Album of the Week - Louder Than War
Meat of the Week - Huey Morgan Show, BBC Radio 6 Music

“Filled with energy, spontaneity, and freedom” Twisted Soul
"Deep rhythm and melodic immediacy" Amazing Radio
"A beautiful dance of butterflies and notes in the air" Rodie Music

New London based quartet Qwalia, led by drummer Yusuf Ahmed, offer a plethora of influences whilst remaining resolutely itself. Assembled from musicians who play with David Byrne, Joy Crookes, Nubiyan Twist, Frank Ocean, Jordan Rakei, Sampha, Cat Stevens and more; Yusuf is joined by Tal Janes on guitars and vocals, Ben Reed on bass and keyboardist Joseph Costi.

The name Qwalia stems from the same sounding word Qualia, a philosophy of mind with the property of being an ineffable experience. Qwalia’s music is an instinctive aural expression of how things seemed in the moment of creation.

In April ‘21, Qwalia spent two days recording completely improvised music at the Fish Factory in North West London. There was no plan or preconceived idea of what the music should sound like or what was going to happen.

“We set up altogether in one room, dimmed the lights, pressed record and just played,” says Yusuf. “We came away with over 13 hours of music, which was consolidated into three albums worth of material. The final record is mainly a result of pulling faders up or down to create space and structure out of what was already there from the live recording. The production process felt akin to a sculptor chipping away excess stone to reveal a statue that was already there, and occasionally putting some makeup on it!”

The band members are Pakistani, Italian, Venezuelan, Jewish and English. A reflection of the fact that cultural categories are infinite; Qwalia’s music unconsciously explores identity, exposing what this can mean. Or perhaps that it doesn’t mean anything at all.

Vinyl/DL/Stream

Qwalia - Sound and Reason

Reassemble ft James Chatburn

Qwalia - In Your Own Words

Qwalia - Haven't You Heard

Qwalia - Electric Highway

Qwalia - Sound And Reason

Qwalia - The Grip

Qwalia - Fool Me Once

-Nathaniel S - Us 3 - Never not Now Rec.
-Biicla - Making new - System 108 Rec.
-Atrip - In