Record of the day… Rukaiya Russell/Return From Miramar
Artist: Rukaiya Russell
Title: Return From Miramar EP
Label: RuRu Records
Release: August 17th 2015
Cat. No. RU0415RFM
South London’s Rukaiya Russell returns to her own imprint, RuRu Records, with a new three tracker that is typically fresh and lovable. It is named after a recent trip to Havana, Cuba and is her third on the label. Russell has been doing her do for a while now, and includes Gilles Peterson (who had her guest on his show) as a fan.
She has also released on his Brownswood label as well as many others like CDR, has had BBC Radio 6 and Capital Xtra air play and operates on the funkier end of the spectrum. She impresses once again with this latest EP, which offers up dance music with a real sense of personality and charm Opener ‘Return From Miramar’ is a classic summery dance track with lively pianos, funked up drums that make for a loose limbed groove and lots of soul infused vocals. It’s feel good, fulsome and hugely colourful.
‘Moving’ is a smooth, shuffling vocal track with complex drum and percussive patterns cutting up a fantastic rhythm. The vox are dreamy and sensuous, and the overall vibe, complete with humid chords, is one of late night romance. Finally, ’Ever Synth Then’ is inspired by the late 80s and early 90s house that emerged in the UK when Rukaiya first came to love electronic music. It has spiraling, freeform neon chords darting about all over the place, with slapping hits and whirring stabs all making for a gentle kinetic sense of energy that really makes you want to move.
This third EP from Rukaiya Russell is her best yet and should win her many more fans around the world, both those in the booth and those on the other side.
Tracklist:
1. Return From Miramar
2. Moving (feat Christine Asamoah)
3. Ever Synth Then
Describe the record in five words.
Summer meets Smooth meets Synths
What is it about this record that will appeal to the fans?
I’ve drawn from a classic house sound that has inspired many of the tunes we love today. I also have more vocals as we all love a good vocal. On Moving, I worked with a really gifted singer and went for a smoother, more left field and musical feel on top of an upbeat tempo and rhythmic bassline.
How does it differ from your last release?
My last official release on my label was Latin/Funky House. I wanted to move away from that sound especially after what I had produced out in Cuba which felt like it satisfied that appetite for producing Latin music. This release I focused on the dance floor whilst keeping musical elements, such as chord arrangements and rhodes, which I often like to use.
What was the inspiration for this release?
It was after I got back from a trip to Cuba which I hadn’t visited for 11 years, I just felt really inspired having had such a great time and being back there after so long. It was Summer and I had a lot of ideas to bash out. I went with these 3 tracks because they represent where I was at in terms of my production and where I was looking to take it.
If you had the chance to play this in any club, which would it be?
Sound Museum Vision in Tokyo. I love Japan and the people really know how to get down. Such a good vibe there.
Soundcloud preview – https://soundcloud.com/rukaiyarussell/01-return-from-miramar
