Retza: there are no rules, just be yourself and enjoy the process

Radio Intense is very pleased to present to you our next guest - Retza!

Hailing from Melbourne, Retza is a Producer and DJ who has the underground heads listening, talking and following his every move.

Focusing on various forms of house and techno, Retza's productions have been lauded by punters and peers alike for their depth and complexity. With a multitude of releases on various labels, Retza has gained support from a bevvy of the underground DJ elite including
Kasey Taylor, Lee Burridge, Uone, Jamie Stevens, YokoO and Steve Ward.

We talked to the talent about his music path and new EP "Feel" released on SATYA. Enjoy!
— Hello Retza! How is everything with you?
—Life is good considering the circumstances here in Melbourne. We are still peak lockdown and Covid restrictions so I am looking forward to things opening for the summer!
— Great to have you with us today. Whereabouts are you based at the moment and how is the music scene doing there at the moment considering the pandemic?
— In Melbourne, Aus. The music scene here is struggling obviously due to nothing being open but there is no shortage of talented artists, producers & DJS. Once we are open I look forward to the scene flourishing again like it once did. There are lots of keen music and party enthusiasts here just waiting for the opportunity.
— This October your Feel EP is to be released on YokoO's recently launched Satya imprint. We really enjoyed this one! What can you tell us about this release?
— The EP includes 4 tracks I worked on in the last year or so. At the time I borrowed a synth from a friend that inspired the ideas of these tracks. Especially the 'Feel' track itself. I found it a little hard to produce music for a dance floor seeing as we didn't have access to any so maybe it's somewhere in between. I'm really proud of this release so I hope others like it too.
— You have collaborated numerous times with YokoO in the past as well as releasing on his label. How did you guys first cross paths and what's it like working together?
— We met in Melbourne in 2015 through some mutual friends when he had a gig here. We became friends and decided to collaborate remotely at the time. I then spent the next 2 summers in Berlin where he lived and we were able to finish some tracks together. It is always a pleasure working with YokoO, our musical minds work great together and we have become great friends in the process.
— You have been putting out great music for around 10 years now as Retza, releasing on the likes of Get Physical Music, Watergate and more. When did your career in music first begin and what was it that inspired you to start?
— Thank you! I always loved music growing up and naturally found my way into wanting to produce my own. I had no real direction at the time but just did it out of pure curiosity and enjoyment. Through time I started to make some releasable music and thought to share with my friends. I started DJing as a way to play my own music out and thus the journey started, playing here in Melbourne and then getting opportunities in wider Aus and overseas.
— Can you tell us about your main musical influences?
— My musical influences have always changed and evolved over the years. My parents instilled a great love for music in me, since I was a child they were always playing music loud around the house. I listen to a pretty broad variety of music, as I discover new genres and artists I draw influence along the way. From country to jazz to techno to dub, whatever pleases my ears. Some electronic artists that come to mind are Stimming & Kollektiv Turmstrasse, these days S.A.M & Chaos In The CBD.
— What would be your most valuable piece of advice that you could offer to an aspiring artist?
— There are no rules, just be yourself and enjoy the process. Take influence from other music and people but do what makes you uniquely you. It is your music at the end of the day, some will like it, some won't, we all have different tastes. Music is such a big part of my life so I just enjoy listening, creating and dancing.
— Thank you Retza, it was great to chat with you today! To finish off, is there anything else upcoming from yourself that you would like to share with the readers?
— Thanks for having me! Nothing official yet but I plan on releasing much more music I have been working on in the near future so keep your ears peeled.