RA Podcast Folgen

To an international audience, NIKS might be best known as one of the cofounders of Black Artist Database, but she's also an incredible DJ. And public speaker. Over the past few years, through a mix of activism, thought and DJing, the London selector has created an all-encompassing approach to her artistry that centers dance music, social justice and an endless desire to uplift those around her, especially Black artists. Through Black Artist Database, NIKS has created a resource to support Black artists from around the world. What started as a spreadsheet called Black Bandcamp has become a fully-fledged platform with editorial, mixes and, of course, the powerful directory of artists that started it all to begin with. Outside of that, NIKS curates panels, hosts and gives talks and DJs. Her RA Podcast is inspired by a specific night she played in Manchester, but it's also a wonderful snapshot of her style, connecting the dots between Drexciya and Octave One, Nicola Cruz and Seth Troxler, Lyric Hood and James Bangura, and an electrifying section that weaves between tracks from X-Coast and X-Press 2. It's as thoughtful and intentional as everything else she does, an hour-and-a-half in the world of one of London's brightest stars. Read more: http://ra.co/podcast/827 @niksbad

Physical Therapy has as many vibes as he does aliases. You never really know what you're going to get from his sets—you can probably count on a bit of UK garage and some breakbeats, but beyond that, it's a free-for-all. He's gone through phases ranging from DIY pop edits to grayscale Berlin techno to all the fantastic and unpredictable music on his label Allergy Season to his latest EP of vocal-heavy 2-step tracks, part of a recent move towards more emotional dance music that he says captures his "twee" side. If there's anyone that truly believes in the power of crying on the dance floor, it's him. He's an expert at themed mixes, pulling together loosely categorized sections of his vast and sometimes hilarious collection. (Other sets, like his revered Honcho Campout recording, are gloriously all over the place.) But for his RA Podcast he's gone straight for the dance floor, choosing the kind of thing he would play at a club rather than one of his NTS sets. It's typically era-spanning and adventurous, yet woven together with an expert touch, running from an underrated Texas dubstep label (Pushing Red) to old-school IDM to vintage Miss Kittin and even an obscure (or just forgotten) turn-of-the-millennium cover of "How Soon Is Now" that would only really sound right in his hands. Read more: http://ra.co/podcast/826 @physical-therapy

The first weekend of February was a big one for Ahad Elley, AKA Ahadadream. On the Friday, he was featured in Vogue India alongside other South Asian artists and crews currently lighting up UK dance music. 24 hours later, he launched a residency at London club Colour Factory, playing to a packed crowd who, during a brief power cut, chanted his name like adoring teenagers. To outsiders, this might feel like a story of overnight success, but Elley has been grafting away for years: DJing, producing, running a label (More Time), throwing parties (No ID) and, perhaps most importantly of all, co-founding the first edition of London festival Dialled In, which launched last September. As well as showcasing a wealth of South Asian talent, the event fostered a new community of ravers who, in Elley's words, "felt seen in a club space for the first time." When he was younger, Elley shied away from centering his Pakistani heritage in his music. Today, it's a huge part of his identity, from the events he runs and the music he makes to the tunes he plays. But, as RA 825 shows, his DJ sets also go way beyond South Asia and London, spanning gqom, Egyptian percussion, Portuguese Afro house and classic Peverelist. This is Elley at peak time, the kind of thing you might hear at his next Colour Factory gig. "The idea was just to include tracks that bring me joy and make me move," he said. "I hope they do the same for you." Read more: http://ra.co/podcast/825 @ahadadream