Interviews

Radic The Myth - real name Njabulo Ndhlovu - is a producer/ DJ and A&R for Shaolins Never Sleep Records UK. After a he dropped a credible release this year on Freerange Records, New York's Vibe Me To The Moon taps him up for his next release – Fantasia. Here we get a chance to talk to the South African producer about his upcoming EP.

Thank you for taking the time to talk. Where are you this moment and how are you spending the day.

I'm at my home studio and I'm busy browsing through my music collection preparing for a gig I have next week.

Where are you based currently?

I'm based at the East side of Johannesburg South Africa in a small town called Duduza.

What is it you love most about the city in which you live?

People of this city love music and you find it everywhere you go, which makes it easy for a producer like myself to be inspired to create and that's what I love about my city.

How is the health of the music scene where you are?

The health of the music scene in my city is quite good however, if you love house music you need to travel because a lot of Township pubs prefer to play Amapiano more than house music lately. Overall the scene is full of energy.

How is the health of the music scene generally in your opinion?

I feel like it is quite healthy. The digital era came with a lot of changes and I see a lot of people have adjusted to it. It's easy now to listen to your favorite artist and connect with their catalog.

Who are the icons who have inspired the music that you make?

I’ve always been inspired by Jimpster whom I got to collaborate with, Atjazz, Jullian Gomes, Andre Loderman , Shur-I-kan, the list is endless but those are the guys that shaped my sound.

How did you come to meet Nightsteppaz and Vibe Me To The Moon?

The person that got me to Vibe Me To The Moon was Kev Obrien and I’m only getting acquainted with Nightsteppaz just recently.

Why did you feel the label was the right home for your release?

It’s how Kev reached out to me, I could tell that he had confidence in my sound and it’s always a pleasure to work with people that believe in you as an artist. That got me inspired not only to deliver quality music but to also keep growing in music and keep pushing towards greater heights.

Give us an overview of your new release.

The two track EP is more of a yin & Yan vibe. The first track Fantasia is more bright, full of interest, lively and exciting like a fantasy which is the English meaning of the word Fantasia (Spanish), while the 2nd track (She Super Glued My Lips) though it’s a groovy track it is also a bit dark with a controlling baseline aiming at the dancefloor and the inspiration behind the track was to fuse deep house and dub house.

How long did it take to come together?

It took a few days to complete, Fantasia was completed in a day as I was gunning for simplicity unlike being a perfectionist like I usually do and as for the 2nd track it took some time. The percussion was giving me problems and I had changed my studio monitors so the mix just didn’t sound like it did on my old gear, I had to take some time doing the final mix.

Tell us about any other artists involved in the release.

Fantasia EP is a solo project, I worked alone on this one

Do you take some time - after you have made a track – to leave it alone for a while to evaluate?

There’s a certain way a track needs to hit me before I can say it’s complete.

Do you find the feedback of others is important to you in the production process

Yes I do, it is important whether it’s good or bad it helps me grow as an artist.

What are some of the challenges in putting out music currently?

The main challenge for me is getting the music out there. Ever since we have Influencers in the music scene, they showed us how to push music on social media and that requires you to think outside the box when making your content and most artists especially old school artists like me, are struggling a bit with that and we sometimes see it as a lot of work. Making the music is also work but if I’m being honest, it is a fun way of promoting music because you now get to connect with your listeners and show them your thought process in making the art.

What drives you to create music do you think?

The driving force in my music are my emotions. Each track in my catalog is an emotion I was experiencing at that time and that’s the reason why I always say my music is emotion based. The plan is to connect with people on a deeper level and understanding.

What other artists do you think are making great music right now?

Franck Roger, Demarkus Lewis , Ron Headback and Jimpster. These guys have been releasing some inspirational stuff.

What was the last record you purchased?

Franck Roger - Can U Believe (Original Mix). Out on Vibe Me To The Moon Records.

What has been a highlight of the last year for you?

The highlight of the last year was working with Freerange Records and releasing both on digital and vinyl plus starting my job as A&R for Shaolins Never Sleep Records UK.

What can we expect next from Radic The Myth?

You can expect a lot of music plus I’m almost done working on my second album which I’m really looking forward to putting out there for my listeners.

Check out the latest release from Radic The Myth.