Girls Twiddling Knobs
The #1 feminist music tech podcast, featuring deep-diving episodes into all things music production and home recording and fascinating guest episodes with women making music with technology, hosted by Isobel Anderson.
Girls Twiddling Knobs
EP#77: Straddling Multiple Genres & Musical Identities with Riz Maslen
It’s easy to feel tied down or boxed in as a woman in the music industry, and many artists use a pseudonym to create separation between their personal and creative lives. But today’s guest, Riz Maslen, has been releasing electronic music under multiple musical identities for the past three decades.
Inside this episode, Riz shares how she’s used different monikers to play with different genres, contexts and identities, what it was like getting into production during the ‘90s in London and her new ambient release, Stairway 13. Riz also shares the important qualities she thinks women bring to the field of production and why less can be more when it comes to music tech gadgets and gear.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{0:00} Intro
{03:00} How Riz got started in music
{09:54} Forging her way in the London music scene and getting started with music production
{16:55} The women that shaped Riz’s own confidence in music
{21:15} The process of recording her first track released on Ninja Tune and her experience of life on the road
{28:38} Why Riz decided to release music under different monikers and a walkthrough of her creative process
{44:32} The unique qualities women bring to music production
{48:28} A look into Riz’s recording setup and her top tips for getting started for free!
{56:35} Riz’s advice for releasing music under a different moniker
{01:01:17} Episode Summary
Check out Riz’s music here >>
Listen to Stairway 13 here >>
Ready to level up your music making with the powerful art of field recording? Download my new FREE Essential Gear Checklist to Start Field Recording With Your Smartphone >>
Loved this week's episode? Share it with a friend 👯♀️
---------------------------------------------------
Girls Twiddling Knobs is hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey.
Watch this episode on YouTube
Explore more episodes here.
Listen on Spotify.
Join the Girls Twiddling Knobs Podcast Community here >>
00:00.00
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
So welcome Riz to girls twiddling knobs. It's wonderful to have you here.
00:02.62
Riz Maslen
Oh you're very welcome is is lovely to be part of the pod cards.
00:07.10
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, and I mean this is a bit different to how we planned we were going to do this in person and then I fell down the stairs and injured my co sixcks and just could not get myself to to the festival to the sonics festival to do this live So I'm really glad that we can do this on the podcast via.
00:26.22
Riz Maslen
Um, so am I Yay um.
00:26.98
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Zencaster At least? yeah yeah, um, so maybe we could start off. Can you just tell the listeners who you are and the kind of music that you make.
00:40.48
Riz Maslen
Okay, my name is Riz Maslin and um I kind of have a I'll just say I'm ah and and an electronic musician is probably the best way to kind of you know, put it. Out there and I'll let people decide what they want.
00:59.36
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah, yeah I think that's fair, you know most the stuff that you're doing interacts with electronics in some way doesn't it. Yeah okay, cool and you're based not far from me. In fact, you're based very close to me in St Leonard's yeah.
01:04.28
Riz Maslen
It does. Yeah, so.
01:11.24
Riz Maslen
Um, yes, and.
01:17.14
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Cool. Okay, so um, what I'd love to do is maybe start um at the beginning of how you got into making music in the first place and specifically how you got into making music with technology because I know that you've been doing this for a long time now.
01:34.11
Riz Maslen
Yeah, since the 90 s seems so lovely. Actually it doesn't seem that long ago I was reminiscing about the nineties the other day so is good. Um, yeah, well I think I'd always been interested in music.
01:36.57
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, ah.
01:51.50
Riz Maslen
Ah, did a bit of classical music when I was at school I played the Recorder I used to go to all these crazy I Guess they're like Competitions. So I did a lot that when I was in my kind of during primary school and then and then it's. And then some of my secondary score and then I progressed onto the Flu. Um I was in the orchestra and all that but I didn't really enjoy the idea of playing something that was written So I kind of opted out of it in the end. So. And then I was in a band with my sister we did. We were quite an experimental Band. We didn't really, we're more of an Improv Band She was the drummer and um I kind of did with things with bits of metal and found items from the street and then we we.
02:30.91
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Wow.
02:40.99
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Wow And how old were you when you doing that riz.
02:43.72
Riz Maslen
Got some friends inter play bass and good to go I think we were she was still at school I probably just left school so she was probably 17 and I was eighteen and it was a lot fun. We won we we did some battle of the bands thing and we got the most ah innovative band.
02:53.39
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Wow.
03:03.54
Riz Maslen
I Said that was right for that.
03:03.97
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah, yeah, what do you think it was at that age that made you want to experiment so much because a lot of the time for a lot of people at that age. You just want to fit in. You know.
03:16.39
Riz Maslen
I Think we it was strange because we'd grown up in a really small community. Um, very rural. And yeah I think there were elements of that that were kind of part of our lives but we were both very much into my sister was a huge depeche mode fan.
03:32.36
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh.
03:34.78
Riz Maslen
She loved all that electronic stuff and she was into Mark Harman so we were into very quiet and I was into people like the cocktaid twins Susie and the benches so we were very much into the kind of alternative scene. So for us it seemed the most normal route to kind of go. Um.
03:48.91
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
03:52.87
Riz Maslen
I Wish she'd stayed playing drums but unfortunately she had a baby really young and that all change so in a things happen in it which but she she did Dj as well. So it was It was a lot of fun and we do laugh about. But.
03:57.69
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, yeah.
04:09.90
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Fantastic. Okay, so you had a band with his sister. What happened next.
04:15.55
Riz Maslen
Um, and then I then met somebody who was ah I used to frequent a weird goss club. Um, called the third side because we by this point me and my sister had moved to balma so all places because my mom had worked in a hotel. We kind of followed to.
04:31.10
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh.
04:33.70
Riz Maslen
And ended up putting fle together and I bumped into this guy who looked like ah something out of the the cure and I thought was totally drawn to him and then I found out that he was making music using a tape machine a live tape machine and he said Oh'll come and do some vocals for me so I did and. We did that for a couple of years he went to university we did a lot of gigs. We used the tape machine live and then he would just play guitar live and then we would just I would just like wail over the top. Really a lot of fun and it kind of got me into thinking about using.
05:01.57
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah.
05:10.22
Riz Maslen
Other elements within a live setup that doesn't necessarily mean you have to play instruments and I think that was my first kind of intro to looking at using hardware on stage that isn't just about guitars and stuff like that. So so you would do.
05:14.13
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Mean.
05:22.85
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, so how it? Okay, yeah, so you kind of you you stop playing together at that point I Guess yeah.
05:26.57
Riz Maslen
University and then I moved to London so.
05:33.20
Riz Maslen
Yeah, if he went to live University Um, so we had. Yeah yeah, yeah, he had a drum machine which we used to put all the tracking tracks onto the Courtridgech tape machine which she's hilarious when I think about it now.
05:36.14
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
And how were you using the tape machine on on station was it just to play samples or was it to record things. Ah.
05:49.45
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, a.
05:50.92
Riz Maslen
Um, and he would just play guitar through effects and I would just sing through effect so it was kind of like an homage to people like the cure maybe cocktoed twins those kind of people in a.
05:54.68
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah.
06:05.87
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, ah.
