South London based producer ATRIP will release his debut album ‘PLASTERBOY’ on December 4th.
The German-born producer spent his teens in London, absorbing club culture while finessing his studio skills. Emerging post-pandemic with a run of viral singles, ATRIP blended trance, house, UKG, and more on two instantly-successful independently released mixtapes.
But then something tragic happened. ATRIP’s laptop was stolen from a venue in Bristol, and the producer lost everything – his future plans, the bedrock of his past work, and his creative confidence.
The process of recovery found ATRIP opening up as never before, rebuilding his creative outlook with the aid of close friends.
Debut album ‘PLASTERBOY’ is out on December 4th via TANZPARTEI, and the producer comments:
“After losing all my life’s work in a car theft last year, I found myself having to rebuild not just my music, but my relationship with making it. This album grew out of that process — moving through grief, self-doubt and the pressure to return to who I was, and eventually allowing myself to make something quieter, stranger and more honest. It’s about loss, healing and forgiveness, but ultimately it’s about finding a way forward without needing to become the person I was before.”
Guests range from UK rap mavericks Bawo and Flohio through to Jessica Winter, Izza Gara, Leela Rose, Oscar Farrell and songwriter Jo Hill, with each adding something distinctive.
ATRIP comments:
“The people you hear throughout these records are not just collaborators, but my friends, and in many ways they became vessels for emotions I struggled to communicate on my own. Their voices, ideas and interpretations helped me give shape to feelings that were often difficult to articulate. I’m eternally grateful to them.”
New single ‘pull u right thru’ is out now – a symbol of communal music making, it’s emblematic of the support network built by the producer, and also his willingness to open up. He explains:
“This one feels particularly close to my heart, as I wrote this in the midst of finding my feet and my rhythm again after having my laptop & album stolen after a show in Bristol last year. Writing the lyrics with a very close friend – Jo Hill – in her kitchen, was a therapeutic exercise for me at that time, as we wanted to capture the perspective of a friend to a grieving person, who is desperately trying to communicate support, love and affirmation.”
Tune in now.
Photo Credit: Scarlet Griffiths
