Rye Catchers is a dynamic and ever-evolving amalgamation of unique talents from across the United States and also abroad, carefully compiled by songwriter and producer David McClintick Roberts. Rye Catchers has a sophisti-pop focus but also enjoys other genres such as EDM and lo-fi/chillhop. With cool chords and breezy yet meaningful lyrics, Rye Catchers crafts its work to be enjoyable listens with its own unique sound and brand. "Ordinary" is smooth electropop that inverts the love song theme and celebrates the every day moments with a sultry and smoky delivery. This Rye Catchers release features the sexy and haunting vocals of Spanish songstress Nekane, and is backed by the electrifying beats of Nigerian DJ duo Maze X Mxtreme.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Rye Catchers, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
I remember always relishing music – I can probably thank my parents for my first memories as a very young child: sitting on some awful green ‘70s shag carpet and listening to The Beatles on vinyl. I would get the lyrics wrong and, undeterred, sing along to “Band on the Run” for hours.
What is your creative process like?
It’s more like a discipline – I carve out time every day where, even if I do not have a specific idea, I will tool around on my keyboard and see if anything manifests. A lot of times I end up scrapping my ideas, but when I find a chord progression that resonates, I sequence it roughly and start fleshing it out. Usually, if the chord progression works, I can hear the hook instantly -words and all. So music first and then the hook / lyrics is my process.
Your latest song is 'Ordinary'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
“Ordinary” was a real journey – it began as a completely different tune, but when I recorded with another singer, the thing was a disaster – my lyrics simply did not work with the arrangement. So that tune became an instrumental that is now published and titled ‘Bite the Worm’. But I really enjoyed my “Ordinary” concept and went back with that same theme / idea and retooled it using totally different chords and arrangements and styles.
What was the most difficult challenge you faced?
Beyond completely scrapping the original and starting fresh, I wanted the tune to be smoky, cool and slightly haunting while also poppy. So, a big challenge was finding the right singer; that was accomplished via hiring Nekane, a singer from Spain who has a voice that sounds like something between Edie Brickell and Astrud Gilberto – exotic but also approachable. I also engaged a really great DJ duo known as Maze X Mxtreme to add their own beats and some additional atmospheric synths to fully round out the electropop vibe.
What is the biggest mistake you have made within your career to this point?
Thinking a tune is ready to be published too soon after completion. I think a lot of newer artists make the same mistake. It is easy to get excited about a song and rush to the finish line, wanting to showcase it to the public. Big mistake! I have learned to step back when I think a song is finished and listen to it again about a month later – more often than not, with that distance, comes a more critical ear. This applies to the final mix along with the overall composition.
How do you know when a work is finished?
Good segue from the last topic! A song is probably finished when a good chunk of time has occurred from the final tracking to the final mix and master, and a lot of times, there should be a pause even after the final master. You should also know someone who can be brutally honest with you and provide uncomfortable feedback – a close friend will likely say, “sounds great!” but that is in no way helpful. Solicit honest opinions from someone or others you respect and trust. And then listen to what they tell you. And if they tell you it sounds great, ask what could be done to make it better – ask them what they don’t like.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
I am also a writer – I write poetry for fun (and self-published a novel that I penned when I was a ripe twenty-something). I enjoy reading books of all kinds because to be a good writer, one must first be a good reader of others. Those interests have suffered a bit with too many cool streaming shows to watch, but I do try and spend time simply enjoying some old school reading and writing to keep the mind sharp and engaged.
Do you have a mentor or coach?
Like any musician, the best mentors are really gifted artists! I enjoyed a lot of the jazz greats from an early age (Ella Fitzgerald is one of my favorite singers of all time) and there are so many artists now who are unique and brilliant musicians (I currently enjoy Louis Cole / KNOWER and Magdalena Bay, along with Twelve Foot Ninja). From a production standpoint my most recent mentor has been a recording veteran / studio owner and musician out of Milwaukee named Paul Kneevers. His was the first studio where I professionally recorded some work in the early ‘90s, and his was also the studio where I worked on an album just two years ago (that album is soon to be released).
What memorable responses have you had to your work?
Of course, some negative responses always stick out. I find that the opinions are always all over the map – everything from the tune is too sonically dense, to the drops or transitions are not impactful enough – most the advice runs in circles so that if I followed all the opinions, it would all cancel itself out. You have to have rhino skin to do this. But you also have to take into consideration all the negative comments as well, as many might be on point. In the end, I consider what everyone says while still trying to maintain my own brand and creative approach as an artist – it is a matter of balancing the constructive criticisms with one’s own vision, so that some technical adjustments can be made and bettered while the artistry is hopefully retained.
What are your plans for the future?
Keep making the best music possible. Keep making all genres of music and exploring different styles while working and collaborating with the best possible talent. I always learn from those I collaborate with, which keeps the process a pleasure.