Riton (musician)

Henry Smithson (born 13 September 1978), best known by his stage name Riton (/ˈrtɒn/ REE-ton), is an English electronic music DJ and producer.

Riton
Riton in 2006
Background information
Birth nameHenry Smithson
Also known asLil' Papi Riton, Eine Kleine Nacht Musik, KUU
Born (1978-09-13) 13 September 1978
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
OriginNewcastle upon Tyne, England
Manchester, England
GenresElectronic, house
Occupation(s)DJ, music producer
Years active2001-present
LabelsRiton Time
Ed Banger Records
Ministry of Sound
Grand Central Records
Love & Other
Switch Recordings
Associated actsGucci Sound System
KUU
Die Verboten
Eine Kleine Nacht Musik
Riton & Primary 1
Carte Blanche
Kah-Lo
Websiteritontime.com

Early life and education

Smithson was born in Newcastle upon Tyne. The name Riton is French slang for "Henry".

He graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Career

After finishing university, Smithson started the Switch Recordings label, upon which he released his first two 12" singles. He began DJing at Newcastle's "Shindig" nightclub. There, he was discovered by Mark Rae and signed to Grand Central Records independent record label. Like Rae, he then worked in Manchester's Fat City Records label/distribution/retail outlet.

His first release on Grand Central, the song "Communicated", featured on the compilation album Central Heating 2 (2000) and was followed by his mostly instrumental debut album, Beats du Jour (2001).

Riton's second album, Homies And Homos (2004) was a much more vocal affair, and featured amongst others, Lee Jones of Howdi and Luca Santucci. It includes a cover version of The Cure's song "Killing an Arab".

In 2005, Riton and Ben Rymer formed the Gucci Sound System. The pair have a monthly residency at the 333 Club in London and have their own nightclub named Druzzi's Baltimore Rave Club at Nightmoves on Shoreditch High Street in East London. Guests have included Headman, Erol Alkan, 2 Many DJs, The Rapture, Richard X, Mylo and FC Kahuna.

Since the demise of Grand Central Records in 2006, Riton has released 12" singles on several European labels, including Linxfarren in the UK.

In late 2006, it was announced in the Belgian magazine HUMO that David and Stephen Dewaele from Soulwax had formed a krautrock band with Riton called Die Verboten. An album was expected late 2007, but to date there has been no further information on the project. Instead, Riton released an album under the pseudonym Eine Kleine Nacht Musik on the label Modular Records in July 2008. In 2010, he launched a project called "Carte Blanche" with DJ Mehdi.

Riton was to release new music in November 2011 ('Dark Place' and 'A.C.P) and was also working on music for his album, collaborating with artists and producers such as Surkin and AlunaGeorge  due for release in summer 2012.

At the start of 2016, Riton hit chart success with the track "Rinse & Repeat"; the track featured vocals from Kah-Lo. The track was released via Riton's own Riton Time record label.

He then released a collaborative album, Foreign Ororo with Kah-Lo, in October 2018 producing fan-favourite hits including GRAMMY nominated ‘Rinse & Repeat’, ‘Fake ID’, ‘Up & Down’ and ‘Ginger’ - anthems that received a wealth of radio support from tastemakers around the world including the likes of Annie Mac at BBC Radio 1. He also co-produced on the Dua Lipa and Silk City single ‘Electricity’, a smash that went on to win the GRAMMY for ‘Best Dance Recording’ proving his ability to countlessly reinvent himself in an ever-growing crowded market.

2020 seen Riton team up with Alex Metric and Shungudzo to create their project 'KUU'. The meaning of KUU is rooted in the spiritual heart of Ibiza, KUU is the euphoric / happy moments from the dance floor. KUU is the snapshot you take in the warm sunrise after a night you’ll never forget. KUU is for the moments of connection and friendship all started in the clubbing community.

Riton's ‘Friday’ is the latest release from a string of upcoming hits slated for 2021.

