Kush Arora & Darama Combine Everything From Amapiano to Punjabi Music to Grime On 'Rattle'
16 January 2025
San Francisco-based Kush Arora aka Only Now and UK-based Asian Underground producer as well as Daytimers member Darama have collaborated on a 3-track release entitled 'Rattle'.
Exploring their ethnic roots alongside expounding their skillset of soundtracking the dancefloors, the pair builds – just as the EP name describes – rattling journeys through sub-genres of dance music around samples from North Indian traditional music. While the closer 'Grid' offers a more regular fare of grime save for alghoza (a traditional double flute) motifs and flourishes of tabla, the opener 'Heart Meter' and the title track provide a fresher combination.
On the former, Kush and Darama make a bansuri melody the constant element as the drums mix gqom's rousing beats with amapiano's log drum basslines that seamlessly interplay with sweeping subs. The amapiano influences carry over to the title track, where an emotive longing-filled flute combines with bhangra's tumbi for a bouncing number with a melodic freshness suited for sunrise moments on the dancefloor.
Listen to 'Rattle' below and follow Kush Arora and Daram for more information.
Artwork by Waheeda Rahman-Mair