Richie Blacker has steadily carved out a place in the UK and Irish underground with a sound that draws from rave, house, techno, breaks, and trance.
Photo credit: Richie Blacker – Official
From his chart-topping ‘Summer of Rave’ EP to standout releases on Last Night On Earth, Of Unsound Mind, and Anjunadeep, his catalogue reflects a fearless approach to genre and a clear love for the dancefloor.
Blacker’s rise has been shaped by his connection to both tradition and innovation. His tracks feel familiar but never recycled—always nodding to the past while pushing forward with intent. Now, as part of Brisbeats Records’ 10th release, he returns with a euphoric remix of Ewan Rill’s ‘Mother River’, adding his own signature blend of melodic nostalgia and peak-time tension.
In this conversation, Richie Blacker opens up about process, inspiration, and what fans can expect from him next.
EG: Richie, welcome to EG. Where are you joining us from today, and what’s the vibe around you right now?
Richie Blacker: Good morning! It’s 7 a.m. here in Belfast, and I’ve just arrived at my studio in the city center. I’m drinking a coffee while typing this interview, surrounded by drum machines and synthesizers.
EG: Imagine your ‘Mother River’ remix turns into a worldwide club anthem. What’s the wildest or most surprising place you could picture hearing it?
Richie Blacker: Since it’s a progressive track, I imagine hearing it somewhere completely random—like at the top of a mountain in Chile or Bolivia as the sun comes up. The South Americans really love their progressive music.
EG: What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?
Richie Blacker: I’ve received the same advice from a few DJs over the years as I was coming up—Mark Knight, Doorly, and Felix Da Housecat all told me this: Be humble and always be kind. Overnight success takes ten years. Work hard and never give up. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. I suppose that’s good life advice in general, not just for the music scene.
EG: Outside of electronic music, what piece of art—a film, a book, or a painting—has shaped the way you think about your sound?
Richie Blacker: I’m a very creative person, and I love designing things and working with my hands. My background outside of music includes plumbing, steel fixing, and carpentry. I’m not shy of hard work, and I think that work ethic, combined with being a creative, works really well. I run my own record label, Mess Express Records, and I’m in the middle of setting up a new clothing brand that I’ve been working on behind the scenes for the last few years. We’re launching this winter—it’s called AÇÍD / ÄSĘD. I get very inspired by other people’s art—books, films, and music. It’s a big part of what drives me.
“Work hard and enjoy the ride. Hard work pays off, so trust the process”
EG: If someone only had 15 minutes to hear you DJ, how would you win them over and show them who Richie Blacker really is?
Richie Blacker: That’s a tough one! I think I’d pick a favorite track from each of the different genres I love. I’d start deep with a progressive track, move into breaks, then a house and disco track, followed by techno, and finish with a classic trance track—and maybe something alternative and non-electronic to close the mix.
EG: The dance scene moves quickly. If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Richie Blacker: This won’t happen overnight—so work hard and enjoy the ride. Hard work pays off, so trust the process.
EG: You’ve built your name on rave energy, but you’ve also spoken about expanding into new styles. What rules do you set—or break—when you sit down in the studio these days?
Richie Blacker: I have no rules in the studio. Sometimes I go in with an idea—maybe a vocal sample, a new sound I’ve found, or a track I like that inspires a similar vibe. Other times I go in with nothing in mind, and what comes out surprises me completely. There are no rules in music—just be yourself and have fun with it.
EG: Let’s step outside music for a moment. If you could score a movie, what genre would it be and why?
Richie Blacker: It would definitely be a sci-fi film—I’m a massive geek!
“I have no rules in the studio”
EG: When people look back on your music years from now, what do you hope they’ll remember most about Richie Blacker?
Richie Blacker: When I look back on old tracks that I love, they fill me with happiness and joy because they remind me of different times in my life. They say certain smells or music can bring back vivid, emotional memories—like how a scent can remind you of someone, or a song can take you back to a night out or a special time. I hope my music does that for people—that when they listen back to it one day, it evokes those same emotions and brings them right back to a happy memory or moment in their lives.
EG: Finally, what’s the big vision for you in 2025? What should fans be looking forward to?
Richie Blacker: I’ve got a very busy release schedule for 2025 already—there’ll be a new EP every 6 to 8 weeks! So there’s a lot of new music to look forward to from me, along with plenty of new gigs to announce as well.
Richie Blacker’s remix of ‘Mother River’ is out now via Brisbeats Records. Stream and download here.
Follow Richie Blacker: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