06:05.94
Riz Maslen
So that was my first kind of adventure in kind of using technology as it was at that time. So a lot of.
06:12.43
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah, and so what when when abouts would this have been would this have been early 90 s or okay, yeah.
06:18.73
Riz Maslen
Ah, so I moved to London in 88 so it was probably 87 where I move literally as the whole rave scene was exploding so I kind of arrived at this at the right time I think so ah.
06:32.42
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
06:36.15
Riz Maslen
I didn't want to finish the band but you know he needs to go to university and I thought well I'll try my luck in London and see how it goes.
06:41.65
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, okay, so did you move to London Not really with much of a plan just I want to be immersed in this incredible city and meet people and make music. Yeah.
06:53.20
Riz Maslen
Yeah I mean that was my idea it wasn't as easy as that as as everybody knows when they move into a huge city because Borout was quite a small place and um.
07:00.89
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
And.
07:05.81
Riz Maslen
It was lovely and it felt very much like a security blanket. But and then suddenly to step into London where I really didn't know anybody you know so I kind of drove my little car up there with whatever belongings I had and managed to find.
07:12.28
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
07:22.25
Riz Maslen
Places to sleep for a while somebody knew somebody and I'd slept on their sofas and stuff and eventually I found somewhere to rent I rented a room from a friend. So um, so yeah, it was a tough start really because I really didn't know anybody I knew a few people. So.
07:30.80
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, okay, yeah, so.
07:40.10
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, so how did you start? um, getting into the music scene then in London.
07:46.38
Riz Maslen
Well, it was a weird beginning because I ended up doing like almost session vocals for really bad, kind of rip off bands and ah and I felt really like I don't know why I'm doing this so I did it for a while.
08:02.47
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
08:04.34
Riz Maslen
And I also worked as ah as a house model in ah in a fashion house. He used to social show clothes to top shop so doesn't come in and I'd stand there like ah you know the clothes Horse which was really against everything I believed in. But.
08:13.10
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um K Oh Wow. Ah.
08:24.60
Riz Maslen
Met some incredibly nice people through working there I met all these amazing people that were designers and people who worked who made all the clothing so it was a really good place for me to be and it was a lot of fun. So then I decided that okay I don't want to do this weird pop.
08:31.76
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah, um.
08:42.92
Riz Maslen
Shit basically oh um I don't need to kind of put it in that way, but it wasn't really for me so I I ended up I don't know what happened I ended up meeting somebody. He said oh oh, there's this guy in Dollas Hill who's looking for somebody to do some vocals or something come and do some stuff again.
08:45.63
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
09:00.70
Riz Maslen
He's doing really interesting music. He kind of does like reggae and hipport. So I kind of went there under the you know under the premise said oh well, you know I've got nothing to lose and actually we really hit it off and he had a really lovely digital studio. Um, he used a bit of analog but he had things like an npc. And he had like a sampler and drum machines and a o eights and 6 s and 6 so six so I was kind of introduced to all of that kind of technology. And the beginning I was just really doing some singing for him for various bands. He'd say always coming to do this for me I've got this band coming in. You know he did a lot of kind of sessions for people so and it was great and in the end I decided that I asked him to show me how to use things. So I just said you know I've quite like to use you know.
09:41.32
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
09:49.40
Riz Maslen
So I'd go to work and then I'd go get on the train and go to Doll Hill after work a couple of nights in the week and just spend time in his studio and it was a really you know, fortuitous sing for me and at that time.
09:59.58
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
10:04.93
Riz Maslen
Because it was also a rehearsal space a lot. Really interesting bands were coming into rehearse and that's when I met Brian from future summer London because they rented a studio on the ground floor.
10:07.39
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh.
10:19.50
Riz Maslen
And I got trying to him and he told me he was stuck a humanoid and and I lost it because I was like can't do the Asset King here. Um I Love you stuff you know, being very proud of lile and um and he was really humble and just not why I expected so he said oh come down.
10:29.87
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah, ah yeah.
10:37.63
Riz Maslen
And meet gary and you know I'll show you our studio and they had this tiny room which was literally stacked full of analog since you know everything you could think of that was available at that time and I was just blown away and the. Sounds that were coming out of that room just blew my head off I'd never encountered anything like that before it was just otherworldly and and they totally us it all. How can I do this So well, you need to get this this and this they gave me a list of things So I got a bank loan.
10:55.39
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Wow! Oh yeah.
11:12.80
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, oh Wow Really yeah.
11:12.11
Riz Maslen
And it was I wonder the think was like £500 or something and I bought myself a little animal desk an atari which is running keybase and I bought an ss 1000 aka is 1000 so I just started sampling things because that's how brown and gary worked and kind of built it out from there and also at the same time we had people like mark and de diego moving move in as well from four hero. So the whole place was immersed in all these.
11:34.46
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
11:49.35
Riz Maslen
Amazing musicians that were making really groundbreaking music. You know you put your drum for it bas and then you've got the future sound of London and it was just fantastic because future sound used to get me down every couple of weeks oh we just need a vocal can you do this and I'd be like.
11:52.45
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Man.
12:07.32
Riz Maslen
Yeah, right can you just sound like a seagull I'm like see okay like end up see in the the vocal booth doing all these weird sounds and they they Ben go and do something with them and end up on the record so it was a really.
12:18.89
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Are.
12:24.70
Riz Maslen
I Think it was a really Grey um ground making time for me because it made me think about I don't actually have to follow any rules to make music I can do anything if I want you know it might not be everybody's cup of tea. But these guys are doing it and they're doing really? well.
12:35.90
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, o.
12:41.65
Riz Maslen
So and then they got signed to virgin and four Hero took off and it was great because then it gave me that confidence to then send stuff to different labels. So I send I send some stuff to um I think it was one of the music magazines.
12:54.72
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
13:00.65
Riz Maslen
And they put it on a demo and then through that Ninja Tune got in touch. So and they said oh we have this little label called end tone would you like to put some music out and that's really where it all started. So yeah, it was it was It was a good time.
13:13.44
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Wow.
13:20.37
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, it sounds like you that if people always talk about luck you know, but it's not just about luck of opportunity. It's also about luck of friendships and networks and that you just happen to kind of um.
13:20.55
Riz Maslen
Normally up to things I.
13:35.60
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Mean you, you were working you were doing session singing already. So obviously it's not like you weren't immersed in music already. But then to be given that chance to go and you know do some stuff at in Dallas Hill and then it just happens to be this hotbed of creativity and they happen to be people that you. Um, are able to kind of have a vibe with and it sounds like they're very welcoming and very supportive is that right is yeah.
13:57.63
Riz Maslen
Oh my God It was so amazing I never encountered that anywhere and also because like I said oh but there's not many women doing this but I was very naive. You know.
14:07.35
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah.
14:12.40
Riz Maslen
And I was like well well who is doing this and they rolled off like 2 names or something I think like chemistry and storm and maybe deejay ra you know there was the only people I really knew about and they were more on the deej soon I knew they were making music as well. So for me, it was like okay.
14:24.38
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
The.
14:30.27
Riz Maslen
And I didn't really want to play on that because even when I went to an inter tune I was like you know it's really about the music. It's not really about gender and and they never really was you know I think they understood that it was a selling point which anyone that was in a commercial Arena would realize that so for me.
