R417 - Rat Holes

Chelyabinsk-based producer R417 presents ‘The Long Winter of 2026’, a stripped five-track statement for RNDM, the Moscow label and club he considers his spiritual home. After early drum'n'bass output on Inception:Λudio, his focus narrows into a hard dance continuum shaped by machine funk and a locked syncopated techno drive. ‘The Long Winter of 2026’ leans into stormy low end, rolling drums, sharp percussive hits and looped vocal fragments, forming intricately textured techno that feels fluid and naturally geared toward the dancefloor. Previous releases on BCCO, Airsound Records, RAWNESS, Fast Dogs, IDRA and Abstract Syndicate sketched the outline, but here the intent is fully reduced. Built on minor chord key sequence flow and mind bending 4/4 psychedelia, the EP moves with a fluid, open energy, allowing frequent euphoric moments to surface without strain. The result is a coiled yet spacious groove language that feels physical and controlled, while remaining effortlessly engaging and, at its edges, breathtakingly beautiful.