RA Podcast Folgen

The British jungle star reflects on grief, artistic integrity, bass communities and why slowing down has become central to the next phase of her career. In 2019, SHERELLE's life changed when a viral Boiler Room set introduced her high-speed blend of jungle, footwork and hardcore to a global audience. This much we know. So what comes after the storm? In the 2020s, the Londoner has become one of the most recognisable figures in UK dance music: major festival stages, a BBC Radio 6 Music show and even a MOBO award. Yet after putting herself through over 100 shows a year, and turning 30, she began to question the pace of life as a touring DJ. The deaths of two close family members over the past 12 months brought those questions into focus, reshaping how she thinks about DJing, friendship, club culture and what she wants to leave behind. In this Exchange, SHERELLE speaks with RA Editor Gabe Szatan about learning to take pride in her achievements, resisting the pressure to turn music into social media content and giving UK bass artists their flowers while they're still here. She also discusses Hooversound—the label she runs with NAINA—racial and class hierarchies that shape dance music, and Rest & Restoration, her new party built around longer sets, affordable tickets and a simple philosophy to slow down, and make time for the people you love. Listen to the episode in full. @iamsherelle

A New York summertime block party in all of its glory. New York City has had an epic few months. From clinching a milestone NBA Championship title, to Mayor Mamdani rolling out affordable housing and fixing potholes, to World Cup fever, the summer of 2026 has (for the most part) been a rush of elation for residents. Soundtracking it all is Public Service. A free, monthly party run by DJs Toribio and Mickey Perez, this all-ages affair hit record crowds in recent editions ever since launching five years ago. Even if there's no special occasion, the atmosphere is always electric. Multiple dance cyphers form; musicians bring instruments to jam; free pizza is distributed; informal marketplaces emerge in the back. Public Service is a living tapestry of block party culture, serving as a reminder that church-like communal joy doesn't need four walls or a roof. Taking place in Brooklyn parks during the summer and clubs during cold weather, the party has also held editions in Detroit, Miami and Montréal. Sound is powered by hot pink speaker stacks, decorated with flower garlands, courtesy of Karlala Soundsystem whose founder Karl Scholz regularly provides rentals for free or at a sliding scale to cultural organisers. Toribio and Perez man the decks each time, dishing out heaters across Afro house, dembow, cumbia, electro, hip-hop and techno. It might be the city's only DIY party where you can hear Jackmaster, Kendrick Lamar and Willie Colón in a single hour or see kids, aunties and grandfathers in the crowd. RA.1053 is a recording of this year's season opener in May—its vibrant blends and carnival-like mood will likely have more than a few listeners planning trips to experience the magic. Find the tracklist and Q&A at ra.co/podcast/1072 @publicservicenyc @mickeyperez @toribiomusic

The titan of UK bass delivers a head trip through dub's past, present and future, one year on from RA.1000.Time has a way of slipping through the fingers. A year ago, RA.1000 marked the 1,000th release in the RA Mix series. Now, 52 weeks on, we've arrived at RA.1052—and first up is Kevin Richard Martin, AKA The Bug, finally making his long-awaited debut on the series. Ask anyone who's stood within earshot of a soundsystem he's operating: Martin doesn't so much make music as engineer entire weather systems. His music demands total immersion, from the earthquake-like bass weight of anthems like "Skeng" and "Poison Dart" to the post-apocalyptic pull of his slower steppers. As he told RBMA in 2018: "The more music becomes relegated to a cheap accessory, the less people will realise there's great magic in music as a form." For his RA Mix debut, Martin delivers "nocturnal dives into the city with memories of Blade Runner on repeat." A tribute to PRESSURE, his Berlin night, RA.1052 runs through Porter Ricks, Dillinja and Tikiman, charting dub's kaleidoscopic range — from Basic Channel's minimalism to K Wata's sleek bass science. A year ago, RA.1000 looked back on two decades since 2006. RA.1052 picks up the torch and keeps walking. See you here again next year. Find the tracklist and Q&A at ra.co/podcast/1071 @thebugofficial