[INTERVIEW] Restricted Shares Details On His New Anthem With Topic, 'Sleepless', Social Media's Impact On Dance Music, + More

Step into the dynamic realm of Restricted, one of Australia's fastest ascending artists in the electronic circuit, celebrated for his genre-defying remixes and pulsating beats. With a meteoric rise, Restricted's tracks, including the recent “Sleepless” collaboration with Topic, have amassed millions of streams and are primed to be festival anthems.

Rooted in early 2000s R&B and dance, his upbringing in Australia has sculpted a unique sound, fusing Ministry of Sound echoes with Melbourne bounce energy. Unveiling the alchemy behind his music, Restricted linked up with us to discuss the creation of “Sleepless”, the art of merging styles, navigating social media's landscape, and more!

Check out iEDM’s exclusive interview with Restricted below.

iEDM: How has growing up in Australia impacted your taste in music and unique sound? Which artists or other people in your life that you looked to as role models, and why?

Restricted: I’d say that being raised in Australia has definitely had a major impact on my music taste. Growing up, my mum used to listen to a lot of early 2000s R&B and dance music, which significantly had an impact on the styles of music that I play, produce, and enjoy currently. Ministry of Sound and Melbourne bounce were both massive when I started DJing, which were styles that I incorporated into my sets and production and still have a big love for today. Most party goers in Australia topically like harder styles of music, which has led towards a more energetic direction in both my productions and live performances. 

iEDM: What were the highlights from your recent set at Parookaville? Which tracks did you feel received the best crowd reactions?

Restricted: Parookaville was an absolute dream to play, as it’s been a bucket list festival since I started DJing. I’d say the biggest highlight was my edits of “The Feeling” by Massano, “Kernkraft 400” by Zombie Nation, and “Up To No Good”, which are staples in my sets.

iEDM: What was the process behind constructing the bassline and buildups for “Sleepless”? Was there a certain plugin or production technique that was essential to creating this track?

Restricted: I used similar sounds and production techniques that I used in “Big Jet Plane”, as “Sleepless” was a follow-up track. I actually used Nexus by reFX for the bass, which I don’t normally do.

iEDM: How did you and Topic balance your signature styles throughout “Sleepless”? What specific sounds or effects do you think reflect your musical identity the most?

Restricted: I’d say the faster direction with techno elements and high energy reflects my musical identity the most. I think we did a great job of combining both our sounds with soundscapes and styles that are current, which should make it a really great streaming track in my opinion.

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iEDM: From your perspective, what is the overall message or story that is present within “Sleepless”? Why do you think this track is primed to be a festival anthem?

Restricted: To be honest, I didn’t write the lyrics, but I like that the track can have multiple meanings, with the lyrics being emotional and the production being energetic. This track could be a festival anthem because it’s catchy and the hook is easy to sing, but it has to blow up on TikTok first.

iEDM: On top of your original hits, you have accumulated a large, dedicated fan base from delivering infectious remixes and renditions of songs, such as “Big Jet Plane” and “Love Tonight”. What stands out in a tune that leads you to be drawn to it and want to reinvent it?

Restricted: My edit of “Relax My Eyes” which has been gaining huge support at the moment, being played on multiple stages at Tomorrowland recently. I think the airy vocals, mixed in with my signature sound and so many current techno elements is absolutely something that I’d love to reinvent.

iEDM: What is the most difficult obstacle you faced when trying to fuse different genres together, like UK bassline, techno, and hard dance? What advice would you give to up-and-coming producers in regard to discovering their sound?

Restricted: The best advice I could give is if you like something, make it or play it. There used to be so much stigma around DJs only producing or playing a certain style or genre. I feel like this will be completely gone within the next few years, with so many different genres shining on TikTok, and so many DJs now pursuing multiple genres. I feel everyone is becoming more accepting of a wider range of genres. If elements from different genres work then why not, plus you’ll have more of a chance to make something fresh and unique.

iEDM: In today’s world of dance music, it can be extremely beneficial if you are social media savvy in addition to your producing and DJing skills. How have you leveraged platforms like Instagram and TikTok to expand your following and influence?

Restricted: On top of producing music, I often use social media platforms to promote my songs. I worked out my creative style along the way and started editing videos more and more as I grew up.  

iEDM: What has been your favorite festival or club to perform at, and why?

Restricted: My favorite show was supporting Timmy Trumpet at his Freak Show in Poland in the Gliwice arena to 8,000 people. It was my first time playing in Poland and the crowd had so much energy.

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iEDM: What does it mean to you to be only 23 years old and already have achieved a massive level of success as an artist? Is there anything you would like to say to your day one supporters?

Restricted: So grateful to be in the position I’m in but I still have so many things that I would love to achieve. Consistency is key. I’m extremely grateful for everyone who has continuously supported me and my music.

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iEDM: What future projects or releases can you hint at for your fans to look forward to? What is your biggest goal, in or outside of music, to reach by the end of 2023?

Restricted: A few more mixtapes, countless edits and a few collabs coming up with some artists that I’ve looked up to for my whole career

Photos courtesy of Restricted.

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