Riton producer: “I jack to the sound of the underground”

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), 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.”