Stefano Miele AKA Riva Starr launches new label OPENEYE – a home for eclectic sounds and grassroots talent.
Stefano Miele AKA Riva Starr revives his Soul Speech moniker to launch new label “OPENEYE” – a platform to explore an eclectic world of music, beginning with “Break The Rules (For You)” featuring King No-One.
An ethos built on the freedom to create has been at the heart of everything Stefano Miele has done throughout his prolific career as a music producer, DJ, and label owner; as he launches new label OPENEYE, the commitment to discovery, facilitating creativity, and musical expression has never been stronger.
Sitting detached from his club-focused work as Riva Starr and Snatch!, OPENEYE is a fresh project: an outlet for the studio sessions with musicians that are creatively fulfilling, yet sonically ambiguous or unexpected. The first single, an 80s-inspired track that channels the vocals and dark electronica of new wave pioneers like Joy Division and Morrisey, is a strong signal that the label isn’t trying to pander to trends. A collaboration with Leeds-based indie band King No-One, Stef explains that “it’s not an era that the new generation know much about, I love the edgy ‘punk’ attitude of songwriting from that period – there are so many stories to tell!”
“Break the rules is about that powerful feeling when you would do absolutely anything to be close to someone. You’d ignore morals, law and rules just to get close to the person who brings colour to the otherwise grey world.”– King No-One
“I want to build a collective” Stef says of the label, “a place for like-minded musicians to explore lyrics and genuine musicality without the pressure of social media, streaming numbers, or profile.” A response to the overwhelming online noise that surrounds us, Stef hopes to encourage artists to “go deeper into the song-writing process, find a sense of self-awareness, and make heartfelt music that isn’t superficial.”
Leveraging his many years’ experience in the music industry, OPENEYE is a place to connect with and cultivate the broad array of talent he’s increasingly working with through studio sessions. “There is no pressure to deliver a viral hit, I just want to have an outlet to deliver consistently good music and a place for me to collaborate with real talent, grassroots artists who may not have a voice, or artists who are doing something weird and wonderful.”
The label launch sees Stef revive his Soul Speech pseudonym, he describes it as “a magician’s hat that is filled with inspiration – sounds and genres from every decade – that I can reach into and pull out treasures.” The studio sessions that power Soul Speech are “always different” he says, “they’re opportunities to connect different points of view, explore possibilities, and capture a priceless magic that you only get when working face-to-face.”
OPENEYE and Soul Speech are the next steps in a storied musical journey that has already spanned decades, but above all, creativity is still the priority: “I know from experience that no matter how famous or ‘big’ you are, the music that gets noticed is always high quality”.
Soul Speech – “Break The Rules (For You) feat. King No-One” is out now via OPENEYE
Stream it here.