14:35.43
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
14:47.24
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
14:48.68
Riz Maslen
Kind of took it in my stride because I knew it would hell rather than it being like in it anti then we used that. So yeah I was very lucky The people I worked with and the people that supported me you know were very supportive.
14:57.71
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, um.
15:03.10
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah,, that's really good. Ah I mean something that I'd love to talk about is um I I Guess where that kind of passion slash confidence came to decide. Okay I Want to do this too and. I Don't necessarily know how I'm going to do it. They've just given me a list of equipment I'm gonna go and get a bank loan I'll get the stuff I'll you know, but I know that when we talked before Ri you said that you come from a really long line of strong uncompised uncompromising women is did that have something to do with it that determination that kind of.
15:20.29
Riz Maslen
Um.
15:29.89
Riz Maslen
I did.
15:35.31
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
No I can do this.
15:35.97
Riz Maslen
I think so I think so I think particularly my grandmother but she she was. You know she grew up in the 30 s and as a young woman in the 30 s living in actually in India as an angloindian woman she wasn't allowed to do anything.
15:41.64
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
15:53.85
Riz Maslen
Because of the nature of how women were portrayed and she was expected to get married and have kids but she also wanted to learn to drive and against her father's wishes. She secretly went off and learnt to drive and turned up in the car. So you know I have mighty.
15:54.19
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
15:59.97
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
I. Wow Wow! yeah.
16:10.63
Riz Maslen
Like for her for that and she was always really really like powerful about things she brought her children up on her own because the the man that was I never met my grandfather so he disappeared long before she left.
16:19.72
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
While ah.
16:27.19
Riz Maslen
Ah, think they came to england because he was english and and then he he gambled all her money because she she came from her they weren't poor. Ah but they had some money that she brought with her and he just disappeared and left her with her 4 children.
16:39.77
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Are ripe.
16:46.67
Riz Maslen
Brought them up on the own and all of those far my uncles who I don't really know my mom and her 2 sisters were exactly the same strong women. You know, very outspoken didn't really take any shit you know and it was just really refreshing to be around those kind of people.
16:58.43
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
17:02.96
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah.
17:05.99
Riz Maslen
So yeah I think maybe genetically me and my sister have those genes as well.
17:13.60
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh yeah, so kind of going into those rooms or it's very even if it's um, the people inside are very friendly. It's still very male dominated and there's lots of racks of synths and equipment. There's still something in the U That's like no I can do this and I'm goingnna do it and I'm interested. So why not.
17:27.62
Riz Maslen
Yeah I was constantly asking questions. Oh what's this or why don't we use that show me you know and I think you me of the people I work with never I never felt intimidated of anything. They were really supportive and.
17:30.44
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
17:42.73
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Are.
17:45.26
Riz Maslen
And open and able to share their knowledge and I think that is something that I was I embraced because I felt like they actually took me Seriously, you know.
17:53.65
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Do you think that was something about the kind of genre of music that you're working in at that time because there's so many I mean so many stories now recorded like officially recorded in studies of women who've had terrible experiences and studios and the music industry in general. Was there something about that time and that type of music that meant there was a different culture. Do you think riz.
18:17.85
Riz Maslen
Yeah I think so because I've come from another scene and also when I was doing other things musically I had encountered that you know only superficially but I had encountered it of the way how women were portrayed. Oh can you put your hands up here and um.
18:25.88
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
18:34.60
Riz Maslen
Photographs and things like that and I've been like I don't really feel comfortable with doing that. That's not what I'm about um but I think electronic music It didn't really have any you know it wasn't about gender. It was about the music and I think that was something that that was really unique about it. You know.
18:39.99
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, um.
18:51.97
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, um.
18:53.36
Riz Maslen
Because we didn't really, we didn't really push it. We'd just turn up and do gigs and people be like oh my God you're a woman so they would always be like refreshing and then you'd have women coming to shows who'd be like it's so refreshing to see a woman and it's good to see you play and I think in that respect.
19:01.37
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
19:06.58
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
19:13.21
Riz Maslen
It was just really groundbreaking for the time the scene and I think it was very supportive of the female artists that were within that in that time.
19:15.73
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, ah.
19:25.95
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah, so can you tell me a bit more about the first record that you made that got signed to ninja tunes. Um, kind of smaller label end tone. Yeah can you tell us about that. What how.
19:34.81
Riz Maslen
Enter yeah.
19:40.37
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
How did you make it because obviously this was your I presume this was your first proper kind of um body of work that you'd made yourself that you'd produced and I presume you'd done it with the equipment you bought with this bank loan. So so what happened what did you make.
19:50.99
Riz Maslen
Yeah, yeah, the I because I did a lot of work with Brian and Gary I'd learned a lot from there and so they would do a lot of particularly Brian he was his father worked in scottish radio. So he.
20:00.33
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
And.
20:09.64
Riz Maslen
His dad did a load of kind of almost like Chris Watson kind of things using found sound and created things that he kind of made at home and his his dad had a studio in his house. So I learned a lot about finding sounds so I would go out.
20:18.56
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah, oh.
20:27.31
Riz Maslen
Into London and record all the sounds because I found it fascinating that you could use found sound sample it and then put it in your music as well as using samples from other places like television radio you know video.
20:35.96
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
20:46.85
Riz Maslen
Stuff like that because that's what everybody else was doing. You know it was trying to look for the places that maybe no one else had taken text from Films or something because obviously everybody was using things like funky drama and all the brakes so it was looking for things that are outside of that. So for me, it was.
21:00.58
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Her.
21:04.98
Riz Maslen
I know I'm going to go to the local laundre I'm gonna I'm gonna record the woman in the Lan track and stuff like that and build track using those sounds so sample them stretch them chop them out and then use them in your sequencer and.
21:23.77
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
21:24.22
Riz Maslen
Mean That's always been a huge part of music of how I create. Um I Still do that to this day I mean obviously now technology is so much easier you can use your phone I'm constantly recording stuff on my phone now say.
21:32.95
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yes, yeah, so what were using to record back then what would you take take out into London why oh my god wow yeah.
21:43.77
Riz Maslen
Probably a mini disc I think like a mini disc I have load of them still and if I went on any tools or anywhere I would constantly be in the street recording everything I think I think I even had a walkman that you could record on.
21:48.76
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, um.
21:56.76
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah.
22:00.55
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Right? Yeah, that's true I remember yeah I remember having a walkman I could record on. Yeah I also remember this is a little bit later. This is like 2003 or something but I remember when I was at uni being that the sort of tech department lent you out.
22:02.48
Riz Maslen
Which is also correct for even a piece that.
22:20.23
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Equipment and I remember they had a floppy disc camera so it's like a digital camera that took floppy. Discs's so funny and even at the time I remember looking at it thinking that this is just weird and this is good. You know in a year's time this is going to be a museum paces of.
22:26.38
Riz Maslen
Um, my.
22:37.31
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
I think that late 90 s early naughties is very funny in terms of the technology swapping over to digital you know? Um, yeah, so yeah I could I I that makes sense a mini disc and then a tape machine. Um, right? yeah.
22:39.45
Riz Maslen
Um, yeah, it was.
