ARTIST INFO

 

Riton - pronounced ‘Reeton’ - the French street term for Henry - is Henry Smithson.

Riton signed to label ‘Grand Central’ in 2000 (The first non hip-hop act to sign to the label) with release ‘Communicated’. His debut long-player “Beats Du Jour” followed in 2001 – a downbeat electronica album, hailed by luminaries including Laurent Garnier, Trevor Jackson, Richard Dorfmeister and Ewan Pearson, and hugely supported by UK magazines NME and The Face.

In 2004 Riton released his follow-up album ‘Homies and Homos’ a ‘rock meets rave in a basement’ electronic album, featuring the vocals of Lee Jones (Howdi), Luca Santucci (Playgroup) and Ben Rymer (Fat Truckers). Singles from the genius album include ‘Shitehawk’, a cover of The Cure’s ‘Killing the Arab’ and ‘Homeless’ featuring Ben Fat Trucker - Trucker also being Riton’s partner in his ‘Gucci Soundsystem’ outfit…

Collectively, Gucci Soundsystem’s ‘tough electro, acid house, bits of rock and digital ragga’ sound epitomizes that of East London… Their first release ‘Acarpenter’ was released in 2006 on Bugged Out Recordings which DFA then picked up and added a remix from Joakim.

Riton has also released on Berlin based label Get Physical (‘Vejer’ produced with Heidi was released in 2006 with a remix from Jesse Rose and they are soon to release the follow-up), Tiefschwarz’s Souvenir imprint (‘Hammer of Thor’ released Feb 2007) and Parisian label Dialect recordings. He has remixed releases on labels Klein, Klang, Obliq Sound, F-Com, Four Music, 679 and has remixed artists including Human League, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Simian Mobile Disco, Annie, Mystery Jets, Mylo, Run DMC, Para One, Data Rock The Aliens and Tiefschwarz.

 

Riton DJ: “I’ve always played bit of everything over the years, but the fact is I do get exited by a new sound or new styles - so I think I’ll always be evolving style wise, that’s what keeps it interesting for me. But, the fact is the 'disco' beat will always reign supreme on the dancefloor, I think, no matter how it’s dressed up.”

 

As a DJ, Riton regularly plays venues including Fabric, The End and Sankeys (including being a regular face on the Bugged Out circuit) in the UK, Panorama Bar and Weekend in Berlin, The Rex and Triptyque in Paris, We Love at Space in Ibiza and more.

 

Riton now: “I’m very shallow and only find new things exciting; I get sick of 'a sound' as soon as I've heard more than 10 records like it.”

 

Riton has just finished his third album ‘Eine Kleine Nacht Musik', which sees another twist in his musical direction. Stepping sideways of today’s electronic sounds, his new album takes in the sounds of the Kosmische ‘Krautrock -floaty hippy trance’ world of 1970's Germany)…

And, forthcoming in June – after playing the club for the first time last summer - Riton will also be mixing ‘We Love… Space Ibiza’s’ first ever compilation alongside Serge Santiago; Santiago representing the Terrace of Space – light - on one disk, whilst Riton represents inside on the other – dark.