UK producer Robert Burbidge teams up with scratch champion for new release ‘Rainy Day’
‘Rainy Day’ features DeeJay Random, a 2 x Technics/DMC champion and also includes a remix from Annabel (lee)’s Richard E
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“We wanted to collaborate for a while with DeeJay Random, so this track was perfect. I’d worked with a scratch DJ before and was even taught to scratch in my 20s by my friend Ric Morley AKA undosequence who was an excellent scratch DJ. We’d buy records, watch the DMC Championships and then scratch back at my house. We then started putting on nights in Leeds and Hebden bridge where Ric would scratch over the bands and house DJs. I was really inspired by DJ Food, Coldcut, DJ Vadim and DJ Shadow, so it’s great to have come full circle and create our own take on that sound.”
UK producer Robert Burbidge has enjoyed a prolific 2022 to date and has turned to the hip hop and scratch champion DeeJay Random for his next collaboration ‘Rainy Day.’
‘Rainy Day’ is a wonderfully-chilled spoken word release featuring long-time collaborator Winter on vocals with Burbidge on piano. Burbidge and Winter (keys) then teamed up with Ian Stanford (guitar and keys) and Steve Gligorovic (bass) to create an almost-finished track that ‘Down By The Sea’ era Groove Armada would be proud of.
But, says Robert, there was something missing from the track. And after discussions, those parts were sent to DeeJay Random, a scratch DJ DMC champion who’s played alongside Jazzy Jeff and Coldcut and rocked clubs like Fabric and Pikes, Ibiza. He worked his magic on his turntables to provide intricate cuts and scratches over the original track, creating a laid-back but highly textured collaboration that brilliantly blurs the lines between indie and hip hop.
Burbidge has had a busy 2022, with several well-received releases while also working on 2023’s album ‘Blood and Tumbleweed.’ But as Burbidge recalls, ‘Rainy Day’ was all about taking his sound back to his roots.
“We wanted to collaborate for a while with DeeJay Random, so this track was perfect. I’d worked with a scratch DJ before and was even taught to scratch in my 20s by my friend Ric Morley AKA undosequence who was an excellent scratch DJ. We’d buy records, watch the DMC Championships and then scratch back at my house. We then started putting on nights in Leeds and Hebden bridge where Ric would scratch over the bands and house DJs. I was really inspired by DJ Food, Coldcut, DJ Vadim and DJ Shadow, so it’s great to have come full circle and create our own take on that sound.”
‘Rainy Day’ is backed by an excellent remix from Richard E. A composer and producer for Annabel (lee) with albums released on Ninja Tune and Youngbloods, Richard E makes greater use of Winter’s atmospheric spoken word vocals, creating a slightly moodier remix that recalls Boards of Canada’s dreamier moments.
‘Rainy Day’ is released as a stand-alone single on 4th November via Tune Core and iTunes with the full ‘Blood and Tumbleweed’ album to follow in 2023. Co-produced and engineered by Steve Gligorovic; Mastered by Dennis Moody.
About DeeJay Random
DeeJay Random is a 2 x Technics/DMC champion, ITF Scratch/Teams category UK finalist, Technics/DMC Final DJ Championships Judge, Vestax Battle Academy Masterclass Lecturer and founding member of The Steel Devils DJ crew.
He has been a grassroots and professional Hip Hop/Scratch/Turntablist DJ for over 30 years. Working alongside names such as Jazzy Jeff, Coldcut, Jazzy Jay, Grand Wizzard Theodore, The Scratch Perverts, The Jungle Brothers, MadSkillz, The En4cers and DJ Woody to name but a few.
He has taken his aggressive drum-heavy mix of independent Hip Hop and Funk all over Europe and rocked crowds from Pikes in Ibiza to Fabric in London to Beat-Herder in Lancashire and beyond.
Album artwork: Arturo Castillo