Leigh Ryan, better known by the stage name Plutonic Lab or sometimes as Pluto is an Australian music producer, engineer, artist & performer.

Plutonic Lab
Birth nameLeigh Ryan
Also known asPlutonic Lab
BornMelbourne
OriginMelbourne, Australia
GenresHip hop, soul, electronic
Occupation(s)Producer, Drummer, Engineer, Artist
Years active1995 –present
LabelsObese, Nuffsaid, Wax Museum Records, Low Key Source, Shark Repellent
Websiteplutoniclab.com

He is also one half of soul/pop duo "SoundsLike FRANCO" with vocalist Natalie Slade, one third of Canadian/Australian rap group "SHWING" with BBRC members Roshin & Bronze as well as the international tour drummer for the group Hilltop Hoods.

Pluto has collaborated with Ladi6 (NZ), Black Milk (US), G-Love (US), Guilty Simpson (US), Wiley (UK) Miles Bonny (US), Natalie Slade (AU), Notes To Self BBRC (Canada), Coma-Chi (Japan) Renee Geyer (AU), Drapht (AU), Hilltop Hoods (AU), Dialectrix (AU), Speech Debelle (UK), Task Force (UK), Fat Lip (US), Eternia (Canada), The Grouch & Eligh (US).

Early life and career

edit

Plutonic Lab began drumming at the age of 10 and performing shows at 14. He obtained an honours degree in Sound Design/Media Arts from RMIT University, studying under Australian film composer/artist Philip Brophy and sound artist Phillip Samartzis.[citation needed]

In 1995 he produced the album "Mystery Shkool" for his group Macronauts on CD and Cassette & two beat tapes, Tri Chromes and M.O.S., in 1998 under his own label, Plutonic Lovely. In 2001, he released his first solo album, Give Me Sabotage Shell, followed by Collision of Days in 2004, both released on Nuff Said Records. His third solo album, Codes Over Colours, was released in 2005 on Obese Records. Taking 10 years between solo albums his last LP "Deep Above The Noise" won best Hip-Hop Album at the VIC Music Awards 2016. Attaining feature album status on Double J & 3PBS and Won 'Best Hip-Hop Album' at the AGE Music Victoria Awards 2016. The singles "The Crib" ft. Guilty Simpson & "Sliced Bread" ft Notes To Self BBRC received rotation on Triple J and Double J nationally.

Achievements

His album "Deep Above The Noise" won best Hip-Hop Album at the VIC Music Awards 2016. Attaining feature album status on Double J & 3PBS and Won 'Best Hip-Hop Album' at the AGE Music Victoria Awards 2016. The singles "The Crib" ft. Guilty Simpson & "Sliced Bread" ft Notes To Self BBRC received rotation on Triple J and Double J nationally.

Most recently nominated for "Engineer Of The Year" at the 2019 ARIA awards.

And won 2020 APRA Music Award "Most Performed Urban Work" with the "Leave Me Lonely" Hilltop Hoods.

He is a UK Mercury Prize Winner, (producing 2 singles for Speech Debelle's winning LP)

He produced Dialectrix's 2013 album, "The Cold Light of Day" which was shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize, won the 2009 UK Mercury Prize for his work with Speech Debelle, and was nominated for 'Best Urban Release' at the 2008 ARIA Awards as half of the hip-hop duo Muph & Plutonic, who also placed 2 songs in the Triple J's "Hottest 100" and landed the 'Triple J Feature Album' placements multiple times.

Production

edit

Plutonic Lab has produced albums and EPs for many Australian hip hop artists on labels including Nuffsaid Records (collaborating over a number of years with Australian MC/producer Prowla) and Obese Records (including the label CEO Pegz).[1]

He has also produced beats on releases from Shawn Lov (USA), MC Tumi (South Africa), Karma and Esoteric (USA), Eternia (Canada) and Taskforce (UK).[citation needed]

He has performed shows in Australia, North America, Europe and Asia. Opening for The Pharcyde, People Under The Stairs, Ozomatli, Mad Professor, Lee Scratch Perry, MC Supernatural, DJ Shadow, Money Mark, Hilltop Hoods, The Next Men, Mr Lif, Cage, Swollen Members, Braintax & Mystro, Lupe Fiasco, El-P, Tricky, The Streets and events including Cockatoo Island Festival, Obese Block Party, Pyramid Rock Festival, Falls Festival, Big Day Out, Groovin' the Moo, Golden Plains Festival, Splendour in the Grass and Good Vibrations Festival.[citation needed]

Plutonic Lab was voted 'Best Producer' three years running (2004, 2005, 2006) on Australian Hip- Hop community site ozhiphop.com.[citation needed]

All three Muph & Plutonic Albums & Pegz "Axis" LP obtained 'Feature Album' status on Australian national broadcaster Triple J.[citation needed]

His third LP "Codes Over Colours" was a featured album on Melbourne's 3RRR radio,[citation needed] and on other independent radio programs nationally.[which?]

