Rival Consoles // AMCA // Danny Saul

Rival Consoles

‘Exceptionally brilliant’ – Lauren Laverne, BBC Radio 6 Music

London-based producer Ryan Lee West, better known under the name Rival Consoles, is notable for making synthesisers sound human and atmospheric. With the release of his ‘Odyssey’ and ‘Sonne’ EPs, West has gained a reputation for making thoughtful electronica that spans a wide spectrum of musical ideas. Foremost a guitarist, growing up listening to rock rather than club music, his new studio album ‘Howl’ sees West strive towards finding a more personal balance between music for home listening and larger spaces.

It’s rarely reported that Rival Consoles was Erased Tapes’ very first signing, with a CDR of early demos under the name Aparatec that inspired founder Robert Raths to start the label. Indeed West has more in common with his contemporaries Nils Frahm and Peter Broderick than some might think. His consistent desire to create a more organic, humanised sound sees West often draft early ideas on traditional, acoustic instruments like the guitar or the piano; forming pieces that capture a sense of songwriting behind the electronics.

Fascinated by sound from an early age, Ryan chose to dedicate his time to studying, experimenting with and producing sound, graduating from De Montfort University in his hometown Leicester. Having repeatedly performed at such prestigious venues as the Tate, and having created a bespoke audio-visual performance for Boiler Room at the V&A Museum, the blueprint for West’s current live A/V show was formed.