On the first of May, Dutch DJ and producer Yannick Verhoeven releases “Ataraxia,” his debut EP as Ramses3000. A cutting-edge melting pot of eclectic electronic influences and outer-national vibes, these six tracks form a bold and vibrant opening statement and display a seemingly limitless creative voice. While tracks Libi and Terra Incognita find their origins in club music and percussional house, Verhoeven's special talent for genre-blending is especially evident in his interweaving of afro-dub into the down-tempo title track, and in his two stellar collaborations with Sierra Leonean rappers Mash P and Vinel.

“Ataraxia” is a Greek term which roughly translates to “a state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety,” and it was out of this state that these six tracks were conceived; the creation process tied to an acute awareness of transience and an appreciation for the “here and now.” One of Verhoeven's most cherished moments of ataraxia was actually captured here on the tracks Komotte and Gbana, cut during an extended visit to Way Out Studios in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. As Verhoeven had become more involved with musical developments outside the so-called “Western World,” the desire arose to actually visit these places to witness this shift of global music with his own eyes and ears.


But already Verhoeven has built a serious reputation for himself under the Ramses3000 moniker by bringing international discoveries like these to Dutch dance-floors, including at high-profile festivals like Lowlands, Le Guess Who?, and Amsterdam Dance Event. His group Cairo Liberation Front has helped introduce the sounds of Egyptian electro-cha3bi music to Europe, and with Eurabia, his curated club nights, he's giving contemporary Arab electronic artists an over-ground platform in the Netherlands.

All of which can be heard right here and right now in his solo debut, an experimental carpet of swirling electronics, percussion, and drums that hints at the kind of wildly diverse (but startlingly cohesive) DJ sets he's best known for. “Ataraxia” will be released digitally and to all streaming platforms May 1st on Coloray’s Intercept label.