22:49.96
Riz Maslen
Um, and then eventually I bought ah a portable da machine. Let I start aking and I had a bit of money which is fun and I used that for years so you know with a mic and then obviously now we have all these beautiful digital items you can buy in a which is.
22:55.99
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
23:07.56
Riz Maslen
Um, but.
23:07.59
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yes, yeah, yeah, so that was that and remind me of the name of that um record just in case, anyone wants to go and check it out. Ris.
23:15.35
Riz Maslen
Well Laundra Forni was basically all about sounds from a laundry because I used to live when I first I had this really amazing flat that I lived on glosser place which belonged to a friend of mine and it was literally on glosser plant. It was the most exclusive address I've ever had. Um, it was the most incredible place to live and so li I used to because we didn't have a wash machine at that time. So we I used to go to the monrea and that was lived around near baker street and the woman that actually ran it was a complete who she was bonkers.
23:34.82
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
23:44.95
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
23:53.38
Riz Maslen
I mean I think she might have some mental health issues but you know at that time I just found it fascinating and you know you sit in there and she would rant about all kinds of things she was South Africans which had a really interesting accent and very outspoken. So it was actually always fun to go in there. So.
23:55.81
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah, ah yeah.
24:00.81
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, um, um, um, yeah.
24:12.80
Riz Maslen
And and then record you know myself doing in it my washing and then a drying but but.
24:18.71
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Umm, yeah, okay so so that was the record where you you were signed and what happened then with with your career I mean did you stay on that label did you? yeah.
24:28.99
Riz Maslen
Yeah up until so 2000 so the last record was laproche foir so that was the last one I did with them. So yeah I was with them properly eight years or something probably around that time. So then.
24:38.85
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Are. Oh.
24:48.26
Riz Maslen
Did an album 15 levels of magnification and then I got to tour it so that was amazing because the record did really well and so it gave I mean these were the days when you could go on tour to the United States it was a lot easier than it is yeah.
24:58.16
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, ah.
25:01.55
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yes, yeah, Wow. Yeah.
25:08.90
Riz Maslen
And and it was it was like I'd never experienced anything like it in my life. It was like 1 big holiday for me. Um I loved it. People say that they hate touring I loved touring it was an opportunity to go and visit places you'd never been to before.
25:17.99
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah.
25:26.84
Riz Maslen
Meet the people that bought your record you know and go on tour with all these other amazing musicians who were on the same label and it was like 1 big family. It was just bonkers. The whole thing was just like from day one to when you got we called it the tour bubble because you you'd be on a bas.
25:29.75
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, ah.
25:34.40
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
And looking.
25:45.55
Riz Maslen
You know a big like rock and roll tour bouse you'd sleep on the bouse. Um, and you know you just hang out with these people for you know a month a month and a half and you just all, you know one end of the states or you do a horseshoe do like East Coast and the west coast.
25:55.46
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
26:04.86
Riz Maslen
And it was fantastic. It was I have to say it's one of the best times in my life I loved it. It was so much fun.
26:10.18
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh yeah, that sounds incredible and um I mean I know that from some people I know touring I think it's when when it becomes just that is your life. You know that that the the friends I've known who are musicians where they're basically always on the road. I can understand why that can get quite old but but I totally hear what you're saying like it would just be such a big adventure.
26:27.35
Riz Maslen
Um, yeah.
26:35.45
Riz Maslen
I Made so many amazing friends I met so many amazing people. So many amazing musicians who I went back and worked with years later and it just gave me the opportunity to kind of see the world through different eyes rather than just being in a room.
26:38.10
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
A.
26:50.81
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Are oh.
26:54.38
Riz Maslen
You know 4 walls in a computer it made it was inspirational for me because I got to meet just incredibly generous. Lovely people.
27:04.63
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, so riz this is all this time. This is music that you're putting out as your pseudonna Neotrop Tropic yeah but I'd love to talk to you about the fact that you have a couple of different monikers. Um, and so we have.
27:11.36
Riz Maslen
Yeah.
27:22.36
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
As well as neotropic can you tell us the other monikers that you have gone under.
27:26.91
Riz Maslen
So at the same time I had another moniker called small fish with spine which I released ah an album and a couple of twelve s on oxygen music works who were in New York so
27:31.97
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
27:42.29
Riz Maslen
And that was fantastic. This just gave me an opportunity to put music out that was slightly different to what I didn't want to kind of I wanted to have the opportunity to make other kinds of music even though it's still in the electronic scene but maybe a bit more break be a bit more kind of um.
27:53.73
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
28:00.14
Riz Maslen
Be techno-influenced. Um, and so somebody approached me who'd set up a label in the us and said would I like to put some music out I said oh yes, so let's do it under a different name because it just means it's easier and there's no conflict with labels and stuff. So. And it just made it gave me the opportunity to make other kinds of music so that was that and then I mean more recently I've been doing upset. Ah I've been doing under another name which is lead demar. Think it just allows me to do things are slightly different to what people may associate me with Pioneer Tropic so
28:40.60
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, yeah, um, and so with neotropic that and can you just describe so people are kind of clear why you might want to distinguish those what kind of um genre would you put neotropic in if you had to.
28:54.49
Riz Maslen
I think down Tempo I mean trip Ho at the time was the label they like to use so it's much more down tempo maybe slightly and being I think the last record I did was a lot more live. Um because I used a lot of live positions. But I think that was just the progression of it.
28:57.40
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
29:14.89
Riz Maslen
You know so it had that element of more laid back, but there were elements that were kind of also influenced by things like bras and drum bays particularly on Mr. Bree Baker Strawry alarm clock. So but I think with.
29:32.64
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
29:34.55
Riz Maslen
You just allowed me to maybe explore other avenues that weren't necessarily what I it's funny because I would say oh no, that's not a nearotropic song. That's something else and I still do that now because I know I have a maybe it's more of a sound thing but like everything it does progress. It doesn't just stay.
29:45.46
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
29:54.23
Riz Maslen
In like ambience or but I think there is there was an element of ambience that kind of ran through what the neotropic stuff I think it still has I mean it has kind of grown. Um, but I think it just allows you to be able to explore.
29:58.97
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, yeah.
30:10.52
Riz Maslen
Without feeling tiding that you know people are going to expect a certain thing maybe from that sound people are not necessarily buying to the other things and also I wanted to do some more experimental stuff as well. So which is what I've been doing in in my last release. So.
30:22.88
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
30:26.43
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh yeah.
30:29.19
Riz Maslen
You know? So I think because I'd come from an actual I'd written an installation piece. But I I didn't really know what to do with it because it was purely just for a space. It was a spatial thing and then I realized that actually it would be quite nice to put it out and then.
30:42.16
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
30:47.51
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
30:48.30
Riz Maslen
Fortunately, someone approached me and really liked it and I went back and did some work on it and then they released it so it was a perfect vehicle. So yeah, yeah, yeah on Manor Records yeah
30:55.31
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
That's great. So so that release is called stairway 13 and that was released this year wasn't it is yeah as it is okay if we play one of the tracks just a little section. Yes, a section don't worry, but.
