Things are finally falling into place for Soma Rasa. After a long climb up the ranks of Brisbane's burgeoning music scene, the imminent release of their debut album should see the band ascending to their rightful position as one of the country's most interesting and innovative dance acts. Of course, it helps to have a major label behind you!

A group that can kick out their huge breakbeat sound live like few others, Soma Rasa have called Brisbane label Valve home for a few years now, alongside other local favourites such as Full Fathom Five. With the recent acquisition of Valve by Warner Music Australia, this tiny local label's stable have suddenly found themselves in a much larger paddock. Not that Soma Rasa haven't already had their fair share of national exposure, with Triple J playing cuts from their debut EP Dirty, and extensive touring down south.

In fact, it's been their touring live show which has ensured keen anticipation nationally for their debut album. Dan Hazard, drummer and programmer in the group, seems to have enjoyed the respite that recording has allowed: "All of last year and the year before, we've been flogging it down south, playing more there than up [in Brisbane]. We did the Moby tour last year which took us to Perth and Adelaide, so we did a bit of sightseeing last year!"

With Soma Rasa's resident DJ at the time, Shannon, living in Sydney, it also meant the guys had a base from which to launch their sonic attacks on southern centres. With the departure of Shannon from the group though, Soma Rasa have again become a thoroughly Brisbane proposition, and stepping into Shannon's shoes is one of this town's dearest DJing sons, DJ Kristian. Sometimes known as K-Swift, Kristian was last year's Queensland DMC Mixing champion, taking on the best DJs from around the country in the national final in Melbourne. Although still in rehearsals with Soma Rasa, Dan sounds confident the match-up will add a new dimension to the band's sound, particularly live.

At the moment however, the group's energies are focused firmly on finishing their first album. Recording at home and using two computer studios has meant the band (and their label) have avoided expensive studio fees, and have been able to spend nearly a year recording, programming and mixing the final product. With a tentative release date of October 9, and the end finally in sight, Dan sounds quietly confident about the end result. Approaching recording from a slightly different angle to their live sets, the album will incorporate more in terms of vocal material. Says Dan, "I'm doing a little bit myself, a few vocal samples and stuff. There's a couple of extended lyrical pieces and heaps of vocodered [effected] vocal stuff - it's definitely more vocal oriented than our previous stuff."

The band is also looking at the possibility of including some collaboration with fellow Brisbane musicians, with local chanteuse Kiley Gaffney one possibility. "We've written a drum 'n' bass song which we originally did with samples of Shirley Bassey from Strangers in the Night," explains Dan. "Obviously the clearance of that sample is a little awkward, [so] we're thinking of getting a female vocalist [to sing on it]".

Chris Buckridge