Rustie's first instrument was guitar and he bought his first decks at age 15. He is associated with the sub-genre of aquacrunk, a genre described as an experimental offshoot of hip hop that emphasizes slowed down, low-slung beats, with lashings of electronic mutterings and morphing basslines. He believes his work conveys movement and fluidity, and that his creative process is an "immersive world" wrapped up in sound, rhythm, and color. Rustie's long-time interest in videogames has influenced his approach to electronic composition.

Rustie's first singles were released in 2007 and 2008. The producer signed with Warp Records in 2010 for the release of Sunburst EP. In 2011, Rustie released his first album Glass Swords on Warp Records. Brad LaBonte of Dusted Magazine wrote "Glass Swords contains some of the freshest, most exciting electronic dance music I’ve heard this year. Put simply, nothing sounds like this record."

In 2012, "After Light" from Glass Swords was included in an Adidas television advertisement featuring British track and field athlete Jessica Ennis prior to the 2012 Olympic Games. Both "After Light" and "Ultra Thizz", another track from Glass Swords, were used in the soundtrack to the video game Sleeping Dogs.

The same year, Glass Swords won The Guardian's First Album Award.