Ra Duh – Sigma / Ganymede [Higher States]

Roger Martinez’s Higher States opens the new year by welcoming Ra Duh to the label for his debut EP. Best known for his The Real Experience artist moniker, Romanian artist Ra Duh was a fixture of the progressive house underground for over a decade. Releases via Aboriginal, Balkan Connection and Laika Sounds sit as discography highlights, showcasing a dark groovy sound favoured by a wide assortment of genre tastemakers. Also a highly regarded DJ, Ra Duh has played an active role in his country's nightlife, programming music for some of Romania’s trendiest events and venues, most notably Pârtia Cârlibaba, RoBurn and Untold Festival, amongst others. With the final Real Xperience release coming in 2022, the Romanian artist has spent the last two years retooling his sound for the launch of his Ra Duh alias. Now, as 2025 begins to take shape, he embarks on this new production journey, notching the moniker's debut 'Sigma / Ganymede' via Higher States.

Lead track ‘Sigma’ finds Ra Duh collaborating with fellow countryman Hadrian aka Audio State. The Cluj Napoca resident has achieved measurable success under his Audio State alias, with a superlative string of releases featuring a club-effective approach to modern techno music. Pan Pot’s Second State and Mistress Barbara’s Terminal M have been landing spots for Audio State’s premiere projects, in turn earning praise from the underground’s elite guard. Now debuting his new artist moniker Hadrian, he teams up with Ra Duh on ‘Sigma’. Full of darker monochromes, the duo’s creative synergy shines across this deep chuggy cut, one complete with tension filled builds, swing-heavy rhythms and a devilish effects narrative which pushes the journey to the very edges. Vibrant chord stabs provide an enduring main theme leading into the break, tactfully percolating as the interlude evolves, before melting down to a finale of looping hypnotism.

The release concludes with ‘Ganymede’ which finds Ru Duh operating in solo capacity. The Romanian expounds his progressive vision here, with spacious rhythms and wispy sonics blanketing tough kick drums and chunky basslines. Clever percussive co-actions marry squelchy stabs and orbiting effects, while an inventive break highlighted by Mediterranean motifs and an understated build preludes a finale of charming overlays and carefully controlled sonic manipulations.

Buy: https://tinyurl.com/muuuww29

Release Date: 17-01-2025

Release Promo: http://releasepromo.com

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