The ultra-talented enigmatic artist is back with his spine-tingling indie release, ‘Courtesy Of’. We caught up with Running Touch after his Beyond the Valley set last year, to discuss music tastes and plans for 2016.
Driven by a heavy piano and thumping bass, an infectious energy pulls you in as the lasting melodies remain stuck on loop in your head. As a multi-instrumentalist, the productions are kept simple to allow the music to take over, leaving you with the bare emotion and soul.
How’d 2015 treat you?
“It’s been a crazy year, so next year I just want to pump out as much as I can and same for the other projects, I’ve got a couple of other things lined up which should be a big hit next year. The team I have, how tight we are, that’s half the reason I wanted to keep independent.”
What are your plans for 2016?
“There’s a single coming out (Courtesy Of.) and a pre EP, EP”
How many tracks should we expect? Three tracks, four tracks?
“Yea, something around there. This year encompassed the full circle of, like… I got involved with all these labels, all these different people telling me what I should do. Literally, I just put pen to paper and I took a step back, and honestly, it just got to the point where all the bedazzlement kinda looses it’s shine and your like, what are you actually doing this for? You know, being a broke musician which we all are, it’s easy to be like, I need this, I need this. I just really wanted to retain that integrity from the start and let that stuff value itself. I still wanna have this as mine. I started this in 2015, I don’t want to butt into 2016 with someone else owning my stuff, I still wanna own my stuff.”
Included in Triple j Unearthed’s 50 most played artists of 2015, the Melbourne-based artist has his sights set on the big picture as, “My ultimate goal is to change the way the world thinks of dance music by defining genres and breaking boundaries of what is considered to be, and understood as normal.” – Running Touch.
Any Collaborations in the works?
“I do actually, one with Dom Dolla, and there’s two I’m really excited about but they’re in the future. Otherwise, the other stuff I’m working on is all me.”
You produced a couple of remixes for other Aussie artists, any more we should be expecting?
“Honestly, I really didn’t want to take anything as it is. I do a lot of other projects as well, so doing this and them, and making them excel is hard enough as it is. So, doing them isn’t really in my forefront or interest.”
Do you still enjoy them?
“Absolutely! But when you’ve got other things in the forefront of your mind, it’s for those to take over.”
Are you excited to catch anyone else’s set (at Beyond The Valley)?
“Jamie XX, Pusha T… since I’m a huge rap fiend and being from Australia, you don’t really get to see much (hip hop).”
Are there any albums you’re excited for in 2016?
“The magnitude of artist and the accessibility is just so ridiculous, you just don’t look forward to albums, you look forward to the year of albums”
With a distinct dance-friendly sound, ‘Courtesy Of.‘ will supply you with a much needed refreshing sound that’ll suit any mood.
