Artist Spotlight: ATKIINS
As a music producer, Richie Atkins has had over 20 years in the industry with past productions for artists such as Rudimental, Sigrid, Jess Bays and more, that have generated over 50 million streams. His new artist project ATKIINS combines the feels of deep house with the raw energy of drum & bass creating a hybrid breakbeat style.
How has your production style evolved over the years?
I think probably the biggest change in my production is sound selection and knowing what to take away rather than add to a mix to make it sound better. Working with different artists in different genres has really expanded my sound palette so now I start to draw in sounds and techniques from other genres when making music which hopefully makes it stand apart from others.
Since starting a new alias project under ATKIINS, how are you promoting yourself differently?
With ATKIINS is was really my chance to start again and do things differently. Previously I was making music for DJs to play whereas the music I’m making now is really geared toward eventually a live ATKIINS performance. I’m writing songs rather than bangers so I’m now really marketing my music directly to streaming platforms and the listening public.
It’s real tough starting again from scratch and making music that doesn’t really fit in a box means it’s harder to get radio plays, but I’m enjoying the challenge and blazing my own path.
What is the thought process behind creating your 3D visuals and how they coincide with the tracks you produce?
I like to think of the music as being just part of the experience with another major aspect being the visuals. I’m a creative person so always like to have a hand in each part of the process so having visuals that tie in with music is really important to me.
As I’m making the track I’m already getting ideas of how the visuals could work with it so once the track’s finished I often jump straight in and create the visuals to go with it.
Is there any advice you'd offer to upcoming producers on how they should approach collaboration, and how it can be beneficial?
When you’re working on your own you can often find yourself repeating the same formula and falling into familiar habits. Collaborating can really spark inspiration by seeing how others work, how they get inspired, techniques they use and their approach to making music so can be hugely beneficial past just that single day in the studio.
Sometimes it can be hard looking at a blank canvas and figuring out how to start or what direction to go in but having that input from someone else can really kickstart ideas and that’s usually where the magic comes from.
What are the benefits/drawbacks you've seen from independent releases?
Going with a larger label vs going independent was a hard decision when I first started the ATKIINS project. We’d had meetings with a few labels but still came back to the feeling that going independent would just mean more control over the whole project. You obviously get easier placement with your music when signed to a larger label and all the backing that comes with that.
However, that can often lead to a sound being ‘tweaked’ by an A&R and going down routes that just don’t align with the original vision. Independent is a lot, lot harder and I’ve felt that with how it’s been trying to get my sound out there but having full control of which track, when it gets released, the frequency of releases, how it all looks (artwork, visuals, etc) – that really means a lot to me so going independent really was the best option.
Could you provide artists with one quick tip to help with their chances of getting signed?
Trying to get signed is less of a concern these days, it’s more about getting your music out there. If it’s good, let people hear it by whatever means necessary – when the time’s right, the labels will come to you. You have the ability to get your music out there yourself now, concentrate on building your audience and the opportunities will come.
Listen to ATKIINS' latest release (as of 24/06/2025)
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