The long-standing collaboration between influential dance music selector/DJ/producer Eli Escobar and critically acclaimed vocalist/songwriter Nomi Ruiz has been years in the making. The two Puerto Rican New York natives’ first collaboration in 2011 ‘Desire,’ released on Stretch Armstrong’s Plant Music, was an electrifying club track turned torch song. They’ve since featured on one each other’s various releases such as their 2013 cover of Boy George’s ‘Somebody To Love Me’ released on Nervous Records and ‘Shadow Dancer’ released in 2015 as part of Nomi’s Jessica 6 electro-pop outfit, so it was only natural for the duo to launch an official joint project.
Their first production as a duo, ‘Dance 4 Love ’99’ released on Classic Music Company, was a glorious, funk-laden, disco infused ode to the 90’s New York dance scene, a time and place that seems so far gone. And now as they prepare to release their first LP, much like the face and soul of their city’s landscape, their tune has also changed.
The boldly titled ‘Love Louder,’ while still laced with dancefloor gems like the howling witch house track ‘Heathens’ and nostalgic ode to freestyle ‘Full Fantasy,’ takes a surprising emotional turn as it seems to call for pause and presence in a fleeting world. “We live in a world and a city where this sense of imminent loss surrounds us” says Ruiz “it’s difficult to deny.”
The album opens with the pulsing piano driven title track ‘Love Louder,’ where Ruiz borrows lyrics from the late Donny Hathaway singing, “tomorrow may never come, tomorrow’s only made for some.” Pulling from their surroundings alone, there is much to mourn from living in a city that sinks deeper into gentrification, replacing locals and venues that gave birth to New York’s underground with luxury condos and Hermes boutiques, to even greater losses hitting closer to home.
While working on the ‘Love Louder’ LP, the duo were faced with the sudden loss of mutual friend and one third of Eli’s legendary party Night People, James Dewitt, aka DJ BluJemz. “James was the driving force behind everything we did together” says Escobar, “his passion, his commitment, his genuine interest in devouring all that was new or unknown to him—and it’s hard to imagine continuing without him.”
“It really changed the energy of the song writing process for me,” says Ruiz of continuing the album after James’ passing. “It became an outlet for me to process and express my grief while staying connected to Eli who I knew was also trying to make sense of it all.”
You can now listen to the full premiere of ‘Glitter & Gold’ exclusively on When We Dip Radio. Enjoy!
Release Date: June 27th, 2025. Buy Here
Eli Escobar: Instagram // SoundCloud
Nomi Ruiz: Instagram // SoundCloud
Razor-N-Tape: Instagram // SoundCloud