Ruff Majik Post New Single “Elektrik Ram”
I don’t see a release date for Ruff Majik‘s impending fourth album, Elektrik Ram, in the PR wire info below, and I’m not sure what to make of that if anything, but when the South African band put out “She’s Still a Goth” (posted here), it was reportedly April 2023. That’s still my best estimate, and if “She’s Still a Goth” was an early teaser, then “Elektrik Ram,” the title-track, builds on that with more cheeky goth and a purposely rough, almost garage-style sound to its strummed riff. You’ll note the use of the word “triumph” and considerations of it as a “battle song” in the quote, and you can hear that in some of the turns of lead guitar, but as ever for Ruff Majik, there’s a lot happening in relatively little time, and it’s still very much recognizably their own.
I’m really looking forward to this album. Expecting something different from 2020’s The Devil’s Cattle (review here) considering the years in between and the two songs they’ve made public thus far, but if they’re growing weirder I think that’s only an asset in their favor and the further out they reach from their desert-style heavy rock roots, the stronger a band I think they’re becoming. One assumes tour announcements are forthcoming as well, so with that in mind, I’ll turn you over to the info in blue and the track streaming at the bottom of this post.
Also, if you’re on TikTok, they’ve been doing some skits and posting practice footage on there. Might be worth giving them a follow.
Here you go:
RUFF MAJIK UNLEASH EXPLOSIVE NEW SINGLE ‘ELEKTRIK RAM’
DOWNLOAD / STREAM ‘ELEKTRIK RAM’
https://orcd.co/elektrikram
https://mongrelrecords1.bandcamp.com/track/elektrik-ram
Elektrik Ram is the new single and title track from South African stoner rock reprobates Ruff Majik’s upcoming album.
Vocalist and guitarist Johni Holiday’s quick stint in a mental wellness facility brought on the lyrics and structure of Elektrik Ram. “What started as a fun ditty, emulating the sound of Siamese Dream era Smashing Pumpkins, became a triumphant battle song chronicling the power of picking up where you left off and trying again.” Explains Johni.
He delves deeper into the message behind the song, “Conquering dependency on medication and machines (as a replacement for human contact) to step out victorious. It’s a song about not letting go of rage but using it instead to break through the barriers of modern living.”
The first gasps of air this song took was a three-part harmony that Johni wrote using only his acoustic guitar and a tape recorder to lay down the ideas. From there it was presented to the other members of the band, with the idea of making a relentless juggernaut of a song. “It should sound like a swarm of bees, but with an uplifting crescendo” Johni said.
Lyrically, Holiday referenced the feeling of being incapacitated on a hospital bed and combined it with an allegory for oppressive and dogmatic religious views, to drive the point home that “fate will not grant you any favours, you must take them.”
Current lineup:
Johni Holiday
Jimmy Glass
Cowboy Bez
Steven Bosman
http://www.ruffmajik.com
http://www.facebook.com/ruffmajik
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https://www.tiktok.com/@ruffmajik
http://mongrelrecords.com
http://www.facebook.com/mongrelrecords
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