A queer icon steps up for RA.998's B-side.

The RA Podcast began with RA.001 in 2006. Since then, it's spotlighted the best and brightest in dance music every week, without fail. As we approach our 1,000th episode next month, we're switching things up, pairing artists whose sounds complement one another and, in doing so, zeroing in on the forces shaping the past, present and future of electronic culture.

This week, we shift lanes to Roza Terenzi and Kim Ann Foxman, two artists who strike a rare balance between reverence and reinvention. Both are key figures in queer clubbing circles, deeply informed by the halcyon days of '90s and early '00s club music yet fully committed to pushing it forward.

Each artist has carved out a distinct path. Roza Terenzi started out in Perth, Australia, before making a home in Berlin in 2020, while the Hawaii-born Foxman made her name in New York by way of San Francisco in the early '00s. For RA.998, they've contributed separate mixes, to be enjoyed together as two parts of the same whole.

Foxman takes the B-side and makes her RA Podcast debut. As a vocalist for Hercules & Love Affair and a sought-after producer in her own right, the New York-based artist blends club heft and melodic flourish with a distinct pop sensibility shaped by '90s dance music. (She got her first job making smoothies at an all-ages club in Hawaii while Deee-Lite performed live behind her.)

Like Roza Terenzi, Foxman draws from across eras. Her contribution to RA.998 is warm, expressive and emotionally tuned, unfurling a palette of house, breaks and trance laden with bright pads, bold hooks and an ear for atmosphere. Listen out for the Whitney Houston sample and you'll know what we mean.

While Foxman and Roza Terenzi embrace a fun, vibrant musical style, their work is grounded in intentionality. They're invested in honouring the cultural and political roots of dance music: Foxman has long advocated for a more inclusive, community-driven club scene, while Roza Terenzi was among the first artists to begin pulling shows this summer as a matter of political principle.

Both sides of RA.998 show how the sounds of past eras can be reimagined to move seamlessly with the present. Hopefully you'll even feel a jolt of inspiration to get yourself to the nearest dance floor, ASAP.

@kimannfoxman
Find the tracklist and interview at ra.co/podcast/1003