RA Exchange
The weekly RA Exchange is a series of conversations with artists, labels and promoters shaping the electronic music landscape.
Episodes
EX.804 Kurupt FM
The UK pirate radio crew and cult TV stars discuss their rebirth and forthcoming EP, Grindah's Decided We're Doing Music Again.Many UK natives will be familiar with the show People Just Do Nothing, a mid-2010s comedy about pirate radio crew Kurupt FM, who ride the UK garage wave, broadcasting from the outer boroughs of London.Kurupt FM's core members—MC Grindah, DJ Beats, DJ Steves and DJ Decoy—we
EX.803 Two Shell
The masked duo go on the record to address criticisms, identity and their forthcoming album, Infinite Now.Anonymous DJ-and-producer duo Two Shell are both loved and reviled. They've spent the last few years making the question of their identity inseparable from their music, earning an enormous fanbase with their original, up-tempo productions, and then alienating much of it through relentless pran
EX.802 Bladee
The Drain Gang cofounder talks about mysticism, Gen Z and his new album, Sulfur Surfer.Bladee's work as a founding member of the Swedish collective Drain Gang has shaped a new generation of underground music. The group's sound, which is rooted in cloud rap and Auto-Tune experimentation, and pulls from trance, noise, metal, goth and grunge, has earned them an enormous following of fans—AKA "drainer
EX.801 Peaches
The queer icon and punk provocateur talks bodily autonomy, embracing ageing and her new album, No Lube So Rude.Merrill Nisker—known to most of the world as Peaches—has spent 25 years making music that refuses to behave. Since her 2000 breakthrough, The Teaches of Peaches, she's built a body of work at the intersection of performance art, punk provocation and dance music, becoming an international
EX.800 Anton Corbijn
The Dutch photographer and art director on his longtime collaboration with Depeche Mode, moving into feature films and 50 years of documenting music culture.In 1979, the 24-year-old Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn talked his way into a Joy Division shoot in a London Underground tunnel by citing a magazine assignment he didn't have. The band posed with their backs to the camera, and subsequently,
EX.799 Takuya Nakamura
The jungle DJ and trumpeter talks about late-career popularity, jazz in Japan and what it means to build a life in music.You probably know Takuya Nakamura first and foremost as a viral sensation. The Tokyo-born, New York-based trumpeter has achieved minor internet fame in recent years for playing live trumpet over jungle records on The Lot Radio. But Nakamura was composing and performing for more
EX.798 Suzanne Ciani
The pioneering artist talks philosophy, Berghain and touring on the eve of her 80th birthday.Suzanne Ciani is a synth music legend. After establishing herself as one of the first virtuosos of Don Buchla's modular system in the 1960s, she went on to earn five Grammy nominations, score a Hollywood film and found her own sound design company—creating iconic commercial soundtracks for Coca-Cola, AT&am
EX.797 Ed O'Brien
The Radiohead guitarist talks about finding spirituality, life inside one of the most mythologised (and occasionally polarising) bands of the last 40 years, and his second solo album, Blue Morpho.Ed O'Brien has been a guitarist in Radiohead since the band formed at Abingdon School in the mid '80s, playing a supporting role across a catalogue largely written by Thom Yorke. He comes from a guitar tr
EX.796 Benji B
The longtime BBC Radio 1 DJ talks about his rigorous music-discovery routine, soundtracking the world's most elite runways and the legacy of his party series, Deviation.Since first stepping onto the airwaves more than 20 years ago, Benji B has spent his career bridging London club culture with the worlds of art and fashion. He's hosted his weekly BBC Radio 1 show for over two decades, founded the
EX.795 Avalon Emerson
The musical polymath talks creative left turns, the collapse of music media and her new album as Avalon & the Charm, Written into Changes.A decade after her first feature appearance in Resident Advisor, Avalon Emerson returns for a long-form chat about the arc of her career and her surprising left turn towards indie pop. After leaving a successful career in coding in the early 2010s, the Ameri
EX.794 Calibre
The Irish veteran talks about his prolific output, making music beyond the drum & bass canon and his forthcoming album, Tricklemore Sea.Dominick Martin—AKA Calibre—has spent the last three decades carving out one of the most singular paths in electronic music. Known to many as a cornerstone of drum & bass, the Northern Irish artist's work has always defied easy categorisation. His vast out
EX.793 Chris Stussy
