ATICA Switches Gears on ‘Like U / Speed Up’ for In / Rotation

A lot of good can come from working with an established label, like when emerging artists fall into more exposure than they know what to do with. But it also means having to contort your style this way or that way so that it fits neatly into a box. ATICA is a Madrid-based producer who has turned up on key imprints such as Confession, Spinnin’ and Ultra, all while cleverly navigating through their respective checklists. However, his versatility runs way deeper than most people may realize, and he’s chosen to dive further into his range on his debut two-tracker on In / Rotation.

His most obvious shift in tone comes straight out of the gate on the A-side, “Like U,” which shows him going down the future bass route. He handles it with great ease, though, coupling tender vocals with woozy synthwork and a gripping beat. The pace changes dramatically on “Speed U,” which is more in line with the output ATICA has been donning most recently. After the sound of the ignition, he keeps things dialed in through a nutty lead riff and chunky bassline that play off each other for the entire ride. Although they will each own a different time and place, both will still make you feel some type of way.

We caught up with ATICA to get the inside on his new release on In / Rotation, so make sure to fill yourself in after you claim your copy below.

Your release on In / Rotation is your first attempt at assembling an EP. How, if at all, did your approach change compared to your singles?
Until today, ATICA releases have been delivered through specific labels in which the music genre is quite specific, such as Spinnin’, Confession—where tracks rarely change their tempo from the 120s. I’ve produced so much in other tempos and formulas, and with In / Rotation, I’ve found a way to give these musical productions life.

The vibes on both sides of the two-tracker are completely different, as is the case with most of your material, yet they never sound disconnected. What element(s) of your sound do you keep constant to give it that ATICA aesthetic?
I never feel completely comfortable in a same genre or tempo. I think that good electronic music—the ones that have personality—can be moved through different speeds, maintaining the same character. In my specific case, I use a really reduced sound kit, as if it was a rock band. So every production, although being different from each other, has 70 percent of the same sounds, giving each track its own ATICA character. Some of the most characteristic sounds on my tracks are the plug when “Speed Up” drops and the synth wave on “Go Back” when the second part of the drop comes. Also, there’s a breath I recorded with my mobile phone that you can find in absolutely every single track of mine.

Since each track takes its own direction here, did you need to work on one production exclusively before finishing the other, or were you able to jump between projects without any issue?
Every project I make is apart from another one, which serves me as a rest from each other. Different tempos, vibes… provides oxygen to my brain. The only systematic thing on my productions is that I’ve always used a really little range of synths and plugins and that I always use a really similar sound palette, which gets opened automatically every time I start a project.

Your success has been skyrocketing in the last year. What has been the most shocking part about your sudden rise?
Even if it has been spontaneous, it’s also true that I’ve been working on it for years, polishing my production skills and preparing myself for the major level. So, since the first moment, I’ve felt prepared and patient to make the proper decisions, especially to know which were the decisions not to take. There have been many good things happening since I started this project, and they keep happening on an exponential basis. My team and I have discovered that if we do work hard, and we force ourselves to work harder each day, good things happen naturally.

You grew up with a father who was an amateur DJ. What were some of the records in his collection that had the biggest impact on you?
The records that influenced me most out of my father’s collection were the Isley Brothers’ “3 + 3,” Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life,” and a record that he bought me when I was 8, Getz/Gilberto’s bossa nova studio album from 1964.

Once I got home with an album by Nirvana, he told me, “Before listening to that, you must listen this one.” He gave me Led Zeppelin’s IV, a record that opened my mind to many bands from the ‘60s and ‘80s—rock, psychedelic rock, metal’s beginnings, Black Sabbath, etc.

Which of your own records does your father most enjoy, and why?
My father’s favorite ATICA track hasn’t been released yet, but it’s about to be. It’s called “Funk Cannon.” It’s also my favorite track to date.

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