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STEFAN RINGER / Takuro Higuchi
R We There Yet? EP
Dotei Records - Cat No: DTR-009
- updated:2026-01-23
Hachioji, (Dotei) Dotei Records welcomes deep house prodigy STEFAN RINGER from Atlanta, US. He will be performing a two-song split with owner Takuro Higuchi!
Track List
R We There Yet? is a split EP by Stefan Ringer, a leading figure of the next generation house scene who is based in his hometown Atlanta while maintaining a truly global presence, and Takuro Higuchi, owner of the record store/record label Dotei Records. The two first met when Stefan visited Japan for the first time in 2023, and deepened their connection through a DJ tour across Japan in 2024. This project began when Stefan visited Takuro's home and Takuro confessed that he was making music, but struggling to finish a track. Stefan suggested that they produce a split EP, and when Takuro said, "I'll try" Stefan said “You are not just trying. You are doing it.” This was the fire that Takuro needed - encouraged by his words, Takuro began working on music again and finally finished two tracks. The title R We There Yet? comes from a phrase repeated in Stefan's track A2, Road to Shizuoka. It was inspired by the long, unexpectedly drawn-out drive Stefan and Takuro took while on tour from Hachioji to Shizuoka, and evolved into a broader reflection — Am I (or are you) really reaching the things we're striving for in life? Am I truly working hard to move forward? It’s a message that questions one’s journey, daily practice, and the spirituality that lies within. I hope you also enjoy Taizo Watanabe’s artwork, which beautifully captures the theme of encounters that transcend place and time.
(Dotei Records releases are now available at New Tone. Based in Hachioji, Tokyo, STEFAN RINGER is one of the few independent labels in Japan that has been hooked up with the US house scene, stoned deep house, and black dance music. This is a split with Takuro Higuchi of Dotei Records, one of the few independent labels in Japan based in Hachioji. The following is a quote from the label's information. (
The "R We There Yet? EP is a split EP by Stefan Ringer, who is based in his hometown of Atlanta but has become a driving force in the next generation of the House scene worldwide, and Takuro Higuchi, owner of the record store Dotei. We met when Stefan first came to Japan in 2023, and in 2024 we toured several cities in Japan, deepening our relationship. Stefan came to my house and said, "I've got all the gear, but I haven't been able to finish the songs. I said, "I'll give it a try. I'm gonna try. (I'm gonna try," to which he replied, "You don't just try. You are not just trying. (You are not just trying. You are doing it. The title of this work, "We There Yet?" is a phrase that is repeated in the song "Road to Shizuoka" in A2. Am I (you) making progress? The message is a sublimation of the thoughts and feelings that I had on the road from Hachioji to Shizuoka, and it is a message that asks questions about life, daily activities, and spirituality. Please enjoy Taizo Watanabe's artwork, which is based on the theme of encounters that transcend place and time.