For our latest interview we caught up with Skoden, ahead of his recent release out now on HEKTATE. We spoke about some of his careers highlights so far, how he gets inspired, his time in the army plus so much more!
Nice to have you on the series Skoden. Firstly, can you tell us more about your return to HEKATE with the new EP ‘Rave System’?
It’s really exciting to be back on HEKATE with Rave System. I’ve released with the label before, so it feels great to return with a full three track EP. I think the EP represents where my sound is heading at the moment and shows a few different sides of what I’m doing. I wanted each track to have its own identity while still feeling connected as part of the same project.
What have been the biggest career achievements for you so far in your career and why?
Releasing three EPs on HEKATE is definitely one of my biggest achievements so far. It’s a label I really respect, so having the opportunity to release multiple projects there means a lot to me. I think it’s also been great to see how much my sound has developed from release to release. I’m constantly experimenting and finding new things I enjoy, so hearing that progression through my music and seeing my own sound take shape has been a big part of the journey for me.
How do you generally find inspiration for your music?
A lot of my inspiration comes from listening to other artists and producers, but I also take a lot from music outside of electronic music. I listen to a lot of metalcore and post-hardcore, as well as other genres, and sometimes I’ll hear a certain vocal, rhythm, melody or arrangement that gives me an idea. I like taking those influences and putting my own spin on them rather than trying to copy one particular sound.
We read that you served in the British Army, do you think this has had a major impact on your work ethic?
Definitely. The Army taught me a lot about discipline, consistency and being able to work towards something even when you don’t necessarily see immediate results. I think that mindset has transferred into music really well. Production can be a long process and there are always things to improve, so having the discipline to keep working at it has definitely helped me.
How did you go from being in the army to music? It’s quite the change.
It was definitely a big change. Music had always been something I was interested in, but after leaving the Army I started putting more time into DJing and production. Over time, it became something I wanted to take seriously rather than just being a hobby. I started learning more about production, playing more shows and gradually building the Skoden project. It’s been a long process of learning and developing, but I’ve really enjoyed the journey.
If you could work with any artist outside of dance music, who would it be and why?
Eminem. I’ve listened to him for years and I’ve always respected how much detail and thought he puts into his music. His ability to tell a story, create memorable lyrics and make every part of a track feel intentional is something I really admire.
What does your music production setup consist of in the studio?
I use a MacBook Pro running Ableton Live 12, an M-Audio audio interface, Focal Alpha 65 monitors, Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X headphones and a MIDI keyboard. Then I’ve got a whole load of plugins that I use for sound design, processing and mixing. All of my production is done in the box, so having a good selection of software gives me a lot of flexibility.
Do you both work in the studio together or work remotely?
We mainly work remotely, but we’ll also sit down together from time to time to share ideas, work on tracks and learn from each other. I think having that balance works well because you can spend time developing ideas individually, then come together and get another perspective on them.
Hardware or software? Favourite plug-in to use for your bass and synth sounds? What monitors do you use?)
Definitely software. I like having everything in one place and being able to experiment quickly. There’s so much you can do with software now that I can build and shape pretty much any idea I have without needing a hardware setup.
Serum 2 is probably my favourite for creating bass and synth sounds. I use it a lot for designing the sounds, there’s so much control over what you can do. For processing, I really like the Black Box Analog Design HG-2. I use it to add some character and warmth to sounds, particularly basses.
I use a pair of Focal Alpha 65s, although I probably spend around 90% of my time mixing on headphones. My main headphones are the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X, and I use Sonarworks with them.
Away from dance music, what is your go-to music to listen to?
Mainly metalcore and post-hardcore. I’ve listened to those genres for a long time and they’re a big part of what I listen to outside of electronic music. I like the songwriting, the different textures and the way those bands can create a strong atmosphere. I think listening to music outside of dance music definitely helps keep things fresh creatively.
Away from dance music, what is your go to music to listen to?
Mainly metalcore and post-hardcore. I’ve listened to those genres for a long time and they’re a big part of what I listen to outside of electronic music. I like the songwriting, the different textures and the way those bands can create a strong atmosphere. I think listening to music outside of dance music definitely helps keep things fresh creatively.
Quick fire questions:
Favourite food? Pasta
Summer holiday or winter holiday? Summer holiday
Favourite sport? Football (United Fan)
After party or go home? Always go home
Vinyl or USBs? USB’s
Commercial airline or private jet? Never flew private jet so commercial
Favourite record label? Hekate
Logic or Ableton? Ableton
August 20, 2026