The Dutch phenomenon unpacks the myth of overnight success and the story behind his debut album, Lost, Found & Forgotten.They say it takes ten years to become an overnight success, and in the case of this week's guest, that math almost checks out. Born in Leiden, Chris Stussy has been sharpening his tools for over a decade, and in the years since the pandemic, the world has caught onto his sle
EX.792 Tiga
Electroclash icon Tiga talks about the manosphere, the currency of cool and his first album in 10 years, HOTLIFE.Canadian producer Tiga—born Tiga Sontag—has navigated the peaks and valleys of electronic music for over three decades. A key architect of the electroclash explosion in the early 2000s, Sontag reigned supreme over the indie sleaze era of the dance floor during the 2010s.But eventually,
EX.791 Loraine James
The London artist talks about self-doubt, overcoming creative blocks and her forthcoming album on Hyperdub.Today's guest has spent the last decade proving that electronic music is an insufficient label for what she does. Since her landmark Hyperdub debut, For You and I, in 2019, Loraine James has moved through the world of IDM, glitch and ambient with a rare kind of emotional transparency. Whether
EX.790 Freddy K
The vinyl purist discusses his late-career ascent, the discipline of the marathon set and the shifting class dynamics threatening the underground.In an era where the word "techno" is often used as a broad marketing catch-all, Alessio Armeni, AKA Freddy K, stands as one of the sound's most uncompromising activists.The Berlin-based DJ and Key Vinyl label head has spent over three decades operating i
EX.789 Interplanetary Criminal
The contemporary face of garage talks about obsession, overnight success and his turn towards a more mature image and sound. Over the last few years, Zac Bruce—better known as Interplanetary Criminal—has become the definitive face of a global garage resurgence. He seemingly appeared overnight with his 2022 chart-topping anthem, Baddest Of Them All, made with singer Eliza Rose. But his story e
EX.788 Kim Gordon
The Sonic Youth cofounder opens up about her solo output, the intersection of art and music, and her new album, PLAY ME.For over four decades, Kim Gordon has navigated the edges where fine art meets noise. Her claim to fame was as a founding member of Sonic Youth, the band that took the nihilistic, abrasive energy of New York's no wave scene and forged it into a new language for rock. After S
EX.787 Voices From The Lake
For the Exchange's Season Two relaunch, the visionary duo discuss their first release in 13 years and the inspiration behind their trailblazing sound.Neel and Donato Dozzy, who perform and make music together as Voices From The Lake, first joined forces in 2011, when what was supposed to be a one-off performance in the Japanese Alps changed the trajectory of ambient techno forever.The music they m
EX.786 Barker
The Leisure System co-founder talks psychology, behavioral science and his standout album of the year, Stochastic Drift.Sam Barker's influence on contemporary electronic music culture spans many levels—not only as a producer and DJ pushing against traditional genre boundaries, but also as key figure behind the scenes as head of the label Leisure System. He came into RA HQ to talk about the central
EX.785 Isabella Lovestory
The Honduran artist talks about the rise of reggaeton, the dark side of beauty standards and her new album, Vanity.In the past decade, reggaeton has taken the world by storm, expanding from beyond its origins in Panama and Puerto Rico to become an undeniable global force. Yet, within this massive cultural explosion, few artists are navigating the sound with the distinct, subversive energy of Isabe
EX.784 Sub Focus
The drum & bass veteran talks about bass music eras, dance culture in America and his new album, Contact. British artist Nicolaas Douwma, AKA Sub Focus, has been steadily putting out big-room drum & bass since the early 2000s. In more recent years, he's become staggeringly popular, releasing a string of Top 40 UK pop hits that have made him synonymous with a more mainstream sound. His
EX.783 Dixon
The Innervisions cofounder reflects on the label's 20-year anniversary, the art of DJing and bringing politics back to the underground.One of the most popular record labels in the RA ecosystem is Innervisions, and one of its most popular DJs is cofounder Steffen Berkhahn, AKA Dixon. He started the outlet in 2005 with Kristian Rädle and Frank Wiedemann of Âme. Back when RA ran DJ polls, Dixon was&n
EX.782 Annie Mac
The longtime BBC Radio 1 host talks about the liberation of leaving broadcasting, her pivot to fiction writing and her party series, Before Midnight.If you grew up in the UK, chances are you've heard Annie Mac on the radio. The Irish native started on the airwaves in 2004 when she was 26. She hosted a nightly programme called Future Sounds, before eventually moving to a Friday night dance music sh
