Spotlight On... CUZINO

As the big wind-down of 2025 begins in preparation for party season, we’re still, much to our delight, discovering new talents coming out of Scotland. Having just released his self-titled debut EP last week, our spotlight is firmly on Glasgow-based producer CUZINO this week. Mixing facets of electronica, house and pop, CUZINO is an impressive debut that feels bouncy, crisp and full of expression. What’s more, three of its tracks feature vocal turns from Nwanneka, aka Plantainchipps, adding a different dimension to CUZINO’s production work and calling to mind artists like Peggy Gou and The Juan Maclean. We catch up with CUZINO to find out more.

Firstly, I’d love to know a bit more about you – what music were you listening to growing up and who/what would you say inspired you to start making your own music?
I grew up in a really musical household and started learning guitar when I was four... When I think about the sounds of my childhood and the music my parents would play, there’s a huge variety – from The Rolling Stones to Otis Redding to Buena Vista Social Club. I’m actually named after Rubén González (my first name is Reuben), the pianist from Buena Vista Social Club, which both shows what big fans they were and how even my name has been rooted in music.

When I started to discover my own music... I got stuck into pop music and listened to a lot of Lily Allen and Beyoncé; I think the first album I ever owned was Jamelia’s Thank You. UK Garage has also been an influence and a big part of my early music experience, which definitely trickled down from my oldest sister’s love for groups like So Solid Crew, Mis-Teeq and Basement Jaxx.

I started to delve into music that really excited me when I moved to Edinburgh in 2017 [...] I think this is when my obsession and intrigue with electronic experimentalism started through listening to SOPHIE, Aphex Twin, Four Tet and KAYTRANADA... Unlocking this world of potential through electronic music felt like I had finally realised the outlet I was looking for all along! Four Tet’s remix of Opal by BICEP, as well as Polo & Pan’s Dorothy, are some of the first pieces of electronic music that really stunned me and opened the door for me in many ways.

Where does the name CUZINO come from?
It’s actually an abbreviated version of my real last name! It comes from Romania, which is where my mum’s family are from. Even though she (like me) was born in London, there was a huge amount of Romanian culture in my upbringing, which is a really important part of my identity. I actually went to Bucharest for the first time in 2022, I had never been before! I feel pretty connected to my European roots – my dad’s family are all Central and Eastern European also, and I grew up very close with my German Oma, so needless to say, my name feels simultaneously a part of me and also a nod to all of that. I’m also a pretty indecisive person (ask literally anyone who knows me), and I've always had a fear that I’d choose a creative name and then outgrow it or find it stupid in the future. So I knew that if I stuck with what I’ve already got I wouldn’t risk that and could also save myself valuable time trying to make a decision!

You’ve just released your debut EP – who or what helped to inform and influence the record?
Looking back at it now, the record really feels like it was informed by the community around me in Glasgow. When I first moved here four years ago, I instantly fell in love with the club culture and went on to have some of the best nights out I’ve ever had [...] I met Lewis Cook (Free Love), who took me under his wing and taught me the tricks and secrets of Ableton. I was also lucky enough to take part in the Introduction to Electronic Music course with the Glasgow Library of Synthesized Sound back in 2022, which was an incredible experience... We recorded our own version of Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy together, which featured a solo of me playing the sax! Ableton felt revolutionary for me. I immediately started creating some of the most exciting beats and basslines I ever had; one of the first things I made was an early version of First (Vision) and it was so much punchier and more energising than anything I’d created before.

I tend to use music production as an emotional outlet for sure, so I can’t ignore the fact that my own experiences are some of the greatest influences on the record. When I create a song, I feel really strongly that there is an overarching mood affiliated with it; Spin was made while I was feeling really excited, confident and free [and] ...Sycamore, I made that while I was anxious and stressed [...] So I’d say that in some ways the influence of creating this record has felt pretty organic. I didn’t put too much pressure on the creative process and just let the tracks emerge when they were ready to.

On the record, you’ve worked with Nwanneka, aka Plantainchipps, who sings on three tracks – how did this collaboration come about?
I was actually thinking about this the other day, that I wish I could remember the moment I first met Nwanneka, but I can’t! We met through friends in Glasgow and started hanging out at parties, nights out, etc. One of the first things we bonded over, actually, was the fact that we’re both Libras and share a lot of those traits. We spent a lot of time hanging out as pals before we even considered doing some music together. I remember saying to Nwanneka towards the end of 2024 that I was really keen to start DJing, and she kindly offered to teach me and would come round to my flat and we’d mess around on my controller together. One time, I casually mentioned that I had a collection of house/pop/dance-inspired electronic tracks and that I wondered if the music would be elevated if I got a singer on board. Nwanneka then just turned to me and said, “…well I sing!” and the rest is history. I sent her a few of the demos and pretty soon we were locked in as collaborators.

