‘Weather Changes Moods’ marks new era for Raj

Moods aren’t the only thing that are changing with Raj’s latest release.

Until recently, Delhi-based DJ, producer and guitarist Raj has been firmly entrenched in downtempo and lo-fi aesthetics with releases like 2023’s ‘Confirm My Beliefs’ and 2024’s ‘Culture & Opinions’.

Now, with ‘Weather Changes Moods’, Raj has ventured into new musical territory—and it’s really paid off.

“I found myself listening to a lot of jazz house and deep soulful house, and it really resonated with me,” Raj told Mixmag Asia.

He continued: “I knew it was time to make that progression in my own work as I wanted to create music for the dancefloor while still retaining the melodic warmth and atmospheric touch that has always defined my sound.”

Released last month via German label 55 Music, Raj’s new seven-track project presents a cohesive yet genre-fluid journey rooted in house that features long-term global collaborators like Soul Food Horns, Mauricesax and Sven Wegner.

Read this next: Indulge in the sultry sounds of Raj’s debut album, ‘Cultures & Opinions’

On whether this change of direction is going to be short or long-term, Raj shared, “I’m definitely going to double down on this sound. My next project is already in the works, and it’ll showcase a more refined take on what I’ve started here.”

Read this next: Premiere: Light & rhythm harmoniously intertwine in Demsky’s ‘Patterns That Shimmer’

Inspired by global jazz house artists like Chaos in the CBD, Tour-Maubourg, Berlioz, and Dublon, ‘Weather Changes Moods’ veers between jazzy lo-fi-coded house (‘Its Happening’) and brighter, more dancefloor-oriented moments (‘Break The Ice’, ‘Do It Alone’) with soul, jazz, and funk influences.

What resonates across the release is a sense of freshness and an instinct for spontaneity across the instrumentals, which should come as no surprise since Raj regularly performs live sets using SP404 sampling.

In all, the EP is a delight to listen to—no matter the weather.

Mengzy is Mixmag Asia’s Music Culture Columnist, follow her on Instagram.

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