One of Newcastle’s top prospects appears on our Inflyte Radar as Geordie talent Smyth returns to Alan Fitzpatrick’s esteemed We Are The Brave imprint.
Having impressed us, and apparently Alan himself, with his inclusion on the labels Electronic Soul Music Vol.2 various artist release, Smyth is back on WATB for his Divine Intervention EP, which includes original tracks Cosmic Girls, Redefined and To The Top.
Speaking to him recently, Smyth told us all about the new release, how he made the most of mandatory lockdown, and which Newcastle-based artists he thinks could be set to do big things in the near future. Get the full discussion below.
Hey Smyth! You’re on our Inflyte Radar this month, tell us what have you been up to recently?
Hey everyone, cheers for the support, it really is appreciated like! So recently I have mainly been staying positive and using this crazy period of time to my advantage. I also just got the keys to my new home and in the mist of building a new studio which has been a lot of fun, but my main focus has been concentrating on my music.
It’s not often I get this much free time and usually making music out of normal work hours at the weekend so it’s been awesome learning and developing new skills, experimenting with sound on a daily basis.
You’re about to release your 3-track Divine Intervention EP with Alan Fitzpatrick’s We Are The Brave, how did the tracks come to land on Alan’s imprint?
I actually approached Alan on Instagram and was lucky enough to get his attention! Alan has supported my music and has been playing different tracks for well over a year now and I was just sending him as much music as possible.
I’m self-taught from YouTube and some books but have been experimenting and enjoying the process on my journey and made my first release on the label with ‘Make Your Mind Up’ which Alan signed to their recent VA – Electronic Soul Music Vol.2. I think this really boosted my confidence and the EP during the first few weeks of UK lockdown just happened from there.
And it’s all originals with this one, did you not have any interest in putting some remixes on it?
I actually haven’t really thought about remixes, but I suppose it would be another dream come true if the techno boss Alan Fitzpatrick himself was to do one! Haha.
We heard a rumour you’ll also be releasing with Patrick Topping’s Trick label, what can you tell us about that?
Patrick is a good friend of mine and was playing a lot of my earlier productions, which also massively boosted my confidence. I did have an EP lined up which fell through last minute as the tracks weren’t quite suited to the label, so at this moment in time nothing is happening with Trick but I’m still in contact with Patrick, so who knows!
And are there any other releases you’ve been working on that we need to hear about?
I have been making loads of new tracks on a weekly basis now and have been talking to Alan about a second release down the line, so fingers crossed I will get some more signed to We Are The Brave. Other than that I am just collecting my tunes and planning my next moves!
You’re based in the North of England, specifically Newcastle, what makes Newcastle home for you?
Yes, I live in Newcastle on the coast and have done all my life, other than a couple of seasons in Ibiza. For me, being 10 minutes from the beach and 45 minutes from pure countryside in Northumberland is what it’s all about. I love nature and the outdoors, and we have a beautiful coastline, and of course that Geordie charm!
And the city has produced a bunch of quality DJs over the years, one of the most known being Patrick Topping, what do you think makes the cities club scene so strong?
Good people and a friendly atmosphere, we just love music and coming together and enjoying ourselves.
Which emerging Geordie talents (besides yourself) do you think is destined for big things in the future?
VERV (Chris Hodgeson), he is doing his own thing in the minimal side of techno, but his productions are finely detailed. I really love his tracks and he is definitely one to keep an eye on.
And lastly, which track on the EP should our readers listen to first?
Hard decision for me, as I genuinely love them all and can’t wait to play them out at an actual venue! But I am a lover of a bit of euphoria, so for me it’s going to have to be ‘To The Top’.
Smyth’s Divine Intervention EP is out now on We Are The Brave.