Discography

Albums

List of albums
Title Album details
Beats Du Jour
  • Released: June 2001[1]
  • Label: Grand Central Records (GCCD111)
  • Formats: digital download, CD, LP
Homies and Homos
  • Released: September 2004
  • Label: Grand Central Records (GCCD131)
  • Formats: digital download, CD, LP
Eine Kleine Nacht Musik
(as Eine Kleine Nacht Musik)[2]
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: Modular Recordings (MODCD090)
  • Formats: digital download, CD
Foreign Ororo
(as Riton + Kah-Lo)
  • Released: 26 October 2018[3]
  • Label: Riton Time (LGE-ED-1875A)
  • Formats: digital download, streaming, LP

Extended plays

List of EPs
Title EP details
One to Ten
  • Released: 12 October 1999[4]
  • Label: Switch Record 01 (MR34412)
  • Formats: LP
Lost My Mind
  • Released: 21 January 2013[5]
  • Label: Ed Banger Records (ED069)
  • Formats: LP, digital download
Bad Guy RiRi
  • Released: 26 May 2014[6]
  • Label: Ed Banger Records (ED078)
  • Formats: LP, digital download

As lead artist

List of singles
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[7]
"Control P."
(as Lil' Papi Riton)[8]
2000 non-album single
"Take Control"[9] 2001 Beats Du Jour
"Habib"[10]
"Hungry Ghosts"[11]
"Let Me Be Mind"[12] 2002
"Closer" / "Walk On Water"
(vs Howdi & featuring The Uber Audio Bros)[13]
non-album single
"Cast of Thousands" / "I Found My Love"[14] 2003 non-album single
"Killing an Arab"[15] 2004 193 Homies and Homos
"Candy"[16] 2005
"Squauqe Eyes" / "Angerman"[17] 2006 non-album single
"Vejer"
(vs Heidi)[18]
non-album single
"Monsteer"
(with Lindström)[19]
non-album single
"Hammer of Thor"[20] 2007 non-album single
"La Serenissima" / "Phantasie"
(as Eine Kleine Nacht Musik)[21]
2008 Eine Kleine Nacht Musik
"Who's There"
(with Primary 1)[22]
2009 non-album single
"Radiates"
(with Primary 1)[23]
non-album single
"Ritontime" (aka "Dark Place" / "A.C.P.")[24] 2011 non-album single
"Lost My Mind"
(featuring Jay Norton & Scrufizzer)[25]
2013 Lost My Mind
"Aloha Surfers!"[26] 2014 Bad Guy RiRi
"Inside My Head"
(featuring Meleka)[27]
non-album single
"I Am the Whisperer"
(featuring Molly Beanland)[28]
non-album single
"Need Your Love"
(featuring Jagga)[29]
2015 non-album single
"Rinse & Repeat"
(featuring Kah-Lo)[30]
2016 13 Foreign Ororo
"Betta Riddim"
(with Kah-Lo)[31]
"Money"
(featuring Kah-Lo, Mr Eazi & Davido)[32]
2017
"Deeper"
(with MNEK featuring House Gospel Choir)[33]
non-album single
"Fake ID"
(with Kah-Lo)[34]
Foreign Ororo
"Ginger"
(with Kah-Lo)[35]
2018
"Up & Down"
(with Kah-Lo)[36]
"Catching Feelings"
(with Kah-Lo featuring Mr Eazi)[37]
non-album single
"Dangerous"
(with Kid Enigma)[38]
non-album single
"Turn Me On"
(with Oliver Heldens featuring Vula)[39][40]
2019 12 non-album single
"Mr Todd Terry"
(with Gucci Soundsytem)[41]
non-album single
"How Could I Ever"
(with KUU & Alex Metric)[42]
2020 non-album single
"Too High"
(featuring Boy Matthews)[43]
non-album single
"Friday"
(with Nightcrawlers featuring Musafa & Hypeman)[44]
2021 24 TBA
List of singles
Title Year Album
"By My Side"
(Clashcorner presents Riton featuring Watine)[45]
2004 non-album single
"Don't Talk to Me"
(N.F.I. featuring Riton & Faangs)[46]
2019 non-album single