EX.781 Paul van Dyk
The German legend talks about the state of modern trance, what it takes to create a legacy and writing his most recent album.Poll the average dance music fan and they'll have almost certainly heard of Paul van Dyk. The German DJ and producer is so synonymous with trance that it's impossible to talk about the genre's history without mentioning his name. He's also been one of the most successful ele
EX.780 Liz Pelly
The New York-based journalist talks about her breakout book, Mood Machine, live from Soft Centre Festival in Sydney.As we approach the end of 2025, it's clear that one of the year's most zeitgeist-defining books has been Liz Pelly's Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist. The New York-based writer has been on a promotional tour, speaking at festivals around the wor
EX.779 PinkPantheress
The TikTok tour de force talks about '90s electronica, UK garage and her 2025 mixtape, Fancy Some More?There's a new generation of artists who've come up almost entirely online, and perhaps the breakthrough star of the TikTok music era is PinkPantheress. A few years ago, the British 24-year-old quietly strategised how to game the social media algorithm and get her songs to go viral. She succeeded—
Ex.778 Batu
There are few names as widely loved in clubland as Bristol-based producer Omar McCutcheon, AKA Batu. His label Timedance, currently celebrating its ten-year anniversary, has been instrumental in shaping a certain corner of contemporary electronic music. It champions a mutant, rhythmic, UK-flavoured sound that escapes any obvious genre touchstones, as well as spotlighting the careers of artists lik
EX.777 Sama’ Abdulhadi
The DJ talks about Israel’s genocide in Gaza and how the music industry, and some of her peers, have failed Palestine.The most deeply divisive topic of the year is undoubtedly Israel's genocide in Gaza. The issue has prompted some artists to step boldly into the political ring and others to shield their professional identities from scrutiny and public discourse—with each camp drawing fierce backla
EX.776 Soulwax
"We're trying to show more of who we are." The Belgian brothers unpack their decades-long career and first album in more than seven years.There are some songs that have become pervasive, nearly universally recognisable features of pop culture. And my guess is that even if you don't know the Belgian duo Soulwax (AKA 2Manydjs) by name, you'll know their biggest hits, like early 2000s indie electroni
EX.775 Studio Karhard
"Designing clubs is about understanding psychology." The famed architects talk about bringing emotions, durability and hidden logic into era-defining nightlife spaces.How do you design the world's best clubs? Studio Karhard, the architecture firm started by Thomas Karsten and his wife, Alexandra Erhard, in 2003, know exactly which ingredients go into a successful nightlife space. The Berlin-based
EX.774 Cormac
"There are no new feelings, just new words." The Irish DJ talks about finding commonality in polarising times, CSD weekend and his podcast, Queerly Beloved.In Berlin, the end of July means one thing: CSD, AKA Christopher Street Day. Commemorating New York's historic Stonewall Riots of 1969, this raucous weekender is a yearly celebration of the queer community and LGBTQIA+ rights.The Irish DJ and p
EX.773 JakoJako
“The hardware world is like a sport.” The DJ and producer talks about mastering synthesis and finding community in a male-dominated music ecosystem. Is talent innate? Today's guest, producer and modular synth extraordinaire Sibel Koçer (AKA JakoJako) doesn't think so. She's seen an extraordinary rise in her career in the last few years, earning a residency at Berghain, releasing on Mute Records, p
EX.772 Papi Juice
"These spaces are sacred." The Brooklyn trio reflect on 12 years of throwing parties that celebrate New York's queer community of colour.New York nightlife has a truly unique ecosystem. And for the last 12 years, the art collective Papi Juice has been right at the center of it, hosting parties, workshops, artist residencies, performances and exhibitions that affirm and celebrate the lives of queer
EX.771 Dominga (Föllakzoid)
"There's a lack of continuity for FLINTA* individuals." The Chilean artist talks about trans rights and the launch of her new sex party, ABOV.What would genuine visibility, safety and solidarity look like for the trans community? This week's interview with Chilean artist Dominga Huidobro (AKA Föllakzoid) explores this topic in depth. Huidobro began her transition eight years ago. By then, Föllakzo
EX.770 rRoxymore
