Rupert Cross opens his record box to reveal 10 tracks connected to the artists, studios, and club spaces that have influenced his work over his career to date. Spanning electronic, alternative, and club-focused sounds, these selections reflect key moments from his time working in East London studios, his long-running collaborative project, Smagghe & Cross, with Ivan Smagghe, and the music communities that continue to shape his creative direction across London and Margate. Rupert’s ‘10 For The Floor’ arrives alongside the announcement of his new EP titled ‘Lido’, set for release on June 5th via Lumière Noire.
Track 1: Tim Paris – Edges of Corrosion – Marketing Recordings
It was 2012 – maybe earlier – when a colleague from an office job mentioned that their friend Tim Paris was looking for a piano teacher. Edges of Corrosion was the first piece of Tim’s I listened to and I’d never heard anything like it before. I thought I’d be teaching Tim but he actually taught me everything about music production. He had a studio on Hackney Road with a cafe next door that made great omelettes and an owner that shouted “are YOU famous?” at anyone that walked in.
Track 2: C.A.R. – Pressure Drop – Ransom Note
Through Tim’s studio I met Chloe (C.A.R.) who was working on My Friend for Kill The DJ. I already knew her from the incredible vocals she’d contributed to Aleph by Gesaffelstein. Years later, she played me this track from Crossing Prior Street and it completely floored me.
Track 3: It’s A Fine Line – Greasier – Kill The DJ
Sharing that Hackney Road studio space with Tim was Ivan Smagghe – the two of them were working on their It’s A Fine Line album. There were two cats that hung around the building: Chairman Meow and Kitler. I met Ivan and immediately bought a synth off him. Not long after we started working together on what would eventually become Smagghe & Cross. Greasier is my favourite track of theirs.
Track 4: Manfredas – Uumelmahaye – Les Disques De La Mort
In 2019 Smala x Offen hosted a night at Opium Club where Smagghe & Cross played a live set. I think that was the first time I met Manfredas. He had an incredible leather jacket. At Opium, he’s cultivated the most attentive, musically engaged audience I’ve ever seen – I’ve never known a crowd listen so intently. This track is from his Pink Industry EP. It has the sleaziest leather jacket bassline I’ve ever heard.
Track 5: Asa Moto – Make Me Prada – Deewee
I found this track during a particularly heavy spring reverb phase. It still sounds completely timeless to me – like it could have been released today or 40 years ago. Every element of the production feels absolutely perfect. I’ve spent hundreds of listens trying to work out how it all fits together. I’m still none the wiser.
Track 6: Marie Davidson – Naive to the bone – Cititrax
There’s usually a point when I’m writing where I think, “let’s be really bold with the delay FX here,” and it never quite works out. In this track by Marie Davidson though her use of delay is absolutely perfect. The sparseness of the production is so effective, leaving so much space for her incredible vocals.
Track 7: Duncan Gray – Hot Jupe – Tici Taci
My family moved to Margate after the pandemic to be by the coast. We didn’t know anyone here. The first small pub we accidentally walked into was run by the DJ Matt Walsh who was also hosting nights of great music. He played this alongside the title track by Duncan Gray in one of his first sets I heard. I felt like everything was going to work out by the sea.
Track 8: Troels Yuri – Nebula Drift – Witness Protection Program
A few doors down from Matt’s pub is Margate Arts Club. The dancefloor feels like someone’s living room, and the bar is a cupboard. The sound system is excellent. One night, Scott Humphrey – one half of Doris alongside Jaw-G – opened his set with this track and everyone (myself included) immediately lost their minds.
Track 9: Red Axes – Waiting For A Suprise – Multi Culti
I’d been living in Margate for about a year when Matt relaunched his Movement night at Faith In Strangers, bringing artists like Daniel Avery, Optimo (Espacio), Erol Alkan, Manfredas, and Richard Fearless to the coast.Each night has been strong, and I think I’ve heard Waiting for a Surprise by Red Axes at every one of them.
Track 10: Suss – Wichita – Northern Spy Records
A different mood entirely. This is easily the track I’m listening to most at the moment. It’ll probably be responsible for me buying a pedal steel guitar. Once again, it sounds completely timeless, creating a world to dissolve into. It feels like I’m watching the same five seconds of film on a loop.
Rupert Cross’s new EP ‘Lido’ is available on June 5th via Lumière Noire and is available to stream and purchase here.
