Gigi Testa serves up groove-heavy heaters on new double single

Napoli’s Gigi Testa releases yet another infectious release, dropping a double single ‘Sichuan’ and ‘Dragon Temple’, out now with Rush Hour Music.

The release is Testa’s third on the label Rush Hour Music, and one of the most upbeat, feel-good grooves we’ve heard in a while, as is typical for this golden label.

Remarkably, both tracks were created using just three vintage machines: the Kurzweil K2500, Oberheim’s Matrix 1000, and the Roland R8 Human Rhythm Composer.

Leading with ‘Sichuan’, Testa hooks listeners right from the rip. A bouncy bass groove and crisp percussion set the tone, ever-evolving over the track’s seven minutes. Layer by layer, Testa introduces charming piano riffs, silky vocal samples, and synth stabs, before weaving in a surprising yet perfectly placed guitar solo.

It’s a beautifully chaotic blend, where every sound slots in effortlessly, creating a joyful, full-bodied groove that never loses its momentum. It’s a cacophony of fun and leaves us beaming ear-to-ear on every listen.

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The B-side, ‘Dragon Temple’, may take a less in-your-face fun approach, but it’s no less compelling. Built on a deep, hypnotic bassline, the track layers synth-heavy textures inspired by Asian instrumentation, creating a heady, atmospheric vibe that pairs perfectly with the upfront energy of 'Sichuan'.

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Both tracks complement one another, but ‘Sichuan’ is undeniable in its fun and funk and its grooves are impossible to ignore.

The off-kilter titles come from Testa’s love for Sichuan cuisine, which he discovered while in Amsterdam. Inspired by a local Sichuan restaurant with a bizarrely out-of-place mural of Mount Vesuvio, from his home town, he felt compelled to share his love of this food and strange anecdote in his music.

Purchase Gigi Testa’s double single ‘Sichuan/Dragon Temple’ here.

Henry Cooper is a Writer at Mixmag Asia. Follow him on Instagram.

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