Based in Edinburgh, Rai Scott has been quietly releasing her instinctive blend of emotive electronic music since 2008. I've known her for quite a while and consider myself lucky to have released her ep "Planet Mercury" on Echocentric Records last year.
As well as having her own releases, she produces and performs (live and DJ) as one half of 2DeepSoul and helps to run the Inner Shift Music imprint.
Her mix is just like her own productions - a perfect example of her machine-driven soul that marries warmth and natural melody with accented heavy rhythms.
Hey Rai, how’s things? What’s been keeping you busy of late?
Hi Timo, good thank you, oh you know the usual stuff… I’m currently focusing on my ambient project and have a couple of mixes that I’m working on, and of course the label as always is keeping us busy ;)
How did you get introduced to electronic music?
Well as you know the UK has a pretty healthy electronic music scene so I was fortunate to be around way back when the rave scene exploded.
My first taste of House music was at a night called Love at the Wag Club on Wardour street in London with my best mate, this was normally followed with a house party in the east end which then of course led to the raves.
But I consider myself really lucky because there was a later free party scene that I was involved with as a DJ in the east midlands which was more real for me as this was when my love affair with Deep House began.
Can you tell us a little about how you started with producing your own music?
That came later as I was a DJ for a long time first. I first got the ‘bug’ when I did a sound engineering course where we were required to work with others on a project so my very first ‘song’ was created by humming the parts to my musician friends in a studio.
Later on I had piano lessons and did a music course which led me to writing and recording my own productions.
You run Inner Shift Music with Brad P. Tell us about the inspiration behind the label and of all the exciting things you have in the pipeline for ISM?
We started the label back in 2010 as we wanted to release music that moved us. It wasn’t intended to be any particular genre, it was more about how the music made you feel on a much deeper level.
Coming up next we’ve got the second part of the .MAHAL. - Space release which we’re really excited about – this release is rather special as we did a joint venture with our friends Deep Explorer – the first part was just released a couple of months ago (I’m not sure if there are any copies left?).
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Then equally as exciting the following release is from Brad P with his Plantlife + Machine Learning EP which is also special as it’s been a while since his last one on Inner Shift.
The sound of the label is consistently deep and dreamy - where do you find the music & the artists from?
As music lovers and DJs we’re always listening to music so sometimes it’s that way, some of the releases are from friends and people we know, then sometimes we get demos that are a good fit for the label, and of course ourselves so some of the releases are from us.
I really love it when we release an artist who is unknown and/or unacknowledged who writes really beautiful music that we feel needs to be heard.
What has been the most rewarding part of running Inner Shift Music?
Releasing a beautiful piece of music on vinyl is first and foremost the most rewarding aspect of having your own label especially if it’s by an artist who is lesser known and humble.
Second, choosing which tracks are going on the release.
Third, it’s when someone who you have never met before comes up to you and tells you how grateful they are for the label and how much they love the releases – it just makes it all worthwhile as it can be dispiriting at those times the label isn’t doing so great and you have to work really hard just to sell 300 copies.
From what I learned from “Planet Mercury ep” is that you have a live approach to music making. Can you tell us a little more about your music making habits?
Well this is a more recent approach as it comes more natural when using hardware. I love software as well which I have a more structured approach with, but I do think there is a place for both.
The game changer for me was the MPC Live, I’m a visual person so I found the older MPCs tricky to manipulate, plus with Live you don’t lose your flow.
I absolutely love the craft of synthesis and how you can create a lot of dynamics and feeling with it. I usually start with the MPC and then move to my synths which I record live. I then layer the track with software parts and acoustic recordings. After all the recording is done, I then work on the production, structure and mixdown.
Our 2DeepSoul project has had an influence on the way I now write as well, as we get all our gear together and create the tracks live for our gigs.
Can your current musical endeavours, any solo releases or appearances planned for 2020?
I just finished a new ambient collaboration project with a UK producer from London; I’ve another deep house podcast due (sorry it’s late!); There is a remix of one of my tracks by a good friend on his label; I got asked to do a couple of deep house releases but not sure if they will be for 2020; Shimmering Moods is releasing some of my deep house tracks which I’m quite excited about as that is the same label my ambient project (user_ambiguous) is on.
There is supposed to be a 2DeepSoul album but I need to pull my finger out and get the tracks mixed down so that may not be in 2020 ha ha! And currently I’m working on an ambient/electronic live mix for a radio show in Chicago.
I only have 1-2 gigs loosely arranged for later in the year in South Africa, one will be a DJ gig and the other will be a live show as 2DeepSoul with Brad P.