31:07.33
Riz Maslen
Yeah, as longer, they're all really low. Yeah 20 minutes long
31:13.40
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah we're gonna we're gonna play a little just a few you know like 30 seconds or so one of the tracks. Um, and so now we played it so Riz can you just describe some of the process of making this record and also. Well actually first could you tell us why did you decide to put this out as leadmarr instead of say neottropic because you're saying you know neotropic does have some ambient kind of tones to to that Moniica but what why did you need leader Mar as ah, its own thing to stand.
31:35.80
Riz Maslen
Um, yeah.
31:44.68
Riz Maslen
I Think think it's a lot you know I think my music's always had a bit of a dark element. But I think this is also more about a personal journey of sorts for me which I think a lot. My music is about my own personal journeys.
31:45.31
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Stand Bond on its own a stairway.
32:03.69
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
32:03.75
Riz Maslen
Um, it was I mean it originally it was an installation piece which was an immersive installation piece. Why people people would come into a very small rain. It would allow you to just sit in there for 10 minutes or you could leave and it was a 40 minute piece with just an image on the wall.
32:21.59
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
32:21.74
Riz Maslen
Um, and it was really just born out of wanting to create something that really wasn't about having to make your mind up what it is you know think.
32:32.89
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Who.
32:37.82
Riz Maslen
And I didn't want to make something that was purely about I Want to use word entertainment because that doesn't seem right? but it was about creating something that I felt it was also very strict back as well and I think that's also about creating something that you can become immersive in it.
32:55.58
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
32:57.71
Riz Maslen
But also you can step out of it as well. You don't necessarily have to sit through and listen to the end. Um, it also allowed me to kind of look at a more. It's I Guess it's almost like a classical approach because I use a lot of voices.
33:13.95
Riz Maslen
Um, although I did use a lot of electronics and I also used a lot of sounds that I kind of processed and there were a few things that I'd taken that were also pertinent to me at that time. Um.
33:18.24
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh.
33:28.62
Riz Maslen
I've kind of interw woven into it. So it's such a difficult thing to kind of explain and I just felt it wasn't a neartropic record I just knew it wasn't and it'd been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years and I really didn't know what to do with it I really loved it as a piece but it wasn't right for slow craft or whoever I'd been putting music out with so I decided that something um, just something came along and mana just approached me and I said oh I have this and i.
33:54.54
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
34:02.24
Riz Maslen
Had been quite familiar with the music they put out and it is very specific. A lot of it is very you know it's very a on. It's a bit more experimental and I really wanted to try you know see if I you know it would work within there kind of. You know music that they actually released so it was perfect really and they they were so amazing to work with they were just such a lovely record label and I can't thank them enough for being so supportive and they allowed me to work with a really good friend of mine who's a graphic artist who made the most incredible Artwork. So.
34:20.80
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
A.
34:37.70
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yes, the artwork's great and I mean and the the record is great I love it and what I love about it. 1 of the things I really love about it is how um it it seems to kind of I don't know it's it's it's quite similar to actually what you described if like it is very immersive but you can step in and out with it. And it does feel in a sound way like you're kind of melting into some kind of liquid if you know what I mean you know like something's kind of dissolving or or you're watching a very murky pond and things kind of rise to the top and then sort of.
35:09.60
Riz Maslen
Um, so that's lovely. Um, yes, it does you better.
35:14.40
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Disappear again. That's but that's how it comes across to me. Yeah, because it feels like there's a lot of very um, quite opaque textures. But then there'll be something that kind of comes through that's got a lot more Clarity. Um. But yeah it it. Yeah I Guess that's the best way I can describe it is like you're looking into quite kind of murky water and then there every now and then something rises to the top and you can see it a bit clearly but then it sinks back down again.
35:43.99
Riz Maslen
Yeah I think that's a really lovely description I Love that that's cut It is it that things do come in there quite brascing when they go away. Yeah, so that's and I did love going back and actually reworking it so it was really lovely to go back and say oh okay.
35:51.19
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah, yeah.
36:00.90
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Can you talk a bit about how you make something that is quite because it a lot of it's quite minimal as in. It's it's not I'm sure it's not minimal in terms of just how much you're stacking up in texture and the process behind it. But as a listener.
36:01.84
Riz Maslen
And I.
36:18.60
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Sometimes it's just very long held notes for example, um, especially say the first track right? at the beginning there are there are bits where it kind of moves more and there's more going on. But how do you go about working on something that is so minimal and what's the process.
36:23.91
Riz Maslen
Yes.
36:35.83
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Behind that because a lot of the time people are working with 4 4 loops and you know the usual stuff but this must be very different.
36:45.49
Riz Maslen
I It's funny I have a. Ah even though I rebelled to get it when I was younger classical music is very much about that because classic music is a movement so you're moving from the beginning choose quite quiet and I'll build and.
36:51.97
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh.
37:01.23
Riz Maslen
Ah, always loved the structure of how particularly certain composers who are I mean Arvo Par is one of my favorite I love his work. He uses a lot of voices but it's also quite minimal as well and he uses a lot of long notes drones and I love that but it is so powerful.
37:16.53
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
37:19.86
Riz Maslen
And it's also about spaces and I wrote the space because I read the music because the space I was in in would allow that to kind of sit in the room. So I think you look at the environment and I knew that the environment was quite specific and I just thought.
37:26.24
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yes.
37:36.69
Riz Maslen
It's got to work in a way that it's not going to be too busy because I think people some people when people come into a room if it's just that banging you know or 4 beats people are just leave. You know something would just mean some people wild some people away but I wanted to create something that people would actually go oh what's that oh.
37:40.15
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
37:44.46
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
37:54.65
Riz Maslen
And and have a look but it is quite difficult to write things that are minimal because I do you know I look at things sometimes and um I'll write something and I'll go and I'll leave it and I'll come back and then I'll strip things away from it and actually. Something else reveals itself at that time and that's what I love about it is that sometimes take things out just to really get the clarity of the other things that are there but sometimes it becomes a bit you can build a building but loads of other kind of melodies or different textures and it all becomes.
38:14.82
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah.
38:31.36
Riz Maslen
Quite a lot to take in.
38:33.10
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
I think anyone listening right now. This is a really good tip from riz take things out and see if it's really necessary I think that was actually um, some advice that someone who I when I was doing my MA in sonic arts.
38:36.90
Riz Maslen
Yes.
38:48.64
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Someone who's teaching me composition like sound composition. They said exactly that and they said take as much away as you can until you when you take something away. It's It's actually missing because most of the time there's too much in there. So That's I think that's a really good piece of advice for anyone listening for sure. Because it is so tempting to just keep pouring more stuff in um, when actually we're trying to cover up the fact that it's maybe not a very interesting idea. You know? or yeah.
39:08.26
Riz Maslen
Um, I mean what's it that Oh I know.
39:18.38
Riz Maslen
That's why you learn I think that's the beauty of being a ah composer is that you you know you learn as you grow and at the beginning I would just be throwing everything at it the kitchen saying and just see you know see what works and then as I've got older.
39:30.61
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah.
39:36.51
Riz Maslen
And also really began to analyze other composers and how powerful it could just be like a weird drone that's created by ah a double base or a Cello I'm really a big fan of film composition.