"I want more risks." The French DJ and producer talks about groundbreaking musical practices, musique concrète and her forthcoming album, Juggling Dualities.There's a history of groundbreaking musical practice that's lost in modern dance music, at least according to Hermione Frank, AKA rRoxymore. The French DJ and producer has been questioning the dominant modes of creativity for a long time. Firs
EX.769 Emily Witt
"I'm ready to bring back gatekeeping." The New Yorker staff writer discusses how to protect the underground, experimenting with drugs and her new book, Health and Safety.Can drugs help us find meaning in music and nightlife? This is a question that today's Exchange guest, New Yorker staff writer Emily Witt, asks in earnest in her new book Health and Safety: A Breakdown. Just released in hardcover
EX.768 BAMBII
"Is the infrastructure working?" The Canadian DJ and producer talks playing Coachella 2025 and the music industry's unequal power dynamics.Is the electronic music industry pay-to-play? This week's RA Exchange with Jamaican-Canadian DJ and producer BAMBII tackles this question, exploring whether innate talent is really enough to become an artist, or if success favours those with privileged socioeco
EX.767 Cosey Fanny Tutti
"I'm an individualist." The Throbbing Gristle co-founder on extreme experimentation, difficult women and her new album, 2t2.As long as underground culture has existed, there have been pockets of resistance—people at the fringes who challenge societal expectations and create work that pushes against societal norms. Cosey Fanni Tutti is one of them. She's a founding member of the defunct British ba
EX.766 Surgeon
“My mission is to explore the boundaries of psychedelic music.” The revered artist talks about expanding consciousness, breaking boundaries and his new album on Tresor. There has always been a strain of dance music that has leant psychedelic, from the left field psychoacoustics of pioneers like La Monte Young to the proggy techno taking over today's dance floors. One artist who embodies the spirit
EX.765 Lee Ann Roberts
"Music kept me sane." The hard techno breakout opens up about how life's greatest challenges have made her headstrong.To honour Mental Health Awareness week, the RA Exchange sits down with hard techno DJ Lee Ann Roberts, who opens up about her tough childhood in Durban, South Africa, and how music saved her life. While to some it may appear that Roberts broke through only a few years ago, she's be
EX.764 Maria May (CAA)
"Everyone tells me I'm terrifying." The powerhouse agent talks about being a woman in a male-dominated world and growing the careers of artists like David Guetta, Marlon Hoffstadt and more.What does it take to become a powerhouse agent in the male-dominated electronic music industry? No one can answer this question better than Maria May, a name that might be familiar to anyone who's had a brush wi
EX.763 Theo Parrish
"It was so difficult to become someone." The house hero talks about Chicago's competitive scene, developing a sound and letting go of his ego. Theo Parrish is one of dance music's most influential DJs and producers. Raised in Chicago, he's become synonymous with slow-burning, immersive grooves and sets that mix classics with obscurities. He began DJing in 1986 aged 13, eventually earning a degree
EX.762 FKA twigs
"I'm in a place of brutal honesty." The electronic pop auteur talks about her new album, the pressures of performing and falling in love with techno.One of today's most exciting stars is Tahliah Debrett Barnett, better known as FKA twigs. Genre-wise, she's difficult to pin down; some critics call her music ethereal, alien R&B refracted through the lens of dance music. She's now touring her third a
EX.761 Mike Parker
The vaunted techno producer discusses the connections between visual art and music, balancing a full-time career as a fine artist and how he creates his signature sound.There's a connection between visual art and dance music that's seldom explored on our channels. Mike Parker is well known in the underground techno scene for minimal, hypnotic and beautifully executed sound design that sits somewhe
EX.760 The Economics of Independent Dance Music
"There's a long chain of people who benefit from artists making records." Nabil Ayers, the US president of Beggars Group, talks about independent artistry and how we fix a broken music economy.The independent music economy is broken. But Nabil Ayers, US President of Beggars Group—the home of independent labels 4AD, Matador Records, Rough Trade Records, XL Recordings and Young—is here to fix it. In
EX.759 Rene Wise
"Sound systems are really what move me." The up-and-coming techno artist talks about the physicality of sound and how psychedelics inform his work in the studio.What makes a good artist? In this RA Exchange, British DJ and producer Andrew Shobeiri, AKA Rene Wise, reflects on being a relatively new name in the scene and considers the success that ultimately comes with time and experience. "There's
