1. Growing Up
I grew up listening to Bass Hunter and that Euro hardstyle stuff, but I’ve always loved music with good vibes. All the different phases I went through as a child really helped me build a vast bank of musical knowledge. I think as a musician, having a solid understanding of all the different types of music available is the basis of what is going to help you create your own material in the end.
2. Inspirations
Deorro, 100 per cent. He is the guru. As a producer, he is incredibly talented and is able to put his thoughts into sounds. Melodies come as second nature to the guy. As a person, his views are so humble and selfless, always prioritising his fans and aiming to ultimately help others. I remember when he was first starting out and his production quality was merely average, but the ideas he put down were just pure gold. It was only a matter of time before he became popular. Other genres really inspire me too and I’ve started listening to anything and everything.
3. Your Crew
One day in high school around age 16, I was sitting in the library and I overheard the guy next to me expressing how he hates dubstep. We became best friends after that. Turns out he was a DJ/producer and after months of watching him produce I kind of got inspired to give it a try as well. His name was Loutaa, and here I am.
4. The Music You Make And Play
The music I have in the works currently is undergoing a bit of a makeover and I’m starting to lean towards making that Aussie glitch hop style. I like the alternative direction in the Flume/What So Not style. I have always found I want to put as much feeling into my tracks as I could, but I constantly felt limited trying to do that while making it Melbourne Bounce-friendly. I will continue to play Melbourne Bounce at live shows for the time being – but always remember anything is possible and there are no rules!
5. Music, Right Here, Right Now
The scene is becoming a lot less about talent and a lot more about the marketing – who has the best image, who has the most followers, who puts the most money into promotion and, even more to the extreme, who has the best ghost producer. I know it won’t happen but I wish the focus could just be on the music. But the best thing about the local scene is how passionate the locals are about the DJs and the music.
Ridvan won Ultra Music’s remix competition for Will Sparks’ Another Land. Check it out at soundcloud.com/ridvan. You can catch him on Sunday June 7 at Cloud Nine.