39:54.51
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
39:54.80
Riz Maslen
How it is used within creating atmosphere and it's often the ridiculous things like just a weird little piano note just playing one night and how cool that can be so I was inspired by that kind of stuff you know just going in and um.
40:05.41
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
40:11.23
Riz Maslen
Listening to things and going Wow and then I'd be then doing all this research because I'd be like shazaming the compos and then I'd go and listen to all their work because you know often These composers aren't that well-known they're just because they do film music. So it's been really interesting. You know there's a lot of really interesting classical.
40:23.66
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, ah.
40:31.10
Riz Maslen
Ah, sort of musicians who are from places like you know, ah rekovick Iceland they seem to have a real sense of that there and I think because of their landscape it kind of has an impact on how they write their music which is often quite star.
40:49.37
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh ah.
40:50.12
Riz Maslen
And um, so people like Ben frost and people like olaf andny surney now who is a classical music musician I very much keep that I kind of I is inspired by so you know.
41:02.29
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, yeah, and thinking about the the sort of gear that you were using to make Stairway Thirteen is there a piece of equipment or maybe it's even a piece of software that you're using that sticks out as something that. You really enjoyed using on this record. Um.
41:21.68
Riz Maslen
The thing like every thing I do process a lot of the sounds so whether it be through um, an effect or I'll just I'll process it and then I'll maybe take it out and then put it back in. It's also.
41:39.51
Riz Maslen
Things like volume and you know Eq is another good thing I mean I'm really a big fan of kind of taking all the the mids out and seeing what it sounds like um I've always been really interested in process and it could even go through a guitar pedal or.
41:42.67
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Be.
41:48.58
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
And.
41:59.41
Riz Maslen
Got a lot of guitar pedals. Um, and I even borrowed some really strange kind of synths from a friend of mine that were kind of homemade and that would only do 1 thing but then you put that in then process it. So um.
42:13.75
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
42:14.66
Riz Maslen
And even using things like Ebo electric guitar. So just pulling in things that I have in my studio that maybe I don't necessarily use but thinking of interesting ways. How I can make a sound from it without using it in the traditional way. Maybe yeah.
42:19.70
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
42:27.78
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, yeah, so you're really kind of yeah like you say processing it extracting new textures from it adding things in and kind of distorting it from its original form. Yeah.
42:39.16
Riz Maslen
Yeah, and I've always really loved doing that you know I think it's as often. You'll get the most incredible sounds by either seeing it through some really horrible effect but it actually works you know distortion and things like that I mean.
42:52.92
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
42:57.77
Riz Maslen
Fixed twin used to do a thing where he would put things on a boombox and I've done this as well and he would record it. He would turn it right up loud so it was really distorted and then record that so using things like really old school kind of like tape machines you know and distort. You know turning them so full full volume.
43:08.47
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Mm.
43:16.73
Riz Maslen
And then you'll get this really conchy sign. There's tipcks and tricks and tips that you get from doing things. You know you know I actually stood outside a building once and there was the air conditioning or the aircorn.
43:25.43
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
43:32.44
Riz Maslen
It was the most amazing sound and I had to record it so things like that I'm walking on the street of a book. You know I'll hear something and I'll just go and record it and then you take it home and then you'll be sitting in your phone and then oh that sound so up. Yeah.
43:47.15
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, So ah so I've got a like ah a bit of a kind of um, a loaded question in a way is but you know we talked a bit about your approach and also your career. Do you think that when women produce music. They have a different approach. Um, what do you think women bring to this field that may be unique beneficial.
44:13.38
Riz Maslen
I Think we do I think in general we have a different approach to our male counterparts I think in in the way we think in the way we see things. Um I'm a very emotional person.
44:17.42
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
My.
44:29.96
Riz Maslen
And I have met some you know I'm not saying that all men are unemotional but they're far less likely to actually express them I have a lot of friends who are you know, female friends who are creatives and are not afraid to kind of express that through their work and I think it's really important. Um.
44:37.85
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, ah.
44:49.54
Riz Maslen
And I think I think it's great I think it's great that women should be able to be themselves and not be dictated to by our male counterparts and I don't think that really happens the only ever times I've experienced really. Sexist comments haven't been from my male counterparts. They've been people outside of it. You know I hate to say it but a lot of sound engineers as in like live sound engineers often old school who don't really take you seriously and it doesn't matter I mean I had it a couple of weeks ago
45:11.63
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
45:19.15
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah, ah.
45:23.99
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, right? yeah.
45:26.50
Riz Maslen
And he was an old guy and I'm thinking I thought I've got over this but I made some comment about the mix and he's said oh well, you know, but people are in the room I said je know I've taken that into account. But even then he still didn't get it right because I have a recording of it and it was just like he was just trying to belittle me because he was a man and he knew what he was doing.
45:44.11
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
45:45.98
Riz Maslen
But I was like so I didn't really engage I just went okay and I just left it at that because that's his issue but it's like you know I think we're much more in touch with possibly our emotions.
45:49.15
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
I.
46:03.27
Riz Maslen
We're not so led by I mean who isn't a gearhead I'm not saying that but but I'm not going to fawn over everything that comes in although I do see things on that. What's that that a realis how much it is on thought today. So um.
46:13.65
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah, yeah, but I think that um I think there can be a lot of safety in gear. You know I think it's something That's very um, concrete like you can own all the gear. But do you have good ideas. You know.
46:20.20
Riz Maslen
Ah, guess um, and.
46:30.57
Riz Maslen
That.
46:32.52
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
And there's there's a lot of safety in saying well because I've got this this and this that means I'm a producer or because I've got this this and this that means I know what I'm talking about um and so I do think that for a long time production has fallen into that trap producers have fallen into that trap. Um. And and I hope that that is something that women are are now bringing to the field is um, allowing all of us through through being a little bit more kind of emotionally open just because we've been socialized to be rightly or wrongly but hopefully and and with. Podcasts like girls twilling knobs and you know lots of other things too to just open up production and music technology to be more than that because it has been more than that. But what gets talked about the most and those markers of whether you know what you're talking about or not often come down to gear and yeah, yeah.
47:21.43
Riz Maslen
Um, oh is earheads totally.
47:25.85
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
But it's a safety net because it's just ah, a really easy way to kind of look like you know what you're doing when in reality that doesn't mean that you actually make better music or you know.
47:35.48
Riz Maslen
Um, ah I started off with very little and the thing is like I got to work with that and it is hard because you do go into people's studios and you're like what they've got the gear and you you're actually kind of going but I don't one of those and actually.
47:45.68
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah, yeah.
47:52.21
Riz Maslen
And then I go home and I think well I've got enough I don't need anymore. There are things I quite like to have but I can't afford So I've got to be realistic. Um I use Ableton live um I kind of was on I did keybase and I went to logic.
47:55.65
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah, so what's your setup now is.
48:12.80
Riz Maslen
Ah, tried a few other pieces of software which I didn't like um and then somebody introduced me to logic it and not lodge it up to Ableton and I just loved it. It's a really easy piece of software and I you know you can you can get ah a cheap version of it.
48:27.94
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah, ah.
48:31.93
Riz Maslen
Anybody who's starting out I love it because you got 2 pages. There are so many amazing Youtube videos you know way if I get stuck now I'm just like I need to do it. Oh here I I love it.
