Destructo Discusses Production Techniques, Renegade EP Remixes, & New Music [Exclusive Interview]

The electronic community’s favorite producer Destructo has long been a moving force in the world of edm. In addition to collaborating with artists like Ty Dolla $ign, Pusha T, Freddie Gibbs, and Felix Da Housecat, Gary Richards, aka Destructo, has also played an iconic role in throwing some of the most outstanding events in the industry. Recently, Gary has been touring in support of his most recent Renegade EP that boasted artists such as Too $hort, Problem, Starrah, and Freddie Gibbs.

In support of the title track with Freddie Gibbs, “Renegade” received a special remix from artists VOLAC and rrotik. A deep and groove house-oriented production from VOLAC brings a whole new taste to the hit track off the EP. Meanwhile, rrotik takes a different approach to his remix by featuring deep subwoofer basslines that unearth another element of the track. While stopping at Schimanskis in New York City, RaverRafting had the opportunity to sit down with Gary and discuss his Renegade EP and the work that went into creating the official remixes. Read our exclusive interview below and check out Gary’s upcoming tour dates.

So, there are a couple of remixes coming out for your track “Renegade” with Freddie Gibbs, what can you tell me about those?

Destructo: Well, one is by VOLAC and they’re these two dudes from Russia that I met through AC and Night Bass. We did that song “What I Got” Fergie Flip through the internet. All the shit they make, I always play it. The second is by rrotik and I’m not even sure where he’s from. He might be from South America, Brazil or something, but his tracks are just sick. So, with “Renegade” the song it was really weird because when I made the song with Freddie Gibbs I played him all these house records and he didn’t like any of them. Pretty much anyone that I’ve ever made a record with we’ve made it over house. That’s my signature sound, but with him it was kind of like “nope, nope, nope.” Then Wax was like “What about this one?” And we pulled out this more trap beat and Freddie f***ed with it, and THAT was the one. So he just did the whole rap about how he went to China and back to Russia etc, but I needed house versions of it and I just never really got around to doing it. So I said fuck it and VOLAC and rrotik did it and just smashed it. Yeah, that’s pretty much what happened because the original version I think was like 160 BPM.

Did Freddie have any input into the remixes as well?

Destructo: Nah, they just sent me some shit really. VOLAC I think just sort of nailed it. Rrotik I worked with a few times on it, the vocals were a bit of a weird time. He had it sped up and then I mean some people when they do a remix they don’t really use the song. When I remix, I like to use the melody of the song. He was using everything, but he was just using everything in a different way than I had heard it. So I wanted the melody and words a little more intact.

So when you’re remixing as Destructo you try and keep the track relatively similar to the original?

Destructo: Oh yeah, like I’m doing a remix for Oliver right now. I’m going to try it out tonight, it’s that track “Make This Night Last Forever.” When I do a remix, I’ll remix a song where I really like the melody and vocals, and then I’ll just make it more my own style. I keep it intact, sometimes people ask me to a remix and there’s no point, but other times I hear a song and I know exactly what I have to do with it. It’s pretty simple, it just needs that one thing. A lot of people make songs, but they don’t make shit for the dance floor. For me if they want me to remix it, if I hear a way to make it bang in the club then it’s pretty easy. Once you’ve got the melody and the lyrics, the rest of it is easy.

In terms of new music, what’s brewing?

Destructo: Yeah I mean I’ve pretty much got a new EP ready to go. It’s almost ready, there’s one song left over from the last EP. I have one song that has Snoop, Yo Gotti, and Denzel Curry, and someone else on the hook that I couldn’t clear. So we’re still trying to get that one finished which is the one song that isn’t so much a club record, it’s just been a pain in the ass. That’s one that I really need remixes to, it’s just not a club record.

Be sure to give the Renegade remixes a listen below and keep your eyes peeled for Destructo’s tour dates.

Connect with Destructo:
https://www.facebook.com/destructohard/
https://twitter.com/DestructoHARD
https://soundcloud.com/destructohard
https://www.instagram.com/destructohard/

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