“I see you baby / Shaking that ass.” This lyric from 90’s dance superstars Groove Armada’s “I See You Baby,” out at a time when the U.K. was producing crossover big beat heaters left and right, is one of the most recognizable lines in dance music. Straight to the point, it’s a jab to get a crowd moving everything below the waistline on the dancefloor and the reason it’s had staying power is because it works.
DMV native Henri Charuau, known as the DJ and producer Riffa, is the kind of rave-minded, young blood producer who understands the weight and gravitas of such a legacy. Using the sample in his latest original, “Graffiti,” Riffa contextualizes grime and bass with wonky idiosyncrasies updating the Groove Armada ear worm into a banger worthy of Dirtybird’s catalog. Classing it up a level above standard G-house fare, the track understands the ‘less is more’ rule laying down a thick layer of kick, hi-hats, and snare which move like clockwork allowing the edit to revel in its beautiful simplicity.
Right now it’s available as a free download on SoundCloud. Listen to “Graffiti” by Riffa below.
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