In this episode of the Super Progressive Podcast, hosts SP and David sit down with Melbourne-based DJ and producer Mike Rish fresh off a grueling but rewarding seven-week European tour [1:26]. Mike walks through his journey from playing Nom in Barcelona to the Super Progressive Boat Party at Balance Croatia, Loveland in Amsterdam, and closing out in Manchester with Jamie Stevens [3:48], sharing what it means to go full-time with music and why face-to-face connections in this scene are worth their weight in gold.
The conversation goes deep into Mike's distinctly groove-driven DJ style, a constant, elastic tension that layers tracks and builds dance floors without relying on long breakdowns [12:13], and how years of experience have sharpened his instincts behind the decks [10:04]. He opens up about the influences that shape his sound, from 90s hip-hop vocal samples and Dub Techno to Depeche Mode to Eric Prydz, whose technical mastery and independent spirit Mike credits as a defining inspiration [27:40].
Mike also pulls back the curtain on Tornn Records, his independent label where there are no promo campaigns, no guest lists, and no release schedules forced by outside pressure [42:35]. He explains why the music should speak for itself, why follower counts mean nothing to him when evaluating demos [37:12], and why underground music was never meant to be force-fed to an audience [38:09].
Rounding out the episode, Mike previews an exciting slate of upcoming shows including Sri Lanka, South America, and beyond [53:56], and the gang shares their thoughts on Balance versus ADE and why the progressive scene's tight-knit community -- especially out of Melbourne -- continues to punch far above its weight [49:32].