RTIK’s (@rtik_music) is back on Magnetic Magazine Recordings today with The Things That Remain, a three-track EP that feels like a natural next step after his recent remix work with us.
And I think that’s the most important thing to be thinking about while sinking into this EP
His remix of “Lillian” already revealed a lot about how he thinks as a producer and he said as much when we chatted with him about his process and approach in one of my favorite interviews we’ve ever hosted on the site. He did not try to force the source material into a completely different shape. He found the part of the original that made sense to him, then built around it with patience. That same instinct runs throughout this new EP, except now we get to hear it across three original tracks, where the ideas start and end with him.
Snag It All On Beatport Here
The record opens with “The Things That Remain,” a 114 BPM track in Db major, before moving into “Lovedown State,” which sits at 132 BPM in F minor. The EP closes with “Need This Loving,” a slower 140 BPM cut in G minor. That spread of tempos could easily feel scattered in the wrong hands, though RTIK keeps the release tied together through tone, restraint, and a clear sense of when to leave space alone.
That has always been one of the things I appreciate about his music. He is not writing tracks that feel rushed to the finish line. There is room for the parts to settle. There is room for the groove to do its job. There is room for the melodic ideas to speak without getting covered in extra layers that do not need to be there.
Why RTIK’s New EP Feels Rooted In The Studio Process
What makes The Things That Remain work for me is that it feels connected to the actual process of making music, not just the release calendar around it.
That may sound like a small distinction, though I think it is important. A lot of electronic music right now feels built around speed. Finish the track, post the clip, keep the feed moving, and repeat the whole thing again before the month is over. RTIK’s music has always felt less interested in that cycle.
You can hear that on this EP. The percussion is functional without feeling overworked. The melodic writing is emotional without being overdone. The arrangements move with intent, and the tracks do not seem afraid of quieter decisions.
That lines up with the way RTIK has talked about production in the past. For him, the finished track is not the only value. The hours spent getting there matter because that is where taste gets sharper. That is where an artist figures out which ideas actually belong and which ones need to sit unfinished for a while.
What Makes The Things That Remain For Club DJs and Casual Listeners Alike
There is also a practical side to this release that I think DJs will understand quickly. “Lovedown State” has the most direct club energy of the three, while “The Things That Remain” and “Need This Loving” lean into a slower, more patient kind of tension.
That gives the EP a ton of dynamic and emotional range without making it feel unfocused. Each track has a clear use case, and each still feels connected to the same producer’s brain.
For producers, the lesson is just as clear. RTIK is not filling every gap. He is making decisions, committing to them, and letting the track breathe when it needs to. In a time when music tools can move faster than an artist’s taste, The Things That Remain is a reminder that the slower parts of the process still matter.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
