Best of 2023 Interview with Manu Riga from Belgium

 

Born in 1979, Adriaan Baussens fell in love with music at a young age. Growing up with his grandparents he was exposed to his grandfather’s huge collection of instrumental music including Vangelis, Jean-Michel Jarre, and many more. At the Age of 12 a teacher discovered that Adriaan had the ability to play the melodies of songs he heard instantly on a recorder flute but when his grandfather bought him his first Casio keyboard things started to happen. Adriaan's obsession for synthesizers led him to learn all he could about sound design and production and there wasn't a day that went by without him being in his homemade studio, absorbing the multitude of possibilities from synthesis. He has a great love for Enigma which made him create chill out music and became the building blocks for the 2012 album "Sad in Joy" on Bonzai Elemental under the moniker Twins in Mind. In 2005 a friend challenged him to make a House track. . "Good Feeling" was the result which became a hugely successful track and was remixed by Dr Kucho! The track went on to sell out in no time and ended up in the Belgian Dance Charts . Manu Riga was born. The name Manu Riga originated from shuffling the letters of Gary Numan, another of his idols, and whilst he enjoyed success with 'Good Feeling' under this guise he felt this was not the music he should making. After struggling to write a successor to 'Good Feeling' he looked for inspiration in order to create the commercial sound he was looking for. At this time music by Pole folder & CP, DJ Shadow and Sasha & Digweed was opening him up to a new world of sound, much closer to the sound he wanted to create. In 2005 the track Taï Chi Girl, was refused by record labels which led Adriaan to put Manu Riga to rest for a while. During this time Adriaan composed several soundtracks for movies and continued to create the smooth, chilled vibes of the Twins in Mind sound. Almost 5 years later in 2009, after a talk with Laurent Veronnez (Airwave), he decided to send Tai Chi Girl to Bonzai Records. The track still sounded fresh and Bonzai was happy to sign it to their flagship label Bonzai Progressive giving Manu Riga a new home. In 2010 an artist deal was signed and since then a huge amount of releases and remixes followed. Original tracks such as "No Matter What", "The Darkness Within" and the successful “Cimmerian" made the Manu Riga sound well known in the underground scene. Remixes for the late great Quadran (Philip Van Mullem), Gai Barone, Art of Trance, Moshic and many others, put the Manu Riga sound into many sets across the world and marked him as a highly respected producer. With over 40 remixes and 14 original EP’s it has been quite a productive 5 years for Manu Riga. in 2015 Manu Riga started a collaboration project with Matt Holliday (as Matt & Manu), releasing two very well received EP's, "You are Contagious" and "Submerged Needs", alongside remixes for Dark soul Project, Phi Phi and Matan Caspi. On 25th of July the duo performed a back to back set on the Bonzai Stage at Europe's biggest festival, Tomorrowland. Every month they host their own radio show Ethnoscience on progressive.beats.org which is where Manu Riga also has his well received podcast Escape. 2016 saw the light of his artist album "Surrounded" which hit the charts releases hard with a nr 1 spot both in Progressive house and Chillout. Around 2019 Manu Riga started to work together with the legendary dj Phi-Phi and after several remixes and originals as Manu Riga & Phi-Phi on labels such as Bonzai , Vesta Records . the duo decided it was time to do a new project which they called Kayinda. Kayinda stands for their dark deep progressive and tribal injected fusion of styles and they are working now on a full live show. ©2020 WeAreMusic.Agency

Best of 2023 with Manu Riga

1-a) Best track(s) from other fellow artists of 2023. Why you choose this particular track, please share with us the reasons?production techniques & crowd reactions on it.

Manu Riga: I really love HI-LO & Layton Giordani - Rabbiner Hole.   This track Puts a floor on fire. The simple but effective pluck melody is so hypnotic.

1-b) Best of 2023 personal productions and for what you reasons you choose these particular tracks, is it because of technical challenges, crowd reaction in the club or was it your most successful single/album?

Manu Riga: I would say our remix for Pole Folder & CP - Apollo Vibes (Kayinda Remix) on Bedrock Music.  kayinda is my project with Phi-Phi .   Apollo Vibes was one of those legendary tracks that made me turn to Progressive in the first place.  Even if it was actually released in 2022,  we saw Hernán Cattáneo & Nick Warren amongst many other great djs playing it all through 2023 !!

2) Best Artist of 2023(DJ & producer). Tell us why you believe he/she is the best, the factors that have influence you to choose this particular artist. What you appreciate the most from that artist. 

Manu Riga: I must say I love and admire what Rüfüs du Sol does , their live performances and great albums  inspired me to Try also other more experimental music.   Also a lot of artist that appeared on my own Label Vesta Records keep inspiring me. 

3) YOUR Best Remix which you have produced of 2023! Why you believe that this is your best remix? share with us the technical challenges or special issues you had during the production of it. 

