by Virginia Beach-based producer Radiant has been steadily carving his name into the scene over the past half-decade. His works are dark and experimental while maintaining a much-appreciated sense of groove. Blending experimental bass and trap, the producer has become a mainstay on underground staple SATURATE with his latest RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT EP serving as a career-defining standout. The four-track effort draws influence from OG trap while packing a forward-thinking approach throughout. The end result is simply fantastic. Hot off the heels of the release, we figured it would be a perfect time to connect with Radiant for a guest mix + interview.
The mix is an hour-long epic of blistering bass featuring unreleased gems from the producer, plus bangers from EPROM, Chee & Two Swords, Jon Casey, borne & Taiki Nulight, Golden Child & TRICKSTAR, Lunice, LYNY, and more. The interview touches upon the key ingredients in his music, what inspires him, collaborations on the horizon, his latest EP, and more. Dive in below.
Tell us about the mix. Where are we headed when we press play? What was your goal in putting it together?
My idea for the mix was to share a ton of new music as well as some tracks that inspire me. I tried to give the listener an idea of what my live sets feel like.
What are the key ingredients to a Radiant song? Does the recipe evolve with time?
Trap influenced drums, heavy low end, some sort of synth / sound design, and a bunch of fx samples sprinkled over top. I would say the recipe evolves slightly over time.
How do you go about finding the balance between experimental and approachable?
That’s the goal in my opinion, danceable but still forward-thinking. It’s tough because sometimes you end up leaning more towards one side of things.
Trust your gut and do what feels the most natural, don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Be obsessed with your craft, and eventually others will notice.
What advice would you offer to new producers trying to improve their craft?
Trust your gut and do what feels the most natural, don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Be obsessed with your craft, and eventually others will notice.
What are a few plug-ins you could not live without?
Nowadays, I’m using mostly Ableton stock. Outside of that, I still love Trash 2 for distortion and anything from Valhalla for reverb.
What inspires you?
Every track is different, could be a new sound I’ve figured out, a song I’ve discovered, etc. But to answer the question, I’d have to say learning and evolving as an artist.
Congrats on joining Rhythm City Collective! How did that come to be? What’s the experience been like so far?
I have played some shows and known RCC for a few years now, we’ve always had similar taste in music. It’s been a great experience so far, very excited to share what we have planned for next year.
We woke up Sunday expecting to chill for the day, ended up being one of my favorite sets I’ve ever played.
What was the biggest highlight of SEVEN STARS?
The biggest highlight was definitely the massive impromptu b2b. We woke up Sunday expecting to chill for the day, ended up being one of my favorite sets I’ve ever played. We had artists on stage from all over VA and the DMV.
You dropped your first sample pack earlier this year. What prompted you to create your own sample pack? Did you enjoy the process?
I’m at the point now where I have a lot of sounds and recordings lying around in old projects that will never see the light of day. Even if you don’t end up selling it, I recommend that everyone, at some point, should go through and make their own sample pack. It really speeds up your workflow and helps you finish tracks faster.
Congrats on the release of your new EP ‘RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT’! What was the writing process like for the project? What made you want to release these tracks together?
When I started writing these tracks, I was listening to a lot of classic trap music. Artists like Rustie, Hudson Mohawke, and G Jones. I wrote 6 songs, and these 4 ended up working the best together. For a small body of work, I think it should sound cohesive and feel like they are all living in the same world and not just thrown onto a release.
Killa P is an absolute legend, he really brought it to the next level. This is the first time I’ve worked with a vocalist, looking forward to more of that in the future.
You’ve also got a tune in the works with Killa P. How did that collaboration come together? What does that track mean to you?
I almost finished the track without a vocal. Had sent a batch of music off for mastering and ended up asking him to hold off on this one. Killa P is an absolute legend, he really brought it to the next level. This is the first time I’ve worked with a vocalist, looking forward to more of that in the future.
What do you enjoy doing outside of music?
Music definitely takes up a good amount of my time. When I can I love to travel, try new food, and snowboard.
Any final words?
Just wanted to say thanks for the opportunity and big love to the team for all the support!
Radiant FUXWITHIT Guest Mix Tracklist
Chee & Two Swords – Fade Away
Eliminate – Turn It Up
EPROM – Phoneme Gothik
Radiant – ID
TIARO – PRESSURE
Radiant – ID
DICEY – CENTER w/ Babushka Boi Vox
potions – GHILLIE SUIT
Sorza & Amnes – Roth feat. EMSKI
Phydra – Yankee
TSURUDA – Antidote
Jon Casey – RED DOT
Borne & Taiki Nulight – Out of Control
Lunice – Can’t Wait To
Radiant – ID
Radiant – ID feat. Killa P
HOST – Mosh
Rohaan – Pelican
Shadient – SECRET PATH
Odd Language – Relax
MONUMAN – Fret
SHADES – Flame Unbroken
Radiant – MISSINGNO
LYNY – Money
Radiant – ID
EPROM – Pineapple (G Jones Remix)
Radiant – ID
MONUMAN – Spectre
VIER – CONTROL
Fake Two Piece & Floret Loret – Ain’t no time for hesitation
Lord Genmu & Silcrow – AXIOM
Radiant – RAGEQUIT!
Skrillex – REDLINE DASH
Radiant – GENESIS
Golden Child & TRICKSTAR – MONEY COUNT
Radiant – CHARIOT
Ives – Swords
Radiant – Maelstrom
