When Ariel Rechtshaid fronted a ska pop band called The Hippos, I doubt he had any clue where his musical path would take him. They had a big hit in 2000 with “Wasting My Life”, which scored a spot in the Hottest 100. But playing on stage wasn’t to be his destiny. After some time in the band Foreign Born, he stepped back and started crafting other people’s songs. As a writer and producer, his CV has ballooned from indie artists like Cass McCombs, Blood Orange and Sky Ferreira, to huge names like Usher, Kylie Minogue, U2, and Adele. His collaborations with Vampire Weekend extend back to their last two, for HAIM it’s their entire catalogue. When you think back over the past decade in music, Ariel Rechtshaid is responsible for so many of the songs you love.

Which is why I asked him to Take 5, and take us into his studio to peel back the layers of five of his biggest songs. Even if you’re not a gear head, this is an amazing conversation, and it reflects the grounded nature of Ariel, who works alongside his best mates one day, and some of the world’s biggest artists the next. Through it all, his drive to find that sweet spot, to solve that problem, answer that question, guides him always.

Cass McCombs - 'County Line'

Usher - 'Climax'

Adele - 'When We Were Young'

Vampire Weekend - 'Ya Hey'

HAIM - 'The Wire'