48:44.24
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Isn't that so amazing. Like is I mean because I remember when I was first learning you know to use pro tools. That's what I first learned on I use ableton as well now but I was first learning to use pro tools. There was none of that you know again, this is back in the early early Naughties Youtube didn't exist.
48:56.40
Riz Maslen
And.
49:02.90
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
So it's amazing now that you can just search stuff. It's incredible. Yes, yeah.
49:06.12
Riz Maslen
Um, reading a manual is so boring I'm like this is so dry at least there are really cool people who do their own middle I think there's a really good reason guys because I use reason as well because I loved reason I Always loved reason and I just went in and.
49:11.26
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh.
49:17.15
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh.
49:22.73
Riz Maslen
Did something every day and I said that is so cool and I used it immediately. This is oh this is brilliant. So because you get a bit you know you know we always have a lot of time to do loads of kind of studying and research so it only happens when you kind of need to do you need to create a sound that you particularly mourn and and it was like.
49:27.86
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah, yeah.
49:34.72
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah, ah.
49:41.27
Riz Maslen
Actually within 10 minutes I knew what I was doing so it was just so accessible and I think for anybody now it's all at your fingertips and you don't need heaps of money either.
49:48.83
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah, so you've got So obviously you've got a computer you've got Ableton Do you have any hardware that you use risk.
49:58.75
Riz Maslen
Do ah, do bits and pieces I mean I've been Ah, it's such a difficult because I do everything mainly in the computer now which is really you know I Miss I mean I have like you know an interface Audio interface I do have a little bearing to desk but I tend not.
50:05.78
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yeah.
50:17.51
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
50:18.84
Riz Maslen
Do that as much bar I have other instruments I've started to use and over the last sort ten years I've used him a lot and recently a friend of mine had no room for all his sins. So I've managed to bring them here and I've been using them now. So I've got a chair then and ah, a really old.
50:33.12
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh wow.
50:38.82
Riz Maslen
Yeah, one now but some really lovely analogue sense and it's really made me look at what wonderful things they are I mean they are a bit limited but we could do with them but they have this warmth about them that you just can't get to just you know.
50:40.38
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh lovely.
50:55.43
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, um, and there is It is nice to be able to make music outside of a computer isn't it. You know. Like just to kind of feel and have that relationship with an instrument rather than be all kind of boxed into your screen I think I I like working both ways and I and so many people that come on the podcast myself included actually have a very strip back setup. Um I Think there's this big myth that you know anyone that's.
51:04.42
Riz Maslen
Is.
51:20.55
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Professionally making music has has to have a home studio. That's just filled to the rafters with gear and racks and and that's just not the case and I and I know that a lot of people listen to the podcast and it's really reassuring for them that there's a lot of guests that come on and say no I literally have a computer I have an audio interface I have a couple of things that sometimes I plug in and that is it.
51:38.97
Riz Maslen
But and so many things are available now that have kind of been based on the old analog site I think I think Roland or who as it does he does these like little boutique boxes now that recreate things like the 6 you know all the kind of analog since that we were all very familiar with and.
51:40.15
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
You know? yeah.
51:48.57
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
51:58.99
Riz Maslen
It's that your thing and they cost like a couple hundred quid you know and I think they're brilliant and it's it's and then a lot of them are developing stuff and I just think it's fantastic more of that.
52:10.11
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
And there's there was actually a really good um perspective on this that I came across um is someone I can't remember their full height title um or handle on Instagram it's Elijah they were actually he was actually speaking at sonics festival as well. It's got the yellow squares. Instagram and it's all about creative process music and there's one and I'm gonna misquote it here I'm going to try and get correct it later on but where he's saying art is when you make something with what you've got something like that like yeah art is not about ah sourcing every single perfect.
52:38.10
Riz Maslen
Um, that's pretty handsome.
52:47.27
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Tool and piece of gear in order to make this perfect Masterpiece. It's about making something amazing with just what you've got in front of you that is art. Um, it's not something where you're You're constantly splashing loads of cash at it. Um, and I think that often needs to be talked about more in production. It really is about the ideas you know and when you have good ideas. You'll find a way to make it happen.
53:12.80
Riz Maslen
Yeah I mean are you familiar with teenage engineering the teenage engineering are these ah musicians that kind of build these little modules. They're fantastic. So there's a lot of modular sing. You know you get these beautiful modulars s since now that you can build into it.
53:14.56
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
No.
53:22.36
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh wow. Yeah yeah.
53:30.72
Riz Maslen
Go and check out Andrew Harthan Huang andrew h u a n g I think your surname is so teenage engineering is these little tiny things that create. They're not super cheap but they're beautiful.
53:44.91
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, ah.
53:46.11
Riz Maslen
Little machines that can do amazing things and it's become this whole I love it I just tap into their Youtube channels every you know and then and I just love the sounds. It's created with these little little. Ah.
54:01.23
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh.
54:04.40
Riz Maslen
Creations that they've built and you can you can buy kits and stuff to build stuff and things like that are amazing. Yeah.
54:09.36
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, yeah, definitely definitely. Yeah, in fact I think I had I'm just looking at their Instagram feed now I think I had come across it before ages ago. Um, yeah, it's very cool. All these tiny little instruments that they built. They are beautiful. Yeah.
54:25.41
Riz Maslen
Um, that beautiful. Um, and yeah and create the most incredible pieces of music that's it which I love I mean it's not too. Ah.
54:27.17
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
They are beautiful. Oh and they make the they they make the OpPOne oh yeah which looks just incredible. Oh my god no but it looks amazing I that is something I would save up to get as the opie one.
54:41.61
Riz Maslen
Unfortunately, it is amazing. It's but it's just not aesthetically it's lovely a fire.
54:47.20
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh yeah, so yeah, it yes, but the stuff. Yeah, but I've ah not to like geek out on their opp one but just when I was looking at um, see how I I was like I really wanted to invest in more hardware I actually ended up getting a lyra 8 synth that those analog synths. If you've come across then riz I can quickly. Yeah, they are they are but not as little as that one it's Soma Soma Laboratories so um so it's apparently it's kind of designed.
55:07.32
Riz Maslen
Um, no and are they little.
55:13.46
Riz Maslen
My God It looks like who's who makes it is it beringer or somebody. Oh.
55:25.30
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
So that it's suit but very very intuitive. Um and it and it means that when you're playing it. You can you can hardly ever recreate what you do because it's just basically oscillators that then modulate off each other and so it becomes very um I think you'd really like actually thinking about stairway 13
55:29.60
Riz Maslen
Um, ah well.
55:38.70
Riz Maslen
Awesome! amazing.
55:45.22
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
And they're not that that was 500 and something pounds so they're not. You know they're not cheap, but they're not um, going to bankrupt you necessarily you could save up. Um, but when I was looking for something to get I also came across the o p one and that.
56:00.50
Riz Maslen
Um, move yeah I mean there are amazing apps. You can buy now I mean able to release their little app last week which I haven't got yet I think it's four ninety nine.
56:00.61
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Obviously very different but it just looked amazing. What you could do with it. Yeah.
56:13.90
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, ah, um, a scrape.
