Rusia-IDK, the avant-pop collective shaping Madrid’s party scene

Crowd surfing their way across Madrid and into worldwide recognition (Ralphie Coo’s “Supernova” featured in Pitchfork’s best songs of 2023), Rusia-IDK’s reach will no doubt continue to grow through regular parties that attract a hyper-dedicated crowd across the country. “Most places don’t play the music that we enjoy and the ones that do don’t really sound so good,” they explain. “For us, a good party is one in which we all come together and bring our own friends into the plan. The vibes are always friendly and we have lots of fun with each other.” Below, we meet the five artist making it happen.

Fresh off his debut album Supernova, Madrid-born producer and songwriter Ralphie Choo has massed thousands of streams with his glitchy take on hip-hop, which he fuses with reggaeton and flamenco, most notably on track “MÁQUINA CULONA” with Mura Masa. Co-signed by fellow Spanish pop artist, Rosalía, his internet-born sound brings together pop culture references (he’s named after a Simpsons character) and internet humour (check out his IG) with an impressionistic approach to songwriting that jumps between Spanish and English. “It’s only four months since the release of the album I had been working on for two years, and now I’m in a process of unlearning and learning at the same time,” he shares. “I’ve been discovering a lot of music, [trying to be] super receptive and self-aware.”

24-year-old DJ and producer rusowsky is known for his skills as a storyteller, expressing his inner world through reconfigured shoegaze, electronica and trap. His catchy melodic song “So So” has racked up more than 20 million streams on Spotify. As a DJ, you can expect everything from drum and bass to hyperpop and offbeat hip-hop. “My inspiration is the purest representation of all the things that I love in my life,” he says, “all my fave songs from adolescence, and the music my dad listened to when I was a child.”

The group’s youngest member, TRISTÁN! debuted on the label with “Amiga” in 2022, and has since collaborated with fellow Rusia-IDK member rusowsky on the upbeat reggaeton-influenced track “GOOFY” to which he brings his staple, hazy vocals. “When I’m producing in my room, I usually don’t know if it’s going to come to anything,” he says. “I try a lot of things and then normally I ask my friends to help me make the final song. The only thing that I’m good at is just knowing what I like and what I don’t.”

“I love to capture sounds IRL and destroy them later, to combine it with other synths and samples,” says Madrid-native and producer DRUMMIE. Taking inspiration from Nick Hakim, Moses Sumney and Bill Evans, his production on songs like “Tangos de una moto trucada” and “Bulerías de un caballo malo” have made DRUMMIE a well-known name in the circuit. Describing his music as “a conversation between shitty voice memos and hi-fidelity stuff”, he’s behind the beats on Ralphie Choo’s Supernova, but if you want a taste of his solo work, check out racy club banger “steak tar tar” with fellow Spanish artist, Shego.

mori has emerged as a pivotal figure for Rusia-IDK, paving the path for the group in 2019. His debut single “no” captured audiences with its raw authenticity. High-profile collaborations like “vanish” and “Shame” showcased his versatility, but mori chose to shun the limelight, preferring a measured pace of self-discovery. Tracks like “i2i” and “BEATDROP”, produced by TRISTÁN!, exemplify his avant-garde approach, showing that his dedication to artistic integrity within Rusia-IDK is unwavering.