REFRACTIONS θ2 EP to Arrive From London Producer Darama
The three-track EP draws on bhangra, UK funky and grime influences across songs including KURI and BURNT EMBERS.
London-based producer Darama is set to release Refractions θ2, the second installment in his three-part Refractions series. Following the sonic groundwork laid by Refractions θ1, the new EP sharpens its focus toward the dancefloor, delivering three sound system-oriented tracks built around deep low end, immersive atmospheres and club-ready energy. Operating around a 110 BPM pocket, Darama continues to draw on UK bass, global club and bhangra-inspired rhythms, combining South Asian instrumentation with grime and hip-hop influences.
Refractions θ2 is out 30th July and can be purchased or streamed at darama.bandcamp.com.
Across its three tracks, Refractions θ2 moves effortlessly between peak-time intensity and cinematic depth. Opening track 'KURI' features a classic bhangra vocal sample riding over hard-hitting drums, heavy 808s and a swirling distorted lead, building tension before a devastating second drop. It's a peak-time sound system weapon and a natural successor to 'GIRLS LIKE THE WHIP'. Next up, 'BURNT EMBERS' expands the palette with pitched string arrangements, tumbi melodies, UK funky-inspired horns and chopped dhol rhythms, all driven by a syncopated metallic bassline that mutates through half-time switches, pitch shifts and an acid-infused finale. Closing track 'DON'T LEAVE ME' shifts into more melancholic territory, drawing on purple music influences with South Asian percussion, digital synths and an R&B vocal sample before unleashing the EP's heaviest bassline. Distorted low end, fractured textures and orchestral strings balance chaos with emotion, while a shimmering final breakdown dissolves into fragmented vocal echoes, bringing the record to an atmospheric close.
Speaking about the EP, Darama explains: 'Refractions θ2 is an exploration of formative sounds in the club environments that have shaped me over the past few years. Purpose built for a dancefloors and sound systems but with a more ethereal edge. If Refractions θ1 was a reflection on my past then this is the present.'
Rooted in UK dance music but unconstrained by genre, Darama draws from UKG, hip-hop, experimental electronic music and South Asian influences to create a sound that feels both personal and progressive. Early releases on More Time Records and Pound Shop Edits earned support from Boiler Room, HÖR and Rinse, alongside appearances at Glastonbury and The Warehouse Project, but Refractions marks a new creative chapter rather than a continuation of that foundation.
As a core member of the South Asian collective Daytimers, Darama is using Refractions to explore dance music as a space for self-discovery and transformation. At its heart, the project challenges the culture's growing reliance on nostalgia - not by rejecting the past, but by asking what comes next. His view is that when dance music becomes too focused on recreating former moments, it risks losing its capacity to evolve. Refractions is his contribution to that conversation: music that looks forward, embraces change and invites listeners into something more open and optimistic.
Across its three tracks, Refractions θ2 reimagines the orchestral horns and strings long associated with UK funky, using them as the foundation for a bold, contemporary club sound. It marks the most dancefloor-focused release in the Refractions series so far - an EP built for powerful sound systems, late-night energy and moments of complete immersion.
Tracklist
KURI
BURNT EMBERS
DON'T LEAVE ME
Follow Darama
Instagram | Soundcloud | Beatport
Darama is a core member of the South Asian collective DAYTIMERS, and his earlier releases on More Time Records and Pound Shop Edits drew support from Boiler Room, HÖR and Rinse, along with appearances at Glastonbury and The Warehouse Project.
.jpg?format=auto&width=300)
