Rustie

Rustie (born Russell Whyte) is a Scottish musician from Glasgow. Rustie's first instrument was guitar and he bought his first decks at age 15. The producer has since carved a name for himself in the thriving musical realms of instrumental hip hop, dubstep, and grime. He is associated with the blossoming subgenre of aquacrunk (or wonky), an experimental offshoot of hip hop that emphasizes slowed down, low-slung beats, with lashings of electronic mutterings and morphing basslines. He has been praised for his complex, energetic tracks. He believes his work conveys movement and fluidity, and that his creative process is an "immersive world" wrapped up in sound, rhythm, and color. Rustie's long-time interest in videogames has influenced his approach to electronic composition. Rustie's first singles were released in 2007 and 2008. The producer signed with Warp Records in 2010 for the release of Sunburst EP. In 2011, Rustie released the first album Glass Swords on Warp Records. Brad LaBonte of Dusted Magazine wrote "Glass Swords contains some of the freshest, most exciting electronic dance music I’ve heard this year. Put simply, nothing sounds like this record." In 2012, "After Light" from Glass Swords was included in an Adidas television advertisement featuring British track and field athlete Jessica Ennis prior to the 2012 Olympic Games. The track was also on the soundtrack to the video game Sleeping Dogs. "Ultra Thizz," also from Glass Swords, was also used in the soundtrack. The same year, his debut album Glass Swords won The Guardian's prestigious First Album Award, edging out contenders like SBTRKT's self-titled album, James Blake's self-titled album, and Jamie Woon's Mirrorwriting.