Manu Riga: Its a not released yet remix but Phi-Phi & Greg D - Jesus trip (Kayinda technk remix) which will be on Diki Records.  Its been test played by Mr.Sam and others and the reaction was great.   It was a challenge to transform a 30 years old trance tune in a modern techno vibe ala charlotte de witte and still remain the essence. Obviously no stems are existing anymore.  Here my collection of classic hardware synths came in handy.  

3-b) Best Remixer(s) of 2023 with short comment, for what reason u believe he/she is the best remixer? Technical professionalism and technological proficiency? the elements that stand out in it. 

Manu Riga: Oh it's hard to pick one. Personally there are a lot of underrated remixers and producers . One that stands out is Enertia-Sound, whatever this guy touches turns into gold. 

4) Best New Talent of 2023 (DJ or producer), for what reasons you choose this particular artist? Do you know him/her personally?

Manu Riga: I cant say an artist that is a new talent from 2023. But I would say just watch passed the top 100 charts and u would be surprised what amazing music you would come across .  That is what we try on Vesta Records,  we do not go for the big guns but for new talent .  Check us out to hear some pearls !

5-a) Best electronic dance music album of 2023. Tell us the criteria behind the choice of this particular album and maybe highlight for the readers the best tracks from the album :

Manu Riga: Live From Joshua Tree by Rüfüs du Sol.  This album and also the video is just mindblowing.  Top synth music with amazing live performance.    Probably Underwater and the world hit Innerbloom.   Just timeless music 

5-b) Best artwork about single / album/compilation or promotional campaign of 2023. The criteria you applied to do this particular choice?  

Manu Riga: I really like the Artwork of Joof records   but I think I didn't follow campaigns .  Although the videos Afterlife brings on the market to promote their gigs and music is amazing.

6) Best electronic dance music label of 2023. Please explain the reason behind your choice? what you particularly like or appreciate about this particular label?quality of tracks, great rooster of artists, personal connection?:

Manu Riga: Probably should say Vesta Records ;) .   I am not a guy who follow labels but obviously my home is always been the legendary Bonzai Records and they keep doing great things.   Further I love a diversity of styles so also labels.  Going from Anjuna to Drumcode. From AlldayIdream to Soma Records.  I am diverse 

7) Best music composition software and hardware of 2023 with short comment. Why you believe this particular software/hardware deserves to be named as the best? great new features, easy to navigate, compose & produce? The advantages of this particular software & hardware that makes it to stand out.

Manu Riga: Daw: Ableton  hands down .   Hardware I love all.  Still loving my Korg Minilogue XD just because it's mixture of analog and digital oscillators and open source possibilities . Buying oscillators and fx aftermarket on a hardware synth is definitely innovating.  Software synths I would say Cherry audio. Their plugins are superb emulations of hardware , closer to the originals then Arturia .

8-a) Your Best personal DJ Gig & DJ performance of 2023. Where and when did you perform there? any funny incidents happened during particular performance; great crowd reactions. If there is video or sound recording please provide the link.

Manu Riga: Best gig this year was in Antwerp Club Ampère.   Loved  how the crowed danced synchronised to my prog techno set 

8-b) Best DJ set from other fellow DJ (actual or online) of 2023. Why you believe is the strongest and best DJ set? great mixing/track selection/development of the mix:

Manu Riga: I saw so many great ones but it's really hard to name one.  

9) Best technical tips/production skills  that you learnt in 2023 in relation to your DJing  or music productions:

Manu Riga: I am producing vocalists this year and I learned quiet alot about pop music production.  One important technique is Sidechain Dynamic Equalising .  Where vocals trigger an equaliser sitting on the instrumental bus. So the vocal always sits nice and clear in the mix 

10) Best piece of personal or music business' advice you got in relation to your career in 2023 and has helped you to progress even further and can help others who will read this interview:

Manu Riga: Don't take yourself and the music business in general too seriously.   Especially on social media .  There is far too much toxicity in the music world .    Never forget why u make music in the first place.   It isn't a competition !

Dimitris: Do you have any concrete plans for 2024 regarding future releases, tracks, albums, collaborations, DJ gigs? Please provide us the juicy details.

Manu Riga: Well I am doing 2 albums of solo artists . Plus several projects that are less dance related.   New releases coming with PhiPhi as Kayinda both on Diki, Univack and Bonzai .   Collabs with Cedric 'CP' Piret.  And Twins in Mind fans probably will see my 3th album coming 

Dimitris: Your message & wishes  for 2024.

Manu Riga: I wish everyone all success in the world but especially one thing  "Health"  don't forget you only have one!! Love and peace

Thanks to Manu for his lovely answers!

Additional info:

www.vestarecords.com
https://m.facebook.com/manurigaofficial/
https://m.facebook.com/VestaRecords/