Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.
My name is Pascal Righini, I am a song writer, musician and producer and I have been making music for as long as I can remember. I think music and song writing is a kind of cathartic exercise for me so it’s been something that i have always found really rewarding. I love experimentation and trying to discover new sounds and ways of putting things together when I create something that surprises me I get a real kick out of that.
Can you tell us about your process of making your latest EP, Figurals?
The Ep was written in two parts over the period of a year. Three songs first and then the final two , I started by sketching the songs in their entirety on Keyboards and with music production software like Reason and Abelton (Also occasionally writing guitar first , which is my go to approach in my band The Plastics). I filled out the songs and got them to a kind of 80% ready. I then approached my friend Thor Rixon for some extra input on production and we put all the tracks and parts through the process of trying to make every sound and element as alive and as creative as possible while still being melodic and groovy. I can almost liken the whole process to the feeling of staring into a magic eye picture, but for like a year.
How has living in Cape Town affected your music?
It affects me completely , I am aware of so much music and culture that I would probably never have heard of or be at all in touch with if I had grown up somewhere else. The scene is bursting with talent and creative people but also has it’s drawbacks, as with most things in life theres a Yum side and a Yuck side.
What kinds of music/what musicians are influencing your work right now?
I guess the emergence of so many new R&B and Hip Hop acts and genres onto the world stage has had an affect on the world’s ears and taste, and this has affected me as well. With all music I hear and enjoy I like to soak it up and enjoy it as fully as possible without ever trying to mimic it. I try to have a pure enjoyment of listening and think about what feelings that the music made me feel or what colours or textures or adjectives that music brings me and try capture and distill those impressions into creating my new music. I do not believe in formulas in music or art, so for me what ever makes me feel excited and makes me feel like I am trying something fresh or creative ultimately makes me satisfied that what I have put out is if nothing else, as true a creative expression as I could make at that time.
Who would you ideally like to collaborate with?
King Krule, Frank Ocean, Kevin Parker, Bon Iver, Kanye West, Toro Y Moi, Rae Sremmurd, Bob Dylan, Alex Turner, Willow Smith
What was the last show you went to that stuck out to you?
Anderson Paak played in Cape Town last year, that shit was wild!
What are you listening to right now?
Fleet Foxes, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Michael Jackson, Kids See Ghosts, Miles Davis, Gourmet, one of the new Gorillaz songs, Yellow House
If you hadn’t become a musician, what do you think you’d be doing?
Maybe being a Chef, I have a long line of Chefs in my family so I feel like that could have been great. Also, I mean FOOD right <3
What are you really excited about right now?
Kodak Portra 400 35mm film stock. An important discovery. That and my new EP which is shaping up more and more by the minute.
Can you share one of the best or worst reactions you have gotten as a result of your music?
Somebody once heard one of my new songs and just spontaneously combusted. They had been eating Flaming hot Cheetos all day so I can’t take all the credit.