Touchy Subject

9 questions with designer / director / producer Touchy Subject

Meet Touchy Subject aka Stephen Raynes. A creative caterpillar who explores the boundaries of cross media creation. Whether it’s design, animation, creative concepting or producing beats. Touchy is all in.
Please introduce yourself, who are you and what do you do?

Hi I’m Stephen / Touchy Subject one half of Aurora Dee Raynes, I produce freelance beats, create art work and co-run Medallion Sounds. By day I design edit and animate, by night I howl like a small wolf pup and make music until my pointed ears can’t take it anymore.

What’s the balance between your design and producer work?

Lately the balance is really hard to tell. It’s merging in to one big 50/50 love bucket, where as before it was probably a bit more weighted toward the film. Sometimes I’m not in the music making mood but in the mood for film this also works the other way around.

What motivated you to become a producer?

I’ve loved music for years, learning instruments growing up and and putting myself in a DJ role before realising that production was more important to me – music is like describing moods and feelings without words – I find it therapeutic and meaningful.

What other producers, songwriters and / or artists do you see as your primary inspiration?

Primary inspiration at the moment would be, Taylor McFerrin, Flylo, Dimlite, BadBadNotGood, Si Bonobo, Mark Pritch, Real Roots crews selection too, I’ve been going back to some albums I listened to as a student recently and also been enjoying going waaay back and diving in to charity shops history files.

What is your current studio set-up?

I have just moved into a shared space with some close mates, it’s a work space for making stuff, white and green screen area for shoots and filming, edit suite, recording studio. It’s great as there is the space to create and make noise at volume.

APC40 come in very useful, load of instruments, drum kit, a couple of analogue synths, but nothing too mad as I like the fact that it’s movable and you can do stuff wherever you are on the move. I also have a 3d wolf painting, a set of small toy wolves and some other non essential studio bits.

"I’ve loved music for years, learning instruments growing up and and putting myself in a DJ role before realising that production was more important to me - music is like describing moods and feelings without words - I find it therapeutic and meaningful."
— Touchy Subject
What piece of equipment would you most like to own and which one can’t you live without?

Currently I want a Moog Sub 37, but I also wouldn’t mind a Bazanthar.

Can you tell about your latest project ‘Aurora Dee Raynes’?

Yes – We have our Debut EP coming out on Wot Not records in mid June with a video in production for the release. It’s a direction I’ve always wanted to go in but never had a vocalist that was right for the job. This girl can sing and is the best person to be around.

Above a sneak peek of Aurora Dee Raynes – ‘Do what you do’ upcoming video. (co produced by Ben Jones aka Illage Videot)

What do you when you’re not producing / working?

Watching films, enjoying the next joke the internet has to offer, time with friends and family, love cooking and marinading treats for bbqs and eating with friends.

What projects are you currently working on and what can we expect from you in the near future?

I’ve got some new project in the pipeline too with like minded bad man Tehbis for Astrophonica. The first is a beats EP, its got different vocalists on has us playing instruments, it’s more of a downbeat vibe but we’ve really enjoyed making it. The second is more heavyweight aimed more at the dance floor. I have some New Aurora Dee Raynes stuff introduction that I’m really excited for. More Touchy stuff on the way, some stuff that I haven’t worked out what they are for yet I’m also looking into stage set-ups and different performance set ups, video performances and potential group performances. Getting Medallion Sounds releases.

Touchy Subject mix for Los Bangeles. Check out the full tracklist on Mixcloud!

New Touchy Subject releases and remixes coming up on, Medallion Sounds, Bad Taste Records, Wot Not and Par Excellence with his alias Aurora Dee Raynes. Previous releases on Numbers, LowRise Sounds and new collaborations and aliases with Tehbis & Lewis James.