RUI HO escorts us through a cyberqueer world of high-speed neon dance bangers.
Growing up in China without access to a club culture to align herself with, RUI HO retreated to the internet to learn about dance music and its surrounding culture. Online, she combed through a dense sound world without being subjected to the same hierarchies those of us within the scene deal with seemingly daily. And when she moved to Europe, Rui was joining a conversation with a different set of talking points: her world was free of the restrictions we’ve put on our music and culture.
RUI HO’s debut EP, 戰記, released on powerhouse Chinese imprint Genome 6.66Mbp, showcased her glorious fusion of traditional Chinese melodies, searing industrial noise and Western club music, from trap to trance. Since then she’s released another EP on Genome and two EPs for Objects Limited, the latest of which, In Pursuit of the Sun 逐日, appeared last week. It’s one of the most satisfying records of the year, fusing disparate dance styles (happy hardcore, gabber, Eurodance) with glorious saccharine melodies and tying it together with Chinese folklore.
Rui’s FACT mix needs to be heard to be believed. It’s hard to be genuinely eclectic, but she manages by linking everything together with a generous dancefloor push; this isn’t deconstructed, it’s dance music thick with emotion and energy. Where else would you hear Rico Nasty, Golin, Britney Spears, Skrillex and Marshmello blended with gabber, hardstyle, noise and trance? Exactly. Turn it up loud and enjoy.
In Pursuit of the Sun 逐日 is out now on Objects Limited.
Tracklist:
Buga – ’88 Limits’ (ft. Golin)
Louis Me – ‘No Se Tu’
Jade Marie & Ash Turner – ‘Sirens’ (Bootleg)
Rico Nasty – ‘Cheat Code’ (feat. Baauer)
Otro – ‘2KWorld’
Golin & Samuelspaniel – ‘Unreleased’
Know V.A. – ‘NY is killing Me’
常石磊 & 袁婭維 – ‘小河淌水’
Chasis Featuring Ricardo F. – ‘Simply Destroy’
RUI HO – ‘Wing Of Lights’ (ADMIRER Remix)
Dj Animebby – ‘S1cKO M0D3’
Salvatore Ganacci & Sanjin – ‘MOTORSPEED 300 Km/h’
Former Hero – ‘planting flowers’
Skrillex – ‘Fuji Opener’ (feat. Alvin Risk)
Yultron – ‘Imma Be A Raver’
RUI HO – ‘Unreleased’
endworld – ‘aaa powerline’
Marshmello – ‘Alone’ (Gammer Flip)
Valentino Khan – ‘Novocaine’
De Staat – ‘Witch Doctor’ (Dj La Carotte 2016 Freestyle Re-Fix)
Britney Spears – ‘Till The World Ends’ (GOJII RMX)
Laces – ‘Unreleased’
Nahshi – ‘Laryth’
Redeilia – ‘Cosmic Love DJ INTRO’
DJ Satomi – ‘Waves’ (99jakes remix)
RUI HO – ‘Ardour’ (Bela Remix)
Read next: 20 under-the-radar club tracks you need to hear – August 2019