Production credits

Title Year Artist(s) Album Credits Produced with
"Daffodils"
(featuring Kevin Parker)[47]
2015 Mark Ronson Uptown Special Additional producer Mark Ronson, Jeff Bhasker, James Ford
"Fasta" 2017 Kah-Lo Foreign Ororo Producer -
"Only Can Get Better"
(featuring Daniel Merriweather)[48]
2018 Silk City TBA Co-producer Mark Ronson, Diplo, The Picard Brothers, Alex Metric, Lil Silva
"Feel About You"
(featuring Mapei)
Producer Mark Ronson, Diplo, Magnus Lidehäll, Alex Metric, Jr Blender
"Close to You" 2019 Alice Ivy Remixer -
"Freak Like Me" 2020 Adina Howard Remixer -

References

  1. "Beats Du Jour". Amazon. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  2. "Eine Kleine Nacht Musik". PitchFork. February 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  3. "Foreign Ororo". Apple Music. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  4. "Riton One to Ten". HTFR. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  5. "Lost My Mind (EP)". Apple Music. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  6. "Bad Guy RiRi (EP)". Apple Music. 26 May 2004. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  7. Peaks in the UK:
  8. "Lil' Papi Riton". Discogs.com.
  9. "Take Control (single)". Juno. March 2001. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  10. "Habib (single)". Apple Music. April 2001. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  11. "Hungry Ghosts (single)". Apple Music. October 2001. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  12. "Let Me Be Mind (single)". Apple Music. May 2002. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  13. "Closer/Walk on Water (single)". Apple Music. 2002. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  14. "Cast of thousands / I Found Love Double A". HHV. 2003. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  15. "Killing An Arab (single)". Juno. July 2004. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  16. "Candy (single)". Apple Music. July 2005. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  17. "Riton & Erol Alkan - Squauqe Eyes / Angerman". Wheel Cap. May 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  18. "Vejer (single)". Apple Music. August 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  19. "Monsteer (single)". Apple Music. 7 November 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  20. "Hammer of Thor (single)". Apple Music. 12 February 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  21. "La Serenissima / Phantasie (LP)". Akelon. June 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  22. "Who's There (single)". Apple Music. 7 July 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  23. "Radiates (single)". Spotify. November 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  24. "Ritontime (single)". Spotify. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  25. "Lost My Mind". beatport. January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  26. "Stream Riton "Aloha Surfers"". harderbloggerfaster. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  27. "Inside My Head (single)". Apple Music. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  28. "I Am the Whisperer (single)". Apple Music. 2 September 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  29. "Need Your Love (single)". Apple Music. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  30. "Rinse & Repeat (single)". Apple Music. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  31. "Betta Riddim (single)". Apple Music. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  32. "Money (single)". Apple Music. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  33. "Deeper (single)". Apple Music. 13 October 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  34. "Fake ID (single)". Apple Music. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  35. "Fake ID (single)". Apple Music. 18 May 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  36. "Up & Down (single)". Apple Music. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  37. "Catching Feelings (single)". Apple Music. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  38. "Dangerous (single)". Apple Music. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  39. Bein, Kat (12 September 2019). "Oliver Heldens & Riton sample Yazoo classic for 'Turn Me On': Exclusive". Billboard. Archived from the original on 13 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  40. "Turn Me On (single)". Apple Music. 13 September 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  41. "Mr Todd Terry (single)". Apple Music. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  42. "How Could I Ever (single)". Apple Music. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  43. "Too High (single)". Apple Music. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  44. "Friday (single)". Apple Music. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  45. "By My Side (single)". Juno. 4 May 2004. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  46. "Don't Talk to Me (single)". Apple Music. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  47. "Daffodils - Mark Ronson". Qobuz.com.
  48. "Only Can Get Better - Silk City". Qobuz.com.
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