EX.758 DJ Koze
The beloved German producer talks about finding inner peace, overstimulation and his new album on Pampa Records.Mental health is a topic that comes up frequently in the music industry, but it's still not discussed enough among electronic music's top performers. In this RA Exchange, Stefan Kozalla—better known as DJ Koze—opens up about his battle with anxiety, self-doubt and rising expectations tha
EX.757 Ben Klock and Fadi Mohem
"We wanted to let go of everything we know." The Berghain residents talk about underground values, leaving behind expectations and their collaborative album, LAYER ONE.Berghain residents and now frequent collaborators Ben Klock and Fadi Mohem have become synonymous with the classic, no frills aesthetic that's come to define the Berlin institution's sound, with one exception: their newest LP, LAYER
EX.756 Sonja Moonear
The doyenne of minimal reflects on Perlon, forgotten classics and the tracks that never leave her record bag in this live edition of Playing Favourites at Dimensions Festival.Following the minimal boom of the '00s and early '10s, the sound has in more recent years flourished quietly in the smaller corners of certain scenes. It certainly, as some people like to claim, never died. In fact, if you we
EX.755 Dennis Bovell
"I wanted to be at the forefront of the beat that would storm the world." The renowned musician talks about how reggae became the sound of resistance in the UK.How did reggae become the sound of resistance in the UK? In this RA Exchange, the influential Barbados-born guitarist, bass player and record producer Dennis Bovell talks about moving to South London aged 12 and navigating its tense racial
EX.754 Virginia
"It starts within yourself." The DJ, vocalist and producer talks about self-improvement, moving to rural Portugal and working alongside long-time partner Steffi.There may be no voice as rich, vibrant or easily distinguishable in today's house and techno scene than that of Virginia. The Brazilian-German DJ, producer and singer has earned a name for herself as a hybrid house vocalist and a resident
EX.753 Traxman
Anyone with a passing interest in footwork and juke will know of Traxman. Corky Strong has a long history in the world of Chicago dance music, first releasing on the legendary Dance Mania label—which is now celebrating 40 years—in the mid-'90s. He's since split his productions between ghetto house, juke and footwork, releasing alongside titans of Black American music like the late DJ Deeon and DJ
EX.752 Justice
The famed electro house duo open up about their 2024 album and the challenges of touring live.In the mid-'00s, songs like "D.A.N.C.E." and "We Are Your Friends" emerged as stadium-sized anthems during a new wave of electro house that weaved in elements of rock and disco. The architects behind these hits were Parisian duo Justice, AKA Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. Together with their Ed Banger
EX.751 Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst
"We're pro-AI and we're pro-consent. Those things don't have to be mutually exclusive." The activists and artists talk about the hot button issues facing AI's governance.The world is deep in the throes of a heightening debate over AI. Just this week, the Vatican published an essay addressing the potential, and risks, of AI in a new high-tech world as well as its intersection with religion and huma
EX.750 Call Super
"If a record is falling apart at the seams, I'll probably like it." Recorded live at Houghton 2024, our latest Playing Favourites episode sees the London artist discussing the beautiful leftfield music that's soundtracked his life.British DJ and producer Call Super brings some colour to the depths of winter with this week's RA Exchange. The multifaceted artist has released music on Houndstooth, He
EX.749 Luke Slater
"I'm like a collector—everything I come across makes it into my music." The dance music don talks about the music that shaped him and his recent L.B. Dub Corp album on Dekmantel.Luke Slater, the British DJ, producer and occasional drummer, has been making music under a slew of monikers since the '80s: Planetary Assault Systems, L.B. Dub Corp, LSD, The 7th Plain, Clementine—the list goes on. While
EX.748 Faithless
"We put all of these philosophical concepts into our lyrics." Sister Bliss talks about the band after Maxi Jazz, weaving politics into rave anthems and the dance floor as salvation.Even if you're not into electronic music, chances are you've heard tracks like "Insomnia" or "God Is A DJ" on the radio or in a film. These '90s rave anthems were written by Faithless, a British electronic band that rec
EX.747 Patrick Mason