What was the process like with Nwanneka in terms of songwriting and recording? How did it all work?
The whole process felt so organic and natural, I’m still left wondering why it took us so long to find each other! We didn’t follow any particular formula or agenda; instead we just hung out while Nwanneka would write lyrics and melodies and I’d work on the production/backing. We spent a lot of cold January days in my room where Nwanneka would try out melodies and hooks until we got one that felt right [...] Nwanneka is such a talented vocalist and songwriter; I was really fangirling from the start. I think the first thing she came up with was a rough version of the chorus for Spin and I was immediately obsessed. We really laughed a lot together about how excited I got from these songwriting sessions – I was so amazed at how right it sounded with Nwanneka’s vocals over my production!

What’s interesting is that when the songwriting and recording process started, the EP tracks were all actually pretty much completed. I had already named them (as I was never certain if there would be vocals on them), so when Nwanneka got involved, we played around with creating stories and worlds from those already established names. For example, Dark Heart was originally called New York’s Dark Heart because I made the beat after I read Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar and was obsessed with one line that describes clothes falling out of a window and disappearing into “the dark heart of New York”. I loved the metaphor so much that I had to translate that into music. So when Nwanneka started writing the lyrics, it became about this character who is trying to dance through her pain and sadness while clubbing in New York.

What’s your favourite thing about the EP and what did you learn that you’ll take with you into future releases?
Honestly, I love listening to it back-to-back. I thought a lot about the track listing and how I wanted it to feel quite linear. I also feel quite proud that I’ve been able to let go of some of my inner critics around perfectionism. The body of work feels like a true moment in time and really captures that two-year period of my life. I think from start to end of the creative process I’ve gone from feeling somewhat fresh in Glasgow and still finding my feet and discovering my sound, to feeling more rooted in my local community and feeding that passion for production and music with less fear than before.

I also love how there is a real coherent vibe and spirit across all the tracks, particularly in the use of drum patterns and basslines. Cobrah, Ross From Friends and Jamie xx are just some of the artists who have definitely inspired me to establish a particular kind of high energy in my music. Whenever someone asks me what style the EP is, I say that I view it as ‘club-adjacent’ music because while it has absolutely been informed by clubbing experiences, it isn’t necessarily music you’d hear in a club. It’s funny because if I’m out walking with the EP in my headphones, it makes me want to move and dance, but if I played it in a club, it might actually sound a little too chill (depending on the night).

If I’m thinking of a specific moment on the EP that I’m proud of, I think I’d say that it would be the build-up and drop in the first half of Dark Heart. I love how the track transforms from a chaotic, messy soundscape into an electro-pop club banger. The synths I used in this piece were also heavily influenced by 2000s party music like Cascada’s Evacuate the Dancefloor.

For my future releases, I will definitely channel the confidence and ambition I’ve developed through this first release by knowing that perfectionism won’t achieve results and that I should trust my intuition. The best thing I’ve experienced from releasing the CUZINO EP is how many people have told me how fun it is to dance and party to. So going forward, I’ll make sure to trust that if I vibe with something I make, chances are others will too!

You had a launch party to celebrate the EP's release last week – how was that, and can we expect any more live outings in the new year?
The release party felt like such an incredible celebration of the work I’ve put into the EP! It was a night filled with laughs, dancing, friends and music, and I did my first ever live DJ set. My highlight from this was probably everyone going wild to the Crookers' Day ’N’ Night [by Kid Cudi] remix. The set actually went really well and has only given me the itch to do more [...] Plantainchipps also performed after me, which was incredible as always. We ended the night together behind the decks chucking on random requests from friends in the crowd.

You can definitely expect some more live outings in the new year, whether that be an event I put on myself or somewhere else. While I love DJing and want to explore this route further, I also want to experiment with delivering live performances of my own tracks, so watch this space!

What else does 2026 look like for CUZINO?
If I’ve learnt anything from creating the CUZINO EP it’s to try and find less excuses for not putting music and art out into the world. I would say 2026 will bring about more collaborations and experimentation with new sounds and technologies. I’m always looking to expand my knowledge on electronic music production, so this is something that really excites me.

I’m already working on a collection of new songs that feel stylistically different and allow me to explore new energies that are different from the CUZINO EP. The tracks are lighter, faster, and arguably more danceable. I’m really loving working on these and already have the demos on repeat in my headphones. So hopefully that’s a good sign that there will be more CUZINO music for everyone to enjoy in 2026!

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CUZINO is out now

Follow CUZINO on Instagram @cuzino_