Photo courtesy of Royal-TAngels: They’re all around us. In the streets, in the sky, under the sink. One of Noisey's favorite grime and garage producers Royal-T knows—we’re premiering his latest track “Glacier (Angel Mix).” The track plays with the conventions of Wiley’s influential early-00s “Devils Mixes,” where he’d release bone-chilling white labels of his own beats stripped to nothing but mischievous bass lines. Pure evil. "Angel Mix" flips the script: With gorgeous keys suspended over a buzzing square-wave ice floe, it’s less suited for nocturnal misdeeds than strapping on your halo, firing up your harp, dancing on the head of a pin, and inspiring the downtrodden. If you build it they will come, and all that.We’ve got a substantial snippet of “Glacier (Angel Mix)” for your listening pleasure. You can hear the full version on Royal-T’s forthcoming EP for Butterz, which is titled Shotta and out next month. I also chatted with Royal-T about the finer points of angels, devils, and Wrestlemania, a transcript of which is below:
In this case, for 'Glacier,' the song sounds more euphoric and angelic than devilish and dark, so I thought it would be more appropriate to title it that.What are your favorite "Devils mixes" ever?
"Eskimo 2" is obviously the daddy because of the anthem it already was and the reversed hidden messages. But I've always had a soft spot for the "Firefly (Bass Mix)" for some reason. I always felt that song is really cinematic and nostalgic in how I view London to sound like in the early 2000s. Honorable mentions to his "Colder (Bass Mix)" and to the devil mix of "Freeze," too. To be honest, there isn't a shit Devil Mix he has done. People should search for my "Music Please" Devil Mix that came out a few years ago, too. That sounds like what a lot of producers are trying to do nowadays.If angels and devils ever had a Soundclash, and they both asked you for dubs, who would you side with?
Devils. You can't bring peace to a war.Can you draw me a quick rudimentary sketch of what you think angels look like?
I don't think I would be able to translate my mother's beauty from pen to paper, bruv.Who’s your favorite angel from pop culture?
Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 25 or Angel from Tekken Tag Tournament 1, don't know.If you were at the gates of heaven and God was like “aight play me one track, and if it’s sick enough I’ll let you in” what would you play?
Outkast — "Elevators."If you had the powers of an angel—flight, halo, harp, invisibility—for one day what would you do?
First, I would be straight to recording a whole heap of harp riffs to murk a garage album with. Flight-wise, my whole families would be getting holidays for free. My halo would be donated to Southampton FC, and, with the invisibility, I'd make them Champion's League winners.Ezra Marcus can see his halo, halo. Follow him on Twitter.
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What distinguishes an angel mix from a devil mix?
In this case, for 'Glacier,' the song sounds more euphoric and angelic than devilish and dark, so I thought it would be more appropriate to title it that.What are your favorite "Devils mixes" ever?
"Eskimo 2" is obviously the daddy because of the anthem it already was and the reversed hidden messages. But I've always had a soft spot for the "Firefly (Bass Mix)" for some reason. I always felt that song is really cinematic and nostalgic in how I view London to sound like in the early 2000s. Honorable mentions to his "Colder (Bass Mix)" and to the devil mix of "Freeze," too. To be honest, there isn't a shit Devil Mix he has done. People should search for my "Music Please" Devil Mix that came out a few years ago, too. That sounds like what a lot of producers are trying to do nowadays.If angels and devils ever had a Soundclash, and they both asked you for dubs, who would you side with?
Devils. You can't bring peace to a war.Can you draw me a quick rudimentary sketch of what you think angels look like?
I don't think I would be able to translate my mother's beauty from pen to paper, bruv.Who’s your favorite angel from pop culture?
Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 25 or Angel from Tekken Tag Tournament 1, don't know.If you were at the gates of heaven and God was like “aight play me one track, and if it’s sick enough I’ll let you in” what would you play?
Outkast — "Elevators."If you had the powers of an angel—flight, halo, harp, invisibility—for one day what would you do?
First, I would be straight to recording a whole heap of harp riffs to murk a garage album with. Flight-wise, my whole families would be getting holidays for free. My halo would be donated to Southampton FC, and, with the invisibility, I'd make them Champion's League winners.Ezra Marcus can see his halo, halo. Follow him on Twitter.