"Why would you care about anyone else's opinion?" The DJ and dancer talks about work ethic, living authentically and the power of lifting each other up.DJ and dancer Patrick Mason emits high vibrations and high-energy dance music. But that wasn't always the case. Before he was playing the world's biggest techno festivals, he grew up in conservative Bavaria, where he claims that he "suppressed his
EX.744 Sven Marquardt
"You go through this feeling to then be in freedom." The notorious photographer and bouncer talks about the ethos behind selecting the world's hardest door, early life in East Berlin and Berghain's 20th anniversary.Today's Exchange guest is Berghain's infamous figurehead and doorman Sven Marquardt, who was born and raised in German Democratic Republic (GDR)-era East Berlin. He lived a rebellious l
EX.743 Palms Trax
The beloved DJ unpacks his most influential records in our flagship live series, Playing Favourites, recorded at Dekmantel in August.Palms Trax, the beloved British DJ and producer considered a "veteran" of the scene at only 33 years old, hit it big with a career breakout back in 2015. Since then, he's become known for his long-running radio show and record label, Cooking With Palms Trax, where he
EX.742 MARICAS
The trio behind our party of the year discuss creating space for the FLINTA community, their most outrageous live performances and more.Resident Advisor is wrapping up the year, and alongside our best-of-2024 records and tracks lists comes our favourite party: Barcelona-based platform MARICAS. The self-described "loving and pervy LGBTQIA+ techno collective" started in 2018 when ISAbella, Eloisa Bl
EX.741 Joseph Capriati
"I put all of my energy into what I do." The Italian DJ and producer talks about his undying passion for music, his take on "business techno" and how the scene has changed over the course of his long career.Naples native Joseph Capriati has received criticism for being the "CEO of business techno." But the longtime artist is a genuine lover of all kinds of electronic music, from the incredibly nic
EX.740 Gabrielle Kwarteng
"I was surrounded by all walks of life." Live from Dekmantel, the New York native talks about how the Bronx shaped her taste in music, her long-time love of radio and blowing up on the international DJ circuit.Gabrielle Kwarteng is a product of her diverse musical environment. The Berlin-based New Yorker has a unique sound that's dynamic and house-heavy, incorporating elements of acid, techno and
EX.739 RÜFÜS DU SOL
"We're getting better at what we do." The Australian dance music trio discuss their longtime creative collaboration and their new album, Inhale / Exhale.Australian electronic dance trio Rüfüs Du Sol—composed of the artists Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George and James Hunt—is synonymous with catchy, vocal-led bangers. They've received a huge amount of success in more commercial and underground scenes in
EX.738 Sofia Kourtesis
"I do activism as much as I can." The Peruvian DJ and producer talks about the human rights issues close to her heart, fighting for human rights and the incredible story behind her LP for Ninja Tune.Sofia Kourtesis is a Peruvian DJ and producer based in Berlin known for her buoyant, upbeat music that channels and transmutes sociopolitical activism and personal hardship. While she's put out a numbe
EX.012 Quincy Jones
In a very special Exchange from 2010, we caught up with a true legend of music. Here's what we said at the time:Revered composer, producer and bandleader Quincy Jones may not have much to do with dance music in a literal context, but his fingerprints are all over it. The impact that his work has had on countless DJs and producers over the years hardly needs explaining. So when we were offered the
EX.737 HAAi
"We need to give more people a seat at the table." The Australian DJ and producer talks about exclusivity in the music industry, neurodivergence and London's thriving lesbian scene. The London-based Australian artist Teneil Throssell (AKA HAAi) doesn't have a typical DJ story. She moved to London in the early 2010s as part of a now defunct psych rock band, and once it broke up, she thought her sti
EX.736 Bradley Zero
"A system that's equal doesn't benefit the people that have the power." The Rhythm Section International founder talks about creating opportunities for Black artists and entrepreneurs, Caribbean conviviality and his abiding love for Peckham.Bradley Zero, the DJ and founder of the label Rhythm Section International, is known for his commitment to his community. Zero grew up in a rich Caribbean cult
EX.735 Sangre Nueva
"There are so many different takes on reggaeton." The Latine supergroup discusses dembow, Afro-Caribbean music and more in this Playing Favourites live from C2C Festival.This week's RA Exchange revisits one of Resident Advisor's flagship live formats, Playing Favourites, where we bring guests onto the pod to walk through their musical influences and play us some tracks that have been formative in
