Alongside his remarkable contribution to the series, we sat down with R.M.K who shared his thoughts about his career, his label, inspirations & aspirations!
- Hi Rob, thanks for answering our paradoxical questions! What have you been up to lately ?
Thank you for having me! I have been very busy recently finalising an album which I made with my good friend and mentor Jamie Anderson. The album will be released at the end of October and will celebrate 10 years of my label Fossil Archive. We also celebrated 10 years of the label with a special party at fabric in London back in July which was absolutely amazing! Our monthly club night at The Glove That Fits in London has been going from strength to strength and I have been doing a lot of gigs recently at the likes of Sisyphos and Renate in Berlin, BRET in Amsterdam and Corsica Studios in London. I am loving it!
- You’ve started your career several years ago, what has brought you to Techno?
I got into drum and bass in the early 2000’s when I was at school. There was a strong DnB scene in the city of Leicester where I grew up and that really inspired me. Around 2006 I moved to London and started going to clubs like fabric. Around that time the sound of DnB changed. It had become more commercial. Suddenly it was being played on daytime radio and a whole wave of new people started appearing at the party’s. I had started to move away from it and around that time I had discovered that many of the sounds that I used to love in DnB had come from Detroit techno. When I discovered this whole new world I was completely hooked and went down the rabbit hole!
- London is for sure a must visit spot in the Techno circuit. Any special venues you would recommend there?
Obviously where we host our monthly label party at The Glove That Fits would be my first recommendation. It is very small (around 100 capacity), but has a low ceiling and a fantastic sound system. The atmosphere is always really amazing and it is my favourite place to play in the whole 
I also love fabric though, especially Room 2. I have played that room many times and it never disappoints. The sound and energy is unique. That was the place where I learnt to warm up.I’ve had some magical nights in that club.
Another special place is Fold. What they have managed to achieve is hugely impressive. Amazing sound system and great vibes.
- We guess every gig is special, but where was the most exciting connection with the crowd in the last couple of years?
That’s a tough one because I’ve had so many amazing experiences, but one which does stand out was my appearance at Berghain last year. It was my first time back playing there since before the pandemic. I was asked to play the morning slot on Sunday, which can be a difficult time to play. When I arrived though, the room was still full and stayed full until the end of my set. Some friends said afterwards that nobody was at the bar when I played and that everyone was on the dancefloor. It was a magical experience!
- You released your new EP called “NECH028” a few months ago on Nastia’s imprint Nechto Records and we really like the result! What’s the story behind this EP ? We are curious to know what kind of setup you use for this EP ?
During the pandemic I started sending music to Nastia and really liked it. She encouraged me to keep writing. This lead to her releasing a series of tracks on compilations on NECHTO. The challenge was to then come up with a debut Ep for the label, which eventually lead to NECH021. That Ep was well received, so I set about working on a follow up which became NECH028. It took a considerable amount of time to complete. We got there eventually though and I am very proud of the result.
My studio setup comprises a mixture of hardware drum machines and synthesizers. This is all run through a vintage Boss mixer which allows me to add analogue saturation by overdriving the sounds. I arrange and mix everything in an old version of Cubase running on a PC. I love the sound of Cubase, which is one of the reasons why I’ve always stuck with it. The tracks on the Ep comprise of a mixture of sounds recorded in from my hardware, as well as audio samples.
- You are behind Fossil Archive, a techno label based in London. Can you tell us a bit more about the label ? How and when did it start etc…
I started the label 10 years ago in 2015. Fossil Archive was born out of a desire to create music that endures. Like fossils, the tracks are meant to last. This means not rushing things. I only release music I completely believe in. The quality always has to be there.
When I was younger, I would walk into a record shop and I remember seeing new releases by certain labels. These labels were known for their quality, so you knew you wouldn’t even need to listen to the record, because it was killer. Buy on sight! I always wanted my label to be like that.
- As a label manager, what were the main challenges you faced from the start ?
At the start it was difficult to find a distributor for both vinyl and digital. Through friends, I managed to secure distribution deals though. Although I absolutely love vinyl records, the costs associated with pressing vinyl have always been a huge issue too.
- As a DJ, you must come across loads of promos. What do you think about the current production in the techno circuits? Is there enough sense of creativity or innovation according to you?
There have always been periods where the music stagnates and it has been difficult to find good music. Conversely, there have been periods where there is a huge amount of good stuff being released. I have to say that in the last year or so, I have found so much good music. My perception is the scene is really healthy in this regard at the moment. I’m finding a lot of great up and coming producers bring their own unique take on techno music, which is essential for pushing things forward.
- What would be your advice to a young artist that is emerging on this scene ? Be focused on what is being released and go with the flow or always keep in mind what was done before ?
It is important to participate in the scene as much as possible. This means going out and meeting people, listening to as much old and new music as possible and having a go yourself. It is important for emerging artists that they bring something unique to the table. This is what I look for when booking up and coming artists for our party. We focus on the up and coming talent in London, because it is important they have a platform to grow.
- How did you record the podcast for Paradox ? Can you pick a record from the mix and tell us why you like it or how you found it ?
The mix was recorded at my recent appearance at Sisyphos in Berlin. It was my first time playing there. I had heard so much about it. I was asked to play the opening set in the Hammahalle on a Saturday night. This is the largest room there and it was very impressive! Within 10 minutes of the room opening, it was full. The mix is a journey from opening the room to peak time. I really loved it!
One moment which stands out was when I played a track taken from the forthcoming 10 years of Fossil Archive album called ‘New Horizons’ which I wrote with Jamie Anderson. It’s a very uplifting track with lots of Detroit sounding strings and an acid bassline. Everything was played live using hardware at Jamie’s studio in Berlin. I personally think it’s one of the best tracks we’ve ever written and I am incredibly proud of it.
- Many techno artists say they’re not very comfortable when it comes to the technical aspects of producing. How far do you think mastering this subject is important for a producer in the nowadays techno industry?
There has to be a basic level of mastery when it comes to the technical side, as techno is inherently functional. However, the ideas within a track are always the most important. I would always choose to play a track which has a great hook and/or groove, but lacks a great mixdown over a track that is really well produced, but lacks ideas.
- Are there any new artists and labels focusing your attention that you want to share with us?
There’s so many, but I’m always keen to push the London artists that I respect. Some of these include Vinicius Honorio and his Liberta label, ALNA and her OUT OF CTRL label, HMMND, Burden, Raymond V, Noah Tauber, Manlio, Fergus Sweetland, Livid etc etc.
- What can we expect from you and Fossil Archive in 2025/2026?
After the 10 year celebrations have ended, we will continue to release more music. I want to have a more consistent release schedule next year. We will also continue our monthly party’s at the Glove That Fits in London and do some more showcases elsewhere.
Thanks a lot Rob, we hope to see you very soon somewhere, keep the good vibe on!
Love and respect