Discoloured: Richard Seeley

If you’re a fan of intelligent, uncompromising and left-field electronic music, chances are the name Richard Seeley is one that’s registered with you at some point over the past few years. And even if you’re not, you might want to check out the man in question all the same, as his is a production nous that’s just as likely to emit catchy basslines as it is electronica for the purists. Regardless of your musical persuasions, however, you’re sure to be left brilliantly bewildered and dumbfounded by his wide array of enchanting sounds. And Seeley has been keeping busy recently too, not just through his Glue Music imprint, but also through his latest labour of love, his recently founded Discolour imprint. We caught up with Seeley recently to get the lowdown on the new label, his varying production techniques and his liking for the unconventional…

How’s the year been for you? Seems to have been particularly busy on the production front by the look of things?

The year has been great so far, thanks. Regarding the production, I’ve been really trying to set aside some time to getting my ideas out there. I was in the habit of getting an idea down on my DAW and it would loop over 16-32 bars or so. Then I would add sounds, engineer the sounds, get the groove I was looking for and then I’d take like the last 8 bars and mess with that even more – which would then evolve into something new and that would become another idea and so on and so on….This constant idea building process was a great way of discovering new ideas, but it wasn’t good for releasing music. I decided to re-visit some of those ideas and finish them off to get them released.

You seem to be more prolific production wise than ever. Why’s that?

I work for myself now. I didn’t when I started producing in 2006 so my time was limited. The truth is, I’m busier than ever but I get to manage my time to suit my mood. Sometimes I will be writing at 5am until 7am then go onto my ‘normal’ work or I may have an afternoon to myself occasionally. Plus I now have the platforms to release which motivates the writing.

Talk to me about the new imprint that you started a while ago, Discolour. What was your intention with the whole thing?

Well it was just a platform for me to release my ideas through a simplified process. No fancy artwork or remixers unlike my other label, Glue Music, which is a long complicated process. Well, maybe not complicated but a long drawn out process anyway. My intentions are changing though. It’s not a closed door, I welcome demos and collaboration offers and I’m embracing whatever will come my way. And if I like it I will release it.

To me, Discolour stands for slightly off-kilter, leftfield techno and house music. Who were/are your main inspirations in that regard?

Haha….well, if you’ve listened to my back catalogue I think you would understand that’s just me, off- kilter House and Techno is what I do. I’ve tried writing what I perceive as normal and I get called David Lynch! As for being inspired, I write music that I consider being different/futuristic for the same reason that there’s new fashions and new technologies: I want to push music forward. My inspirations back in 2005/6 came from going to Ibiza and places like DC10, and now there is too many to name…Relativity new artists I’m inspired by include Andreas Georgiades, who released his Rude Bishop EP on Glue, and Neil Pymer, who you will be hearing lots more from in the future…

Am I wrong to pigeonhole the label and your productions in that regard, though? How much does your mood dictate what you’re going to produce?

You’re not wrong, you’re completely right; it is indeed off-kilter, compared to the normal ‘safe’ music. My mood can definitely dictate what I write, I think everyone is going to be surprised at my next Glue offering. But yeah, I like to diversify my releases and I like to keep people guessing. A bit like my DJ sets.

You recently hooked up with Paul Loraine on ‘The Trip’, the first time you’ve collaborated with anyone on Discolour. How did you find that process?

Paul is a genius and we work very well musically. The whole process was brilliant and flowed really easily. Funnily enough though, we have never even met in person. We have only spoken to one another and sent ideas to each another. I started with an idea, sent it to Paul, he did a bit and sent it back, and we worked like that until completion.

Have Paul and yourself always shared a similar musical agenda? Was he an obvious person to collaborate with in your eyes?

Paul has his style, I have mine and together it works, the yin and yang so to speak. Paul was the obvious choice to work with because we chatted for a long time; sending ideas to each other then it was the obvious and natural move forward to work together. We have collaborated before under another Guise of CDT when we did a remix for the Lucidflow label.

What’s the most important lesson you’d give budding producers out there?

Number 1. Believe in yourself!

Number 2. Get one friend who you can trust to be brutally honest with you and keep writing until they say yes! That’s a killer track! BOOM!

Number 3. Keep pushing on, never give up, you can’t please everyone so don’t try.

There’s three lessons for you!

About DJ’ing…what was the last record you bought and why?

Sven Weisemann – ‘Cabana Fever’. It’s just exceptional!

Have you purposefully slowed down the gigs to concentrate on production a bit?

Not really. I’ve been working my arse off running my company but I’m back on the music now so the bookings are welcomed, although I’m also working on my live show!

We’re always interested to know about peoples productionAre you a hardware man or a software man? Or a bit of both?

Bit of both, just purchased some bits and looking forward to twiddling around and getting some fresh stuff written and finished I might add.

What are your long-term aims music wise, for yourself and the label? 

My long term aims, maybe an album in the next couple of years, a tour a single, some collaborative live shows, lots more music, a few more label parties in Berlin are on the horizon…and then some more!