56:14.83
Riz Maslen
But you can do on your phone I mean it's not I mean I've read a few reviews and it's not brilliant, but it is quite good if you just wanted to do you. You had a thought and wanted to do some home fun which I laugh.
56:19.60
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, yeah, and I think Also if you're someone that's never used any if you've never used any recording software that would be a great way to get started and just you know because there will be people listening to this right now who haven't started necessarily and.
56:29.31
Riz Maslen
That.
56:35.64
Riz Maslen
Um, it.
56:36.74
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Just downloading an app. Um, that's great that Ableton's got an app obviously obviously garage band has an app. There's other apps too and um, and and it's just about get starting with what you can what you've got and building from there. So yeah.
56:50.20
Riz Maslen
You can do amazing things with apps now I mean there are lots of things you can find for free. Um I just saw something yesterday was it's it's almost like a vocoda but they have a free version. You can't do loads with there I think it's good envoy or envoys.
56:54.78
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
And.
57:01.49
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, okay yeah, okay aha yeah.
57:06.92
Riz Maslen
Which is free. There is also um spitfire audio do lots of free plugins. So if you're a bit stuck and you can't afford lots of fancy plugins. There are plenty of people like that.
57:18.60
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, ah.
57:21.16
Riz Maslen
Really like spfire audio because they've got a lot of their sounds are beautifully recorded so done Abbey Board and and and they are very lush sounding so I downloaded a few things of day and they're amazing. So I think you don't have to have put some money and if you if you've got.
57:26.25
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, yes, yeah, yeah, um, yeah, yeah.
57:40.88
Riz Maslen
Good creative ideas. You can make fantastic easy. Well.
57:41.59
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, well just sort of while we're wrapping up riz what I would like to well one of the final things I'd like to chat about briefly is something I know people worry about when they have a couple of different musical identities. Is whether that's going to confuse people you know and there may be people listening and thinking Well I would love to have a couple of different musical identities go like release different things under different names but will that dilute the the traction I could have or will that confuse people. What's your take on that as someone who does have different musical identities.
58:24.00
Riz Maslen
I've never had an it's never held me back I think it depends on what you want if you just want to be known for 1 moniker you know, then that's great if not.
58:27.52
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um.
58:36.62
Riz Maslen
You know you might have a collaborative a collaboration on which I do collaborate and quite lovely people and we do do things under different names because it's a collaboration of other musicians. So um I think it just gives you an opportunity to maybe explore other ways of making music.
58:46.67
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
58:54.76
Riz Maslen
Think in the beginning I did start when I started to collaborate when I moved here and I started collaborating with a lot people. We set up a couple of really interesting um, sort of improvised bands and stuff and so we've kind of used that as a way of just being able to create music but without you know, reliant being rely on what we do as individuals. So.
59:13.25
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Funk.
59:14.27
Riz Maslen
There is that but I think you should never feel afraid of exploring other creative avenues and if you wish to do that within your own just one name that's fine if you don't don't be afraid I think you know do what you feel is you know.
59:20.86
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, ah.
59:26.64
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, and would you ever release anything under your name Riz Maslin
59:34.63
Riz Maslen
Ah, yeah I think well I do when I'm a composer So I've I've done a few films so it often comes end up with my name so that is probably the only place I have done that when I've been commissioned to do things for specific film or theatre. So yeah, which I have got a few things I've done. So.
59:38.29
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, K Yeah yes, um, yeah, yeah.
59:53.88
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Great, okay, well just finally and what's coming up for you over the next few months are you working on something new. Are you.
01:00:01.99
Riz Maslen
Um, um, well I work with a really interesting filmmaker. So she's just trying We've done a lot films together them already. Um and that will come to fruit but with anything like any feature film. It takes for ages to kind of get any. You know it takes a long time to get it.
01:00:06.40
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Okay.
01:00:18.91
Riz Maslen
Properly funded and stuff. But I think she's almost there. Um I've been working on a musical with um and it's it's about Angloindians so it's a real departure from what I do I'm working with another musician who is ah, an amazing jazz musician. So.
01:00:20.43
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah, oh.
01:00:24.72
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Um, oh wow.
01:00:37.78
Riz Maslen
It's very different writing for musical theater and it's a project I've worked on a long time. Um, we've done lots of kind of showcases and it's had lot. It's kind of the stories changed quite a lot. So next week I'm going to go and do some more work with them.
01:00:57.72
Riz Maslen
Um, and then I've just done another project called Silent Disco with a theatre company. Um, so we did an R and D and but they want to now look at moving that forward and maybe taking it to things like um latitude.
01:01:04.48
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah.
01:01:16.84
Riz Maslen
It's a dance piece but it's a very immersive dance piece because it's in headphones. So yeah, so lots of things and and then I'm in this band which has just been an absolute ball. Um air cooled and we've be doing loads of gigs and we've got a single coming out in a few weeks so
01:01:19.51
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Wow. No.
01:01:33.42
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh Wow Great Well sounds like you're really busy.
01:01:39.25
Riz Maslen
And if you mean yeah and if you're in ah the Dela Warre next Saturday we're doing a free show that come on. Um, so.
01:01:43.30
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Fantastic! Great. Okay, well this podcast will go out after that. But that's good for me to know I probably won't be there just because of my coxics. But yeah, oh but that sounds great.
01:01:52.44
Riz Maslen
Oh yeah, because we are it is a bit of a kind of fun band but I am playing yeah I'm playing at cafe oto with another friend of mine in February he gilroy mea so that'll be an interesting event as well.
01:02:03.15
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Oh wonderful. Do you know what date that is is this I'm planning on this going out the 9th February okay ok well I will make sure to put the.
01:02:11.58
Riz Maslen
Um I think it's the 70 I'm just gonna the I think about this 17
01:02:23.30
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
But mention that in the um, what in the intro and outro.
01:02:29.41
Riz Maslen
Think it is the seventeenth of February but it's a it's like cafe out. Oh no, it's the fourth a Bay Polk is's the fourth of February or so.
01:02:32.76
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Okay, oh okay, it will have just happened. Yeah, Okay, okay, cool, no worries. Well it it sounds like you're very busy and lots of very cool projects coming up So I'm looking forward to seeing all of them come to fruition.
01:02:47.28
Riz Maslen
Um, we all affect.
01:02:51.20
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
And thank you so much riz for coming on the podcast. Um, ah my last question Promise. It's my last is if you had to give any advice to any young women or women starting out or coming back to Music. Um, and music technology in Particular. What would it be.
01:03:12.23
Riz Maslen
Don't be. You know, be true to who you are don't feel like you have to be like everybody else. It's important that you remain true to yourself. You know I think that's what makes people special you know and you don't need loads of money and you don't need loads of gear.
01:03:25.17
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Ah, ah.
01:03:29.31
Riz Maslen
Because if you've got a brilliant idea just go out there and make it. That's what I say and the thing is you've got so many amazing platforms there to put your music out there. You don't even need a record label I So just be yeah, that's mine.
01:03:31.92
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah.
01:03:37.51
girlstwiddlingkn0bs
Yeah, yeah, yeah, brilliant. Well thank you so much Riz It was really great to chat with you. Thank you for coming on the podcast.
01:03:49.32
Riz Maslen
I You're very welcome. Thank you for having me.