EX.734 A-Trak & The Blessed Madonna
The smartbar affiliate talks to the Fool's Gold Records founder about climbing the ranks, DJ discourse and how to exist in commercial and underground scenes simultaneously.This week's RA Exchange takes us to Chicago, where two big names—The Blessed Madonna and A-Trak—have a chat ahead of their back-to-back set at underground institution smartbar last month. These are two DJs who have been around t
EX.733 Mount Kimbie
"Our collaboration is greater than the sum of its parts." Kai Campos and Dominic Maker discuss their new album on Warp and what it felt like to work together again after years apart.British outfit Mount Kimbie first made their mark with their 2010 release Crooks and Lovers, inspired by contemporaries like James Blake and King Krule. The group's two primary members, Kai Campos and Dominic Maker, me
EX.732 Repairing an Exploitative Recording Industry
House music pioneer Vince Lawrence and law professor Dr. Olufunmilayo Arewa unpack how record companies have undermined Black musicians—and what we can do to enact change.This past week, Resident Advisor screened and distributed a new, award-winning documentary called Taking Back the Groove. It tells the story of Bronx-born disco legend Richie Weeks, whose song "Rock Your World" with Weeks & Co. c
EX.731 Laurel Halo
"I fell in love with the piano again." The DJ and composer discusses the vulnerability of the creative process, returning to acoustic instruments and touring her latest album.Laurel Halo has been circling around the club music world for a number of years, but she's only recently entered the echelons of jazz and contemporary classical. Originally from Michigan, she went to music school in Ann Arbor
EX.730 Oscar Mulero
"They were wild and crazy years." The Spanish techno icon discusses his early years in Madrid, running record labels and staying true to his sound for more than 30 years.Spanish DJ and producer Oscar Mulero is a legend of underground techno. Since starting to play parties and make music more than 30 years ago, he's earned a reputation as an anti-conformist tastemaker who's adamantly stuck to his g
EX.729 Lee Gamble
"I'm a noodler." The vaunted experimental producer and DJ discusses his playful approach to engaging with philosophy and making art live at Atonal's OPENLESS in Berlin. British artist Lee Gamble has long been captivating listeners with high concept dance music. A loyal affiliate of Kode9's Hyperdub label, Gamble—whose work sits somewhere at the intersection of philosophy, computer music and sound
EX.728 Anfisa Letyago
"I always find inspiration from my city." The DJ and producer talks about her love of Naples, moving from the underground to the mainstream and her new audiovisual show.If you've ever gone to big room techno hubs like Time Warp, DC-10, Awakenings or Rotterdam Rave, then Anfisa Letyago's name should be familiar to you. But Letyago actually comes from underground roots; before she played to thousand
EX.727 James Massiah
The annual Caribbean street parade Notting Hill Carnival has taken place in London since 1966 to celebrate the influx of immigrants brought to the UK during Windrush. Carnival is a celebration of the rich and multifaceted artistic heritage that came with them, especially in the form of Afro-Caribbean music, dance and sound system culture.The South London-born poet, producer and NTS Radio host Jame
EX.726 GiGi FM
"Dancing has always been visceral to me." The DJ and producer talks about bringing movement into her music practice and the role mythology and meditation plays in art and life.The Italian-French DJ, producer and dancer Giulia Fournier-Mercadante—AKA GiGi FM—has had a varied, multidisciplinary career. Originally a dancer, Fournier-Mercadante received a scholarship for the New York City Ballet and t
EX.723 KMRU
"Soundscapes reveal a lot about how people think and behave." The field recordist and musician talks about listening culture, repatriating African sounds and his new album with The Bug.Today's conversation moves away from the dance floor, focusing instead on the soft, ambient soundscapes of the Berlin-based musician Joseph Kamaru—AKA KMRU—whose work has been featured at festivals like CTM, Mutek,
EX.722 Bicep
"We used to roll up socks in our shoes to give us an extra inch." The childhood friends talk about coming of age in Belfast and their label and event series, CHROMA.Bicep—the Irish duo Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar—have been winning over the hearts of fans with trance-inflected, melancholic dance music since 2009. In this interview with RA editor Gabriel Szatan, the childhood friends talk ab
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