The Raah Project

November 10, 2009

Heavy. Heavy. Heavy.

Hailing from Melbourne, renowned label Knowfool dims the lights and adverts your eyes to the pit. Ladies and gentlemen… and ants, I present to you The Raah Project. This soulful duo has taken the stage with pining lyricism and dramatically orchestrated numbers. Never mind the intermissions and popcorn, their debut album, Score, is filled with tipped-over cocktails and waltzing lovers trying to find a way back to their seats.

The “RAah” is a collaboration between Melbourne-based composer and producers Ryan Ritchie and Tamil Rogeon – core members of True Live. What began as just an idea was patiently carried out to refute our understanding of genres and better express a sophisticated level of sameness, developing new perspectives on already established ideas. The Score is a graceful fusion of Electronica, Hip Hop, Pop, Contemporary, Dance, and Soul… and as mentioned on their MySpace, “an original contemporary music project embracing both traditional and new principles of jazz improvisation and arrangement 20th century composition, song, verse and flow.”

The record was created with a 17-piece string section, a full Big Band (The Australian Showband) and a selection of jazz/funk players from Melbourne’s streets. The thirteen tracks sync cinematic string arrangements with soulful motives, producing enchanting moments that I can’t stop replaying… think Herbert Big Band meets Sun-Ra, meets Mayer Hawthorne… buying Nat King Cole a drink?

Too much? Too bad.

(links removed by request)
MP3 The Raah Project – All Of Your Things
MP3 The Raah Project – Dawn In The Night

Stream all audio at their MySpace Page!

Posted by Cheryse in Album Review, Artist Spotlight