Raji Rags - Congratulations (EP) / OTIH Records
Release date: 30th April, 2024 / All songs produced by Raji Rags
Obligatory Ambient Intro - violin by Raven Bush, double bass by Peter Bennie
Kiran’s Bike - violin by Raven Bush
Making Love To A Ghost
Bullet Train (feat. Sonia Calico) - co-produced by Sonia Calico, bowed double bass by Peter Bennie, Suiko-ST 50 Koto Synth by Raven Bush
Enchanté - violin by Raven Bush
Mixed by Sam Interface / Mastered by Joker / Design by GiveUpArt
More info: info@rajirags.com
Raji Rags to release 5-track debut EP on OTIH Records
featuring members of Speakers Corner Quartet and a collaboration with Taiwanese producer, Sonia Calico
First single ‘Kiran’s Bike’ is out 14th February
Full EP will be released end of April with a limited run hand-screen printed vinyl
Listen to ‘Congratulations’ I Raji Rags Bio I Raji Rags Press Shots
Raji Rags is a shape-shifter, always taking on new forms.
Whether you know him as a DJ, a label head, an A&R or behind the scenes at institutions like Boiler Room, Warp, Bleep, Livin’ Proof and now at the helm of his own label, OTIH Records, he has refused to be boxed into one category, constantly evolving. A mainstay of the London music scene, Raji Rags skips across genres gracefully, epitomised by his long standing NTS radio show. The British-South Asian creative has already lived many lives, and now it is time for the next one.
‘Congratulations’ is the debut EP from Raji Rags. A culmination of his influences merged together, the EP spans breakneck percussive rhythms across five tracks, melding together string arrangements and orchestration with hip-hop methodology. It’s full of vigour and purpose, not a note out of place, melodic and layered, the EP is gratifyingly hard to categorise.
“Collaboration has been key on this record,” Raji Rags says. “It’s been essential to my process.” Raven Bush and Peter Bennie from Speakers Corner Quartet (fellow OTIH label-mates) add instrumentation to three of the five tracks; and there is a collaborative track with Taiwanese producer, Sonia Calico as Raj spent parts of the creation of this EP living in Taipei around the time of the birth of his son, Kiran.
‘Kiran’s Bike’, the first single of the EP, weaves in live violin from Bush with warped synth plucks, rolling bass and saturated sine waves. A perfect soundtrack to Kiran’s bike rides around South London.
Kiran’s Bike is out on February 14th.
The full ‘Congratulations’ EP is out on April 30th on OTIH Records.
Main Raji Rags press photo below by Angela Stephenson. Record sleeve design by GiveUpArt. (click for higher-res version)
More info: info@rajirags.com