You’ve always received great support from South Africa, can you tell a little about that and your SA tour?
I didn’t realise just how deep these guys were and what an amazing scene they have until we went over!
Their own DJs are so good they don’t really need international artists like us, so it was an honour to get asked to play. It was an amazing feeling for both of us as here in the west it’s easy to get jaded with the whole scene especially when running a label as it’s quite a lot of work.
I haven’t felt like that at a party for a long time and was humbled by the experience. The love, respect and support we got as artists and label owners was overwhelming. It gives us hope for our particular deeper kind of house and the label.
Do you have any fond musical memories from your childhood?
Not many as I was from a working class family who couldn’t afford for us to have music instrument lessons, but saying that - one of my fondest is also my earliest when I was 4 years old I went up on stage with my sister and sang a nursery rhyme at a working man’s club. We of course got a bottle of pop and a bag of crisps for our efforts!
What was the first record or a song that made a lasting impression on you?
Raze - Jack the Groove – Champion. This was the very first house record I heard, and my reaction was “What/who the fuck is that?! And where can I get more?!”
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Name five releases or tracks that are on heavy rotation currently?
Above Smoke – Sunstorm - Deep Explorer
Mark Hand – Under the Winter - Soul Print
.Mahal. - Space Space (both parts) - Inner Shift Music and Deep Explorer
Nu Mood Orchestra – Aphrodisiac EP - Stratra
Moonchildren – Beyond Love – Deep4Life
What’s your take on the current climate of the underground electronic music scene?
The only times I’ve been out here in the UK more recently was when supporting a good friend Chris (Jacksonville) who I admire, as he had a couple of live shows which were brilliant (his latest release with us was ISM-011).
In the west I don’t go out or get asked to play but I’m not too fussed as the club/party scene has changed a lot since the more honest simple days of the free party scene. (In my personal opinion there are too many people involved which seem to be more about the business and following trends.) I love to dance to music that I can really feel and in more recent years the only place where I get that is in South Africa.
However, that all being said, there are some guys/labels over here that I respect who are doing smaller word of mouth events supporting new releases and those artists that don’t get to play out that much.
Aside from the party scene I do think there is an amazing amount of good heartfelt music that is being released independently, and I have enormous respect for those labels, independent shops and artists who are working hard to get it out there.
You've curated a lot of music for both the label and for your DJ sets, who are the artists and DJ’s you think deserve more attention than they get currently?
Oh gosh so many so I’ll probably forget some! But the following springs to mind: Above Smoke, Miruga, Kareem Ali, Mark Hand, José Lau, Marco Nega, Rob Belleville, Owen Jay, 2Loop, Chris Gray, Brad P, Malcolm Moore, DJ Matt Pond (DeepSystems), DJ Tim Deep (Tha D4eepmeister) and DJ James P Anderson (Berlin).
So the mix, can you tell us a little something about that?
This mix was an accident, there was another mix done previously which was deliberately planned for you but it didn’t feel right. So one day I was sorting out my records and this mix came about.
Most of the records are quite old but it felt right for your show as I’ve been enjoying the deeprhythms mixes since around the time I’ve been collecting some of these records. I’m pleased that I managed to sneak in a couple of mine which I normally forget to do!
Many thanks Rai! Anything else?
Thank you for asking me for a mix and putting out my EP on Echocentric.
But also, big thanks to all those artists/producers out there who are still writing beautiful music.
playlist
1. Home & Garden feat. Colette - Innocent (Swayzak Home Help Remix) - Nordic Trax
2. Demarkus - On the Floor - Swerve Recordings
3. Demarkus Lewis - Rest Your Mind - Bridge Music
4. Nu Mood Orchestra - Rain - Stratra
5. Wulf N' Bear - Needsy's Run - 2020 Vision
6. Real Essa Productions - With a Star (The Dark Pump Dub) - Paper Recordings
7. Marathon Men - In Paradise - Je Ne Sais Quo Recordings
8. Retroflex - No Peace - Soma
9. Above Smoke - Deep into the Light - Deep Explorer
10. Nu Mood Orchestra - Aphrodisiac - Stratra
11. Rai Scott - Beyond Earth's Atmosphere - Inner Shift Music
12. Rai Scott - Music Inside - Inner Shift Music
DJ profile
Rai Scott
Location: Edinburgh, UK
Innershift Music | Soundcloud
Producer / Artist / Live performer / DJ / Label owner
Deep Atmospheric House / Ambient Dub / Deep Techno / Ambient
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