no good trying to copy the formula of a big record as it will always sound inferior and people will always say you have ripped off so and so. Take elements you like from other records, but put your own spin on them, also don’t overload your productions – less can sometimes mean more!
What first attracted you to the music industry all those years ago?
Andi: The music!
Nick: Not wanting a proper job!
What can you remember from your first proper gig? Where was it?
Andi: Mine was at a place called the Pleasure Rooms in Leeds. I was playing in the backroom at a drum n bass night with Mickey Finn and 3 people danced for the whole set. I thought it was amazing. The only track I remember playing is Daft Punk “Revolution 909” and I think I had to argue with the bouncers to let me in because I was only 16.
Nick: In my halls of residence bar at University. There was a massive storm that snowed us in one Saturday night, everyone was pissed off that they couldn’t go out so I brought my decks down and threw a party. The funny thing was I had only just brought them with my student loan so couldn’t even mix properly, nothing like jumping in at the deep end…
You regularly play in the some of the biggest venues across the world. Are there any up and coming dates for our diary in the near future?
Nick: We have a busy Christmas and New Year with our Electrik
Playground brand hosting rooms with Gatecrasher and Godskitchen. Things are shaping up nicely next year as well with new residencies in London and Manchester as well as tours in Asia and Russia.
What are your top 3 tracks your playing at the minute?
1. ARNO COST – SOUVINER (ARIAS REMIX)
2. HERVE & KISSY SELL OUT – RIKKALICIOUS (ORIGINAL)
3. MGMT – KIDS (SOULWAX REMIX)
Finally, would you rather have string for hands or a tongue made out of mature cheddar cheese?!
Andi: Is it ever-lasting cheese? If so that would actually be great. I love cheese. Although trying to talk on the radio could be an issue..
Nick: String hands because a cheese tongue would give you some right breath! I’d have to learn to mix with my feet.
Riley & Durrants sample pack on Loopmasters is out now!
