Our friends from the tplt collective, make us discover the universe of an artist through a mix and an interview.
(You can follow them on their Facebook : tplt).
Rick Shiver, the tropical dandy from Belgium of good taste and the thinking head of Nose Job that we recently received in Bordeaux, has created this paradoxical mix where the ins and outs of a sought-after and worked-out aesthetic can be seen. With exotic colors and scents from elsewhere, this podcast transcribes the teasing spirit of this fabulous character through rhythms and melodies.
tplt : Hello Rick, how are you since the gig in Bordeaux ? Can you tell us your artistic and / or musical influences ?
Rick Shiver : Busy, busy ever since. Sorry, but my French is not perfect.
My tastes and interests evolve non-stop. I have a thirst to discover, not to repeat myself too much.
tplt : How did you get to Nose Job ? What was the trigger behind this project ?
Rick Shiver : Nose Job brings my passion for music and other arts together. It’s pure DIY. I collaborate with people and places on the same wavelength and I invite inspiring guests. Then after 4 years of « parties, trouble and fun », I launched the label.
tplt : What would best describe your mix ?
Rick Shiver : It depends on so many factors… the setting, the time, the crowd, the mood. Podcast or radio show, that’s another story. Every opportunity makes it possible to express oneself differently.
tplt : What is a tropical dandy ?
Rick Shiver : This is the title of an album of Haruomi Hosono… and as I like to dress with a twist, I think it sticks. Also to my character who changes colour, a bit like a chameleon. Music for chameleons.
tplt : How did you decide to produce your own music ? Can we talk of tropical house ?
Rick Shiver : It’s been years since I hack sounds, and I think I finally found a more personal style. I would not call that house. Basically there are analog synths / rhythm boxes, but from there I try to extract a clean and different sound.
tplt : Can you tell us about the excitement of the new Belgian scene ? How do you explain this real interest in electronic music ?
Rick Shiver : I don’t know if we can really talk about a Belgian scene, because Belgium is almost two countries with Brussels, an entity still apart. In Brussels there are a lot of talents at the moment who are experimenting and making their way.
tplt : What did you want to tell in this podcast ?
Rick Shiver : It’s a mix of different sounds, atmospheres and rhythms that tickle my senses, dancing (at least for me) without being obvious, telling a story… it’s still a medium.
tplt : What’s next ? What’s waiting for you tomorrow ?
Rick Shiver : I’m preparing Prins Emanuel’s 2nd NJ release and the release party. Fun gigs in Cologne, Kessel-Lo, Brussels, Paris, Lyon, Belgrade and Bucharest. Better arrange my studio. Re-watch Fantômas. And then holidays !
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Interview by Lucas Perrot.