In 2008 The Album "And Then Tomorrow Came" was nominated for an ARIA.[citation needed] The album also landed two songs in Triple J Hottest 100, 2009.[citation needed]

Speech Debelle's "Speech Therapy" LP won UK's Mercury Prize in 2009,[2] for which Plutonic Lab produced two singles.[citation needed]

His music has also been featured in film and television including HBO's series Girls, TNT's series Franklin & Bash, and the feature films X, Noel Clarke's 4.3.2.1 and Chronicle.[citation needed]

He also produced Neon Heartache,[citation needed] the debut album of Jess Harlen, who was named best female artist in The Age's EG Awards in 2010.[3]

Discography

edit

Solo albums

edit
Album title Release date Label Format
Tri Chromes (beat tape) 1998 Plutonic Lovely Cassette
M.O.S. (beat tape) 1998 Plutonic Lovely Cassette
Give Me Sabotage Shell 2001 Nuffsaid CD/vinyl
Collision of Days 2004 Nuffsaid CD/vinyl
Codes Over Colours 2005 Obese CD/vinyl
Midnight on Pluto (remix EP) 2006 Obese Vinyl
Give Me Sabotage Shell (Extended/Remastered) 2007 Shark Repellent CD
Collision of Days (Extended/Remastered) 2007 Shark Repellent CD
Submariner (7-inch EP) 2013 LWP Vinyl
Deep Above The Noise (2x12" LP) 2016 Wax Museum Records Vinyl

Production

edit

Albums

edit
Artist Album title Release date Label
Macronauts Mystery Shkool (CD/Cassette) 1995 Plutonic Lovely
Prowla Lonewolf (CD/LP) 2001 Nuffsaid
Plutonic Lab Give Me Sabotage Shell (CD/LP) 2001 Nuffsaid
Muphin More Than Music (CD/LP) 2003 Obese
Pegz Capricorn Cat (CD/LP) 2003 Obese
Shawn Lov The Blackout of 1977 (CD/LP) 2004 Nuffsaid
Plutonic Lab Collision of Days (CD/LP) 2004 Nuffsaid
Muph & Plutonic Hunger Pains (CD/LP) 2004 Obese
Pegz Axis (CD/2×LP) 2005 Obese
Plutonic Lab Codes Over Colours (CD/2×LP) 2005 Obese
Omni Batterie (CD/LP) 2006 BLX
Muph & Plutonic Silence the Sirens (CD/2×LP) 2006 Obese
Ivens Sounds to Expire to (CD) 2007 EcoTone
Lotek Go (CD) 2007 2–99 Records
Pegz Burn City (CD/LP) 2007 Obese
Muph & Plutonic ...And Then Tomorrow Came (CD/2×LP) 2008 Obese
Speech Debelle Speech Therapy (CD/LP) 2009 Big Dada
Gully Platoon The Great Divide (CD) 2009 Obese
Jess Harlen Neon Heartache 2010 Plethora
Dialectrix Audio Projectile 2010 Obese
Plutonic & G Love Moonshine Lemonade 2011 Inertia
Jess Harlen Park Yard Slang 2012 Plethora
Dialectrix The Cold Light of Day 2013 Obese
Plutonic Lab Submariner (7-inch EP) 2013 LWP
Plutonic Lab Fieldnotes - Hong Kong (Book & Vinyl) 2016 Fieldnotes Project
Plutonic Lab Deep Above The Noise (2×LP) 2016 Wax Museum Records
Plutonic Lab Fieldnotes - Japan (Book & Vinyl) 2017 Fieldnotes Project
Sounds Like FRANCO FRANCO (12-inch) 2019 Low Key Source

Singles and EPs

edit
Artist Title Release date Label
Pegz (as Pegasus) Pegasus (12-inch) 2001 Obese
Prowla The Great Rescue (EP) 2002 Nuffsaid
Tumi A Dream Led To This (EP) 2002 Nuffsaid
Taskforce & Pegz 12 Apostles (12-inch) 2002 Obese
Karma Top Shelf (12-inch) 2002 Nuffsaid
Eternia & A-Love Movin (12-inch) 2003 Warner
Shawn Lov Dewitt (12-inch) 2004 Nuffsaid
Black Samurai Kill Em All (EP) 2004 C Side (UK)
Muph & Plutonic Heaps Good (12-inch) 2004 Obese
Pegz Chechen Gorilla (12-inch) 2005 Obese
Pegz Back Then (12-inch) 2005 Obese
Plutonic Lab The Waiting (12-inch) 2005 Obese
Hilltop Hoods The Hard Road (12-inch) 2006 Obese
Ivens The 9th Letter (12-inch) 2007 EcoTone
Muph & Plutonic The Day Off (7-inch) 2007 Obese
Muph & Plutonic "Size of the Soul" (Promo CD single) 2008 Obese
Muph & Plutonic "Beautiful/Ugly" (Promo CD single) 2008 Obese
Speech Debelle The Key (CD single) 2009 Big Dada
Speech Debelle Better Days (CD single) 2009 Big Dada
Jess Harlen Watch the Water (CD single) 2010 Plethora
Jess Harlen I Go (CD single) 2010 Plethora
Dialectrix New Generation (CD single) 2012 Obese
Dialectrix Go (Digital single) 2013 Obese
Plutonic Lab Look Alive ft. Dialectrix (7-inch) 2013 Shark Repellent
Plutonic Lab The Crib ft. Guilty Simpson (7-inch) 2016 Wax Museum Records
Plutonic Lab Sliced Bread ft. Notes To Self BBRC (Digital Single) 2016 Wax Museum Records
Plutonic Lab Blind Eyes / Give It Up (7-inch) 2018 Low Key Source
Sounds Like FRANCO It's All On You (Digital Single) 2018 Low Key Source
Sounds Like FRANCO Money Over Matter (Digital Single) 2019 Low Key Source
Hilltop Hoods Leave Me Lonely (7-inch, Single, Ltd) 2019 HTHV005
SHWING SHWING (Lock It Down) (Digital single) 2019 Golden Era Records
SHWING ANYBODY (Digital single) 2019 Golden Era Records
Plutonic Lab Enemy featuring Black Milk 2020 Low Key Source

