[Exclusive Interview] Throttle Talks On His Return To Dance Music With Brand-New Monstercat Single, ‘I Walk This Earth All By Myself’

Known for his imaginative sound design and infectious musical identity, Robbie Bergin, aka Throttle, has spent the last decade becoming one of the most beloved artists in the realms of Monstercat, gaming, and dance music as a whole. Hailing from Melbourne, his presence in the scene has skyrocketed since signing his first track at 14 and soon after joining Avicii on his Australian True Tour.

Throughout his career Throttle has accumulated over 300 million streams on Spotify alone, collabing with prominent artists like Kungs and Galantis, and dropping official remixes for Ed Sheeran, Snakehips, and more. Additionally, Throttle has delivered mesmerizing sets across the globe, from EDC Las Vegas to Academy LA.

A house-hold name in the Rocket League community as well, Throttle’s debut EP, Where U Are, is a staple for RL that takes listeners on a euphoric auditory adventure. After putting out his deluxe version of the complication in May 2022, things have stayed quiet for Throttle on the release front.

During this hiatus, Throttle has expanded his influence in the fashion community, while traveling and embracing his love for nature, art, and culture. This multi-talented artist has derived a vast magnitude of inspiration during this time, which he has poured into his brand-new single “I Walk This Earth All By Myself”. 

In this passion-filled anthem, Throttle reinvents ‘post-punk’ phenom EKKSTACY’s viral song into a spellbinding drum & bass version. The melodic tune encompasses Throttle’s own magnetizing vocals and a high-energy beat that is complemented by ethereal effects. The track showcases the next thrilling chapter for Throttle, while proving he hasn’t lost his proficiency in sound design and sense of musical innovation.

This incredible comeback from Throttle is just a preview of what’s to come. The groundbreaking creative is gearing up to perform at Weekend 2 of Tomorrowland and has more captivating releases on deck. We knew we had to chat with him on the new release and the exciting road ahead.

Check out Magnetic Mag’s exclusive interview with Throttle’s below:

Your last official release was over a year ago, when you dropped the Deluxe version of Where U Are in May 2022. What was the reason for this hiatus, and what have you been up to during this time? 

It wasn’t necessarily a conscious hiatus, I needed the time to reset after Where U Are and figure out what I wanted to contribute to the world and how to do that in an honest way. It can be hard to be creative if you’re inundated with expectation to fit in a certain box, so honestly I just needed to step outside of it for a while.

As seen on your Instagram and music videos in the past, you are an avid hiker and traveler. What are your favorite spots to hike in Australia? What are your favorite destinations in the world? 

Freycinet in Tasmania is a personal favorite. I hiked there earlier this year and it’s absolutely breathtaking. Yosemite is my favorite place in the world to hike. I visited with my family as a kid and was lucky to go back when I started touring. I actually rented a Tesla a few years ago in LA with plans to drive up there by myself but tested positive for COVID about 100 kilometers from the entrance to the park. However, I’ll be back!

Yosemite National Park

How has your travel experiences helped your creativity blossom and provided you with inspiration for your music? 

It’s been everything for me creatively the last few years. Touring for so long, I’ve been lucky enough to make lifelong friends all over the world. Last year, I leapt at the opportunity to just live like a local in a bunch of places around the world. 

I did a few weeks in LA, London, Brussels, Paris, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Spain and just caught up with friends, ate, drank, exercised, immersed myself in the city and channeled that into the music that I’ve been working on. Inspiration is in everything, as long as you stay open and curious, then it flows in everything you do.

What initiated your idea to reimagine EKKTASY’s “i walk this earth all by myself”? How did you first get introduced to the track? 

I don’t remember how I came across the original. I know I was in LA and it sort of just found its way to me; I connected with it instantly. As far as putting together my own version, I vividly remember it. I was running up in the hills in LA, I’m talking 10% gradient about to pass out sort of running, and the original was blaring in my AirPods. I was having a shocking day but was also full of serotonin from the run. The idea to put together my own version came to me right then and there, and I knew it was the next piece of music I wanted to release.

Your drum & bass version of “I Walk This Earth All By Myself” features your own powerful vocals. Why did you decide to sing on the track and how were you able to blend it into the instrumental in a way that felt organic?

The song went through a ton of versions, using EKKSTACY’s vocals, before I recorded my own. I’d always felt the lyrics so deeply, and it was something I found myself singing daily. I caught up with parents whilst they were travelling through the UK, and I think there was something about feeling ‘home’ for a moment that triggered me to record my vocals over the idea I had laid down. The first half of the vocals were recorded under the duvet in a hotel in London, and the 2nd half in a little cottage up in Cambridge in the English countryside.

What was the toughest obstacle you faced when working on “I Walk This Earth All By Myself”, and how were you able to overcome it? 

It’s niche, but it was getting the ’s’ sounds right in my vocal. Like the “sss” sound in “by myself” for example. I’m known for having pretty sharp s’s when I sing, and typically they’re fairly easy to tame. For whatever reason, I hyper-focused on this record and nearly drove myself mad trying to find the balance. The problem is, when you focus on s sounds it’s all you can hear. There was an afternoon where I had to leave a conversation with my mum because all I could hear was sssss. Something along the lines of Bathilda Bagshot speaking parseltongue in Harry Potter.

You have delivered so many impactful and mesmerizing releases on Monstercat throughout your career. What similarities do you see between this label and your musical identity? 

Thank you. I love the team at Monstercat. I trust them, and they trust me. There’s no ego, no pressure, and they are great at what they do. I feel creatively free working with them and it’s led to some of my most honest and vulnerable music being partnered with them. I’m so grateful to have them in my corner.

If you could play a set in any venue or natural marvel, like a mountain or cave, in the world, where would you go? 

I would love to play in space.

What are you most excited about for your upcoming performance at Tomorrowland? Can you share some of your previous top moments at this festival? 

Tomorrowland is magic. It’s like Disneyland for adults. Disneyland is for adults, I love Disneyland. It’s like if Disneyland were a music festival. The attention to detail is phenomenal, it’s just an incredible experience. The last time I played, they took me right to the stage in a little boat. 

I popped up on the Main Stage to debut my song “Disco Night” with Kungs, and in my first year I played a guitar solo with Oliver Heldens for our track “Waiting”. I nearly blacked out I was so nervous. Other than the performance, I am weirdly most excited about the sandwiches they have backstage. They always have a platter of filet American baguettes there when you enter the artist area and I can’t wait for that. Is that weird?

Is there anything you would like to say to your dedicated fans who have supported you from early on until now?

Thank you for waiting. From the bottom of my heart. I feel so free creatively and am blessed to have such an attentive and open fan base. 

Following this amazing return to dance music, what is the vision behind Throttle for the next few years? 

More LIFE!

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