his week saw me gifted with the rare opportunity to sit down with one of Perth’s hidden gems in the EDM scene, an up-n-comer known under the alias of Rando. A name you might be unfamiliar with, Rando is dynamic, fresh, and ready to make a name for himself in the Perth scene.

Boasting an impressive 60,000 monthly Spotify listens, Rando has released a wide range of melodic tracks, gathering listeners and supporters from all over the world. One of his first official releases, ‘Collide’, has smashed 350,000 total plays, and it’s safe to say that he’s just getting started.

His unique style, guided by mellow synths, relaxing melodies and calming vocals, provides a Muto-esque vibe, guaranteed to wash itself over you.

Having just dropped his ‘Arcadia’ EP, it seemed like the perfect time to get an insight into the young producer’s head, coming out of one of the most impactful moments of his career so far.

An easy listen, the EP provides four summery-style tracks guaranteed to make your afternoon that much more relaxing. Whether you’re chilling by the pool enjoying the summer, or just looking for some fresh music, ‘Arcadia’, with its slow beats and relaxing vocals, is well worth 15 minutes of your time. Give it a listen right here.

Not used to being situated in the limelight, Rando was still more than happy to sit down with me for a few hours. Here’s how it went down.

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So, how did it all start, what first got you into producing music?

When I was younger I messed around with the guitar and keyboard, so I was always quite musical, but it was when I got introduced into electronic music in 2010 that was the biggest moment for me. I was so interested by it and I wanted to know how it all worked, and I found myself starting to try and break down tracks. From there one thing kind of led to another and I started trying to put my own music together, and here I am.

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How would you describe your style of music?

I guess overall I’d say it’s like a summer tropical-indie vibes kind of style. I try to fuse electronic music with acoustics and percussion to try and find a nice blend. I try to do things that haven’t been done before and tell a story with my music.

How are you aiming to make yourself stand out in the industry?

The way I see it these days is that people can make anything and everything, and everyone gets caught up trying to get booked for clubs and making music for club scenes. I feel like for me to stand out I need to be confident with my own music so that I can play shows for people who are there just to listen to it.

I’d rather play to a crowd that’s small but there just for the music, than a packed out club full of people who don’t really care about it.

I also want to do new things. I want to always have fresh ideas, and find that middle ground with something that hasn’t been done before.

How do you think your music fits into the Perth scene?

I don’t really know if it does. Perth has a very bass-heavy culture, and I feel like there isn’t really much for me here. I feel like if I’m going to make it as a live performer I need to be able to go all over Australia to be able to really get into it.

Is there a dream place you could see yourself ending up to help pursue your career?

The end goal is of course the USA, that’s where it all happens. But before I make it there I want to know I can conquer Australia first.

To make it in the US you can’t just go and expect it to happen, you have to prove yourself as an artist.

So If I can do well in Australia, maybe move over to Sydney and do shows over there, then I’ll be happy to jump on a plane and see where it takes me.

Are there any artists who really inspire you?

Odesza is a big one for me. They inspired some of my songs, and seeing them live just made me want to go home and produce some music, which is exactly what I did.

Bonobo is another. He’s big for me because I just can’t get my head around how he makes his music. I’d love to pick his brain, and he really inspires me to test things and to push my boundaries.

What do you love most about what you do, and is there anything you don’t like about it?

The best part for me is the music writing. I don’t wanna be one of those guys who’s all about the Instagram, it’s always gotta be about the music for me.

The worst part is trying to prove myself to people as a producer. I get told no a lot more than I get told yes, and it gets frustrating. Trying to get people to recognise me and take time to listen to my music is hard, and it sucks, but the reality is you’ve gotta start from the bottom, and I understand that my music can’t cater to everyone.

Your track ‘Collide’ blew up in the US, what was that like for you?

That was definitely the moment I realised I wanted music production to be my life. It was eye-opening for me because I started to realise my potential as a musician, but I wasn’t going to sit there and try to live up to the fake expectations that ‘Collide’ set, I wanted to go back and refine myself.

‘Can I do that again’ was a really big question to ask myself, and at that point the answer was no.  

How did the ‘Arcadia’ EP all come together?

I never planned on making an EP, it came together because my label approached me and asked for one specifically. I’ve always preferred singles, but in the end I used the EP as a chance to tell a story, which I couldn’t do with singles.

I used the EP and all the artwork to create my own little world, and I really wanted to create a special place, something I couldn’t do with a single track.

When all the tracks were done, I spent months listening, tweaking, sending it to people before I finally was ready to release them, and I’m so happy with the end result.

 As a finished product, did you want the EP to reflect anything particular?

I wanted to create a place you go to when you listen to it, like an escape to a different world.

When I listen to it it removes me from here and takes me to a forest, and I wanted that to be reflected in the music and the artwork.

In the end it’s up to the listener where they go and how they feel, but that’s where I went and that’s where I felt like I was when I was writing it.

 What’s next for you? What are you hoping to getup to in the future?

I’d love to start doing shows, and be able to start doing this full-time. It’s all about coming up with new ideas and making the music better, but I definitely want to get my name out there and start performing.

Dj’ing in a club isn’t where I feel my music belongs. I want to be able to perform it and be able to tell a story through a live show.

 How about long-term goals?

I’d love to be playing shows, hopefully all over the world. I want to have a good inventory of music, and to be that producer that people want to know and work with.

I want to live and breathe music, and be able to have an influence on the music scene.

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Well there you go. I spent a few hours picking Rando's brain, and you just read the final result. Massive thanks to Rando for being willing to sit down with me, and thank you all for giving this interview a read, I very much hope you enjoyed. Until next time, bye for now.

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