Tracks on other albums

edit
Album title Artist Track Release date Label
Evolutionary Vibes 2 Macronauts "Atstrue" (remix) 1997 Creative Vibes
4 Element Effect Plutonic Lab "Evidence" 1998 183
Rock Da City Plutonic Lab "Slipping into Darkness" 1999 Nuffsaid
Madlock "Madlock"
Sounds Like Left Plutonic Lab "Mental Big Gun" (remix) 2001 Sony (Asia)
"Sunshine"
12 Apostles Pegz & Task Force "True to tha Art" (vocal)
"True to tha Art" (instrumental)
2001 Obese
Stealth Issue 2 Vol 3 Plutonic Lab "Glory Days" 2001 Stealth
Top Fashion Dolphin (EP) Plutonic Lab "Mental Big Gun" 2002 C Side (UK)
Tumi "The Inner View"
Culture of Kings Vol 2 A-Love "Petty" 2002 Obese
Obese City Plutonic Lab "Knowing Disintegration" 2002 Obese
Muphin "Tape in a Green Case"
Other Worldly Fusions Plutonic Lab & RuCL "Runnin Hot" 2002 Hardware
Top Shelf Karma featuring Esoteric "Top Shelf" (vocal)
"Top Shelf" (instrumental)
2002 Nuffsaid
Karma "Art of War" (vocal)
"Art of War" (instrumental)
Strait From The Art Vol 1 Eternia & A-Love "Movin" 2003 Warner
Diggin Deep Muphin "Smart Risk, Big Benefit" 2003
Culture of Kings Vol 3 Pegz "Tins of Beans" 2004 Obese
Building With Bricks Volume 2 Karma "Art of War" 2004 Brick
Descore Breakfast News (Main Title)
100 Forms of Happiness[clarification needed]
2004 Sound Punch
15.OZ Vinyl Muphin "Smoke Stained" 2004 Crookneck
JJJ Hip Hop Show Muph & Plutonic "Heaps Good" 2005
MC Que "Waters Breakin"
Home And Hosed – Ripe and Ready Muph & Plutonic "Heaps Good" 2005
Trampled: Remix (EP) (Elefant Traks) Hermitude "Nightfalls Messenger" (remix) 2006 Obese
Been There Done That Bias B featuring Billy Bunks "Bundle of Bees" 2007 Obese
The Signal Urthboy "We Get Around" (Plutonic remix) 2007 Elefant Tracks
More or Less Resin Dogs featuring Mika 9, Aceyalone and Abstract Rude "Coming With the Sound" (Plutonic Lab mix) 2009 Hydrofunk Records/MGM
Cover Up Motel TZU "Get Up" (Plutonic Lab remix) 2009 Liberation
Beatz International Tor "Pushin It" 2009 File Records (Japan)/UK Streetsounds (UK)

Battle vinyl

edit
Artist Title Date Details
DJ Perplex DMC Battle Wax 2008 Various production beats and elements
DJ Perplex DMC Battle Wax 2009 Various production beats and elements

Soundtracks

edit
Title Director Notes
Hot Wet Dot: 16mm Skate Film Jo Harrison www.joskefilms.com
Molotow Masters: Graffiti Series Jo Harrison www.molotow.com
Words in My Mouth Voices in My Head, No 1 Anna Phillip Brophy Screened at ACMI Melbourne, 2004
philipbrophy.com
Burn David Selvarajah Vadiveloo Nominated for AFI Best Short Fiction Film award, 2009
burn-movie.com.au

Awards and nominations

edit

Music Victoria Awards

edit

The Music Victoria Awards are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2006.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2016 Deep Above the Noise Best Hip Hop Album Won [4][5]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Muph & Plutonic". Digital Thugz. 9 February 2005. Retrieved 31 March 2008.
  2. ^ Simpson, Dave (28 September 2009). "Why hasn't the Mercury prize helped Speech Debelle more?". The Guardian.
  3. ^ "Aussie Music Heroes Celebrated At EG Awards" at Undercover
  4. ^ "Previous Nominess". Music Victoria. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Previous Winners". Music Victoria. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
edit