Rave Select
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With no reference point to draw from — and after some quiet speculation about where the sound might go — Rave Select wastes no time in weaving together inspirations from his crate-digging, soul-searching, and dial-twisting to deliver two tracks that feel less like a debut and more like a soft landing.“Fragments EP” finds Rave Select working in dual focus — one eye on mood, the other on mechanics. The result: two tracks with enough internal logic to sound like something you’ve always known, just not by name.A-side “Fragments”, the title track, lands with headstrong, subtropical bounce. A seven-minute string-driven opus, locked into a stoic 120 BPM grid. It doesn’t chase payoff — it leans into the afro pocket, letting arrangement and rhythm speak. A modern interpretation of African rhythmic traditions, filtered through detail-heavy arrangement and long-form intuition.On the flip, “Mukundi” is a quiet, jazz-laced, melodic meditation. A study in balance — where the right shaker loop and guitar motif are given eight minutes to unfold. Acoustic flourishes, soft pads, pitched vocal fragments, and hypnotic piano phrases build patiently in dialogue. Just as it finds its stillness, the break slips in a full brass section and parade snares — not to shift the tone, but to settle it.
Release Title: Fragments EP
Imprint: PROGRESSIVE ELEMENTS
Artist: Rave Select
Cover Art: Rave Select
Marked by a progressive edge and a tribal-tech pulse, Off Ground sees Rave Select meticulously slotting eight introspective juggernauts into his catalog. True to its name, Off Ground launches Rave Select’s distinct sonic lexicon into the stratosphere of modern peak-time basement sets.The LP format proves an efficient vehicle for this tightly curated journey. Much like its predecessor Fragments, Off Ground eschews trend compliance in favor of deeply personal storytelling.
Eight tracks. No filler. Off Ground moves through different temperatures without losing shape. From the tight syncopation of “Timeless” to the heavy fog of “Mainframe,” Rave Select stays close to the chest — detailed, personal, never overdone.“Relics” leans into feeling. Acoustic strings, bongo pressure, and a vocal from KBL (US) that lingers more than it leads. “Basement Evolution” gets rougher — turntable flicks, vocal chops, and a Maputo-style bassline pulling everything into a controlled spiral. On “Mosi oa Tunya,” SoPresh (NG) moves with ease across a clean 120 BPM groove laced with jazz detail. “Bethesda” builds through layered percussion before landing soft, almost like a breath out.Then “Kana Waenda” closes the loop — Milly (ZW) in full voice over a slow-burn Afro-funk rhythm, loaded with grit, nostalgia, and ambient push. Shona lyrics cut through the haze while everything underneath keeps moving forward.No trend compliance here. Just eight innovating the sound and sitting right where they’re meant to.
Release Title: Off Ground LP
Imprint: PROGRESSIVE ELEMENTS
Artist: Rave Select
Cover Art: Rave Select
Hardly a day off, but one could have easily assumed that, given the light conversation surrounding the release of his recent Off Ground LP. Only a few weeks later, Rave Select has returned from hibernation in quick succession. More material from the ardent cat arrives in the form of LP2 — cryptically titled the Pushing Kicks LP.Sonically, the same anti-formula ethos that shaped his previous records burns brightly here. No prefab loops, no algorithmic polish — just raw, deliberate craftsmanship. That resistance to trend-chasing remains intact, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anything in the crates right now that sounds quite like it. This is singular terrain — built for heads who still trust the long way ‘round, and for floors that embrace “a different sound”.
Release Title: Pushing Kicks LP
Imprint: PROGRESSIVE ELEMENTS
Artist: Rave Select
Cover Art: Concept and Photography: JohnnytheDOP
Stepping far beyond the realm of “happenstance”, and dusting up nine Electronic-beat Juggernauts that are equal parts introspective and in sync with the club crowd is a normal day around here.Yes if you haven’t caught on yet, Rave Select just uploaded the new material. Casually laying claim to a few more dance floor cuts, and letting them sit comfortably as the fourth project this year alone. Also marking four official self releases on his own label “Progressive Elements”.That’s the context. Now that you’re all caught up — Progressive Elements is proud to present Rave Select’s “Keep Deep LP” which continues the same sonic arc introduced in his first three projects. The percussion is punching harder this time and he’s not shying away from the over active snares and congas snapping into the foreground. Back to that “tribal drums” vibe while expanding it into panoramic territory. Half the tracks on this record stretch beyond the six–minute threshold, giving them time to breathe and mutate.
Release Title: Keep Deep LP
Imprint: PROGRESSIVE ELEMENTS
Artist: Rave Select
Cover Art: Rave Select