OW EXCLUSIVE: PRIYA RAGU – MADRAS

MADRAS STATE OF MIND

First erupting with her acclaimed mixtape damnshestamil—fuelled by runaway cuts like “Good Love 2.0” and a defining feature on Jungle’s Loving In Stereo—Tamil-Swiss visionary Priya Ragu returns with Madras, her third and most fiercely realised body of work to date. Operating across both sides of the map, the record was written across Zurich, Goa, Mumbai, and Kerala before locking into the studios of Chennai—the southern Indian metropolis formerly known as Madras. Here, she strips away all external industry agendas and studio stopwatches. Working in an airtight, closed-circle unit alongside her brother and sole producer Japhna Gold, Ragu collides traditional Tamil melodies and South Asian rhythms with left-field R&B, hip-hop cadence, and kinetic, disco-leaning grooves.

Where 2023’s critically lauded Santhosam charted the search for inner purpose, Madras is the sound of walking that path in real time—shedding the armour to build something deeply human, tactile, and immediate. Elevated by sweeping live instrumentation—from veteran orchestral string players and organic woodwinds to a local Tamil children’s choir from Chennai on “111”—the album moves effortlessly between the euphoric, rhythm-driven pulse of “Priya Priya” and title cut “Madras”, and the reflective stillness of “Anybody” and “Rivers and Gold”. It is a vivid, borderless masterclass from an artist in total command of her timing and territory.

✦ ODDWAX EXCLUSIVE EDITION ✦

The ODDWAX Exclusive edition of Madras comes pressed on St. Gallen Green & Swiss Coffee Pinwheel. Housed in luxe packaging with a holographic hype sticker, this pressing will not be repressed once sold out. Strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide, hand-numbered to order and restricted to 1 per customer.

TRACKLIST

SIDE A

1. COLORS
2. POLAR
3. MADRAS
4. FINALLY
5. ANYBODY
6. RIVERS & GOLD
7. WITHOUT ME

SIDE B

8. PRIYA PRIYA
9. MELE
10. UNDER THE SKY
11. HOME
12. 1111

✦ PLEASE NOTE ✦

Due to the bespoke nature of the manufacturing process, every splatter vinyl is completely unique. The final color blend and pattern will vary slightly from the digital mock-ups, making your specific copy a one-of-a-kind pressing.