Goodlitt was previously lumped in with the ‘UK Funky’ label. However, wIth Roska 2 there is a sense that Goodlitt has balanced pleasing his audience with representing himself as an artist. “I know what you mean,” he agrees. “When you play out so much you realise the different styles that you can pull off and what people are into. You start to read people a bit more. You find yourself experimenting as well and bringing new things in there. With Roska 2 I just had that vibe of experimenting a little bit more.”
With that diversity came the challenge of deciding what to include on the album. “I think the most challenging thing was probably when I was trying to put it all together. With Roska 1 and Roska 2 they’re both like, in a weird way to explain, they’re both colourful. There are so many different styles involved in Roska 2 that I think it was kind of hard to narrow it down.”
The purchase of new gear and some friendly advice helped though. “I bought a few new synths and some new monitors for Roska 2. I wanted to get all the tracks sounding as clear as possible. Listening to people like Geeneus, Zinc and Pinch as well from Tectonic and getting feedback from those guys on the project definitely helped it progress much more.”
However, new gear can lead to new distractions. “I had the Moog Slim Fatty for about a year and I only used it on two tracks. Every time I went to use it I just found myself messing and messing, finding new sounds though! I wasn’t actually getting anything out of the product itself so I just got rid of it in the end.
“I bought a MicroKORG in summer and I have been using that constantly on a few tracks. I did a remix for Example a few months ago and that was the first track that I used it on. I try to use stuff that sounds right straight away. If I start messing about then I get too carried away and then I won’t make anything.
“It’s all a learning curve and it’s all trial and error,” reflects Goodlitt. “As time has gone on I have learnt new things and picked up new things. Working more and more with vocalists over the last few years has helped me a lot too. All these little things are a big learning curve but if you’re willing to learn it goes really well. Roska 2 was definitely my favourite for looking in-depth at a track and making it sound really good.”
Roska tunes – often identified by his signature ‘Roska’ vocal motif – have their own style but there is this pressure in dance music to continually come up with new sounds. “It’s difficult,” confesses Goodlitt. “There are people that have a certain, signature sound but then you have people who want to evolve as well. So it’s a difficult one. Then you have trends with sounds. Like, what was called UK Funky at one stage was half none existent but it’s still existent because of specific producers that are still there. So it’s not a theme but individual.”
Working on different labels has helped Goodlitt represent different sounds. “You have someone like myself who has like a signature sound but if I make anything in a different genre you can tell it’s my tune. Like when I do stuff on Tectonic you can still tell it’s me but there’s a different vibe. I think it varies from producer to producer though.”
He believes that it’s good to have an identifiable sound. “A lot of people do go through trends where they make a specific sound and then they have to move away from it. I find that you don’t have a home when you do that and you end up moving from house to house. Each to their own to be honest and it’s good to evolve but you should have some edge where you have your roots embedded in that project or the projects.”
Goodlitt’s record label, Roska Kicks & Snares, has had a huge year in 2012. “We have done quite a lot this year so I think we’re going to go quiet for a little bit – until the second half of next year basically. Then we’re going to kick things off again. We’re going to chill out for now. It give me a chance to breathe for a bit and sort out my own music!”
It also gives Goodlitt the time to work on his new album for Rinse. “It’s quiet in January which is cool because I have to finish some stuff off. I’m writing for my third album already and I have finished my first single so it’s probably going to be an EP with Rinse and then in the summer an album should be out basically.”
It leaves us waiting to hear the next Roska dance floor hit and thirsty for his Australian shows.
BY SIMON HAMPSON
