Riigs talks Londam Records and his latest Partygate Vol.1 EP
Londam is excited to launch a new series of EPs showcasing their party nature!
Label co-founder Riigs kicks things off with two ideal warm up tunes, Skenna will follow this up with an electro workout before our good friend Olympic Pool Maintenance League brings the nighttime drive.
On Partygate Vol.1, EP Four Echoes starts things with a percussive groove, layers of vocal chops and synth bleeps for maximum fun. As the track builds up a melodic lead drives it to a heady conclusion. Second cut VSOP brings an infectious synth melody intertwining with chopped vocals and a driving beat.
With the EP out now, we caught up with Riigs for a chat.
Thanks for talking to us Mark. Has it been a positive 2023 for you so far?
Thanks for having me! Yes 2023 has been great so far. Some releases I’m really happy with, more live shows and the label is putting out some tunes we really love. Most of all getting to work with amazing people.
What’s your earliest memory involving music?
Definitely learning to play the piano helped by my mother. She was happy for me to just have fun and smash the keys. It must have sounded terrible! That and listening to my Dad’s Beatles and jazz records.
Who were your biggest musical inspirations growing up?
As a young kid it started with big pop stars like Elton John (who I still love by the way). My big inspirations were the first wave of electronic musicians from Jean Michel Jarre to Kraftwerk and then the Human League and Depeche Mode.
When did you know you wanted to make music? And what were your first steps in trying to make it happen?
I guess it was at school when I found I could play hit records of the day on the piano and started to write my own music. My first real steps were playing in various bands and learning how to make music with other people and understanding how song structure really works. My early experiments with electronic music involved an Akai sampler, Cubase and a lot of swearing!
Your new EP Partygate takes in a lot of influences, from progressive, melodic house to a touch of trance – to our ears at least! What is it about this style that appeals to you?
I set out to make these tracks quite percussive and groovy but with a strong melodic hook as you say. I am attracted to music that makes me move but also stirs an emotion. That’s what I was going for.
Were there any specific bits of hard or software that contributed to the sound of this one?
The drums were made in an Elektron Digitakt which I love. The bulk of the track was written in Ableton Live with a heavy use of Omnisphere synth sounds.
You recently launched your label Londam alongside Skenna – what’s the elevator pitch for the kind of music and artist you want to support with the label?
We love music that moves us – with our roots in house, dub and experimental electronica. We want to be a home for artists to express themselves and try new things. We always work closely with them to develop the music and realise their vision.
Have you had any ‘pinch yourself’ moments in your career to date?
My first live set for ages last year, playing to a very enthusiastic audience and feeling like my music was finding a home!
What do you have in the pipeline for the rest of 2023?
Some cool releases coming later this summer and working on new material. Some quite big live shows as well!
What final message would you like to leave for our readers and your fans?
A big thank you for supporting independent artists and labels. Knowing that our music is having an impact makes it all worth it.
