Graymane Feature Interview
Graymane Feature Interview Zone Magazine Issue 048
Graymane has become a regular producer for UK heavy-weight progressive house label Krafted.
His organic and melodic vibes are inter-twined with nods to both deep and progressive house music, and his debut for the label Symbols of Your Love became an instant fan favourite. Hailing from the USA, Graymane (aka Nick Richards) continues his love affair with the European house music scene and drops into Zone Magazine to tell us more about his sound, his passion for melody and his latest single Falling Apart.
Hi Nick, welcome to Zone Magazine. Tell us, how does a guy from Pittsburgh, USA end up signed to a UK record label?
I had a friend of the label recommend them to me after he heard one of my unreleased tracks and said “the fellas over at Krafted would love this”. I sleuthed the internet and found someones contact info and sent over some submissions.
Is DJ’ing a part of Graymane, or are you studio based?
I have DJ’d a ton under a different name, but not under Graymane. It would be fun to start playing some events but unfortunately Pittsburgh does not have a huge melodic house scene. I think there’s one small group that does melodic stuff, but even some of the bigger acts and artists kind of skip over Pittsburgh.
You are a producer with a regular release schedule. Was this part of your plan for Graymane and what’s the next move as you develop as an artist?
My plan for Graymane was always just to make music that I liked. For me the love of it is all in the process of making a track, so as long as I can do that I’m happy to go wherever the wind takes me. I think the dream for every artist is to somehow be able to quit your day job and do music full time. Next moves are unplanned as of now, but I know I am going to keep releasing music.
What has been the best advice you have received as an artist/producer?
Get a day job! Haha! Music can be an expensive hobby and without something there to fund your toys it can be frustrating. Also if you can – work with artists that are ‘better’ than you. (very subjective in art). But you can learn a lot from them, and being a good producer means having a lot of skills in different facets. You have to be a songwriter, sound designer, mixing engineer, and have some basic understanding of how music theory plays into sounding good. It can be challenging trying to do everything together all at once, so if you can get some tips, tricks, pointers, guidance along the way it can really help you out.
Who are your influences?
Man that’s a tough question. I have taken a lot of influence from ambient music like Oneheart. Dosem has been an influence, Braxton, LAR, Jordin Post, VIQ. I also listen to a ton of Vaporwave style music which probably has some sort of subconscious influence on me.
Your new single is called Falling Apart. It has an edgier sound than previous releases. It’s clear that you are not afraid of switching things up?
Yeah variety is the spice of life. After I make a handful of tracks in one style, just for my own sanity I’ll switch it up a bit and do a project that’s different so I don’t feel like I’m making the same song over and over.
Your tracks Symbols of Your Love and Immunity received radio support in Europe. Does that feel strange being so far away?
Yes definitely strange because it’s so far removed from my day to day life. My buddy likes to rib me sometimes with a ‘oh they know you in the UK’. Haha! Maybe? I don’t know, I live in Pittsburgh.
You have a remix coming out of Paul Sawyer & Danny Stubbs track All The Way Down. How do you approach remixing and how did you go about this particular project?
Remixing is fun because it’s almost like colouring-by-numbers, you know? You sort of have the base work done, and it’s up to you to reimagine it, but you have those kind of borders around your canvas already laid out for you. For me, making music is a very intimate thing, and while I have a ton of fun doing it, I also take it quite seriously – it’s almost like sacred or ritualistic to me. So you know I just hope that the music can mean something to a listener or give them a feeling or experience, because that’s what lingers on after the song is over.
Are there any other artists you’d like to collaborate with?
I’d like to collab with Braxton, Dosem, Bound to Divide, Marsh. Really anyone who I think is doing it ‘better’ than me so I can learn more. It’s always interesting to me to learn how other producers do things.
Where is Graymane heading? Your melodic soundscapes are a real signature feature. Are we going to be treated to more in 2025?
Oh there will be more coming for sure. I am playing around with some new styles, I think you can probably expect some more edgier music, but also some more softer melodic soundscapes.
Have you ever considered creating an album?
Yeah I would love to create an album. I think a concept album that has an overarching theme where all the tracks fit together cohesively in a way that makes sense when listening to the album from start to finish would be really fun and challenging. Maybe in 2026.
What 5 melodic/organic/deep/progressive house tracks are you loving right now?
Jordin Post feat. Dan Soleil – Deserve You (Dosem Remix) [Anjunabeats]
LAR – First Signs of Sun [AnjunaDeep]
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Be With You [Foreign Family Collective]
Lane 8 & Kasablanca – Run [This Never Happened]
Marsh – Pneuma (Official Visualiser) [Anjunadeep]
Tell us about the new single Falling Apart?
This one was a departure from ‘business as usual’ for me. I needed something to break up the monotony of making the same style. I had a lot of fun playing with some more aggressive sounds, and more moody vibes. It’s definitely more tuned up for a dance floor or lasers than previous releases. I tried to also incorporate some of my own style with the soundbath/ambience and not just rip off someone else’s harder dance style.
Graymane’s new single Falling Apart is out now on Krafted Records.
https://www.beatport.com/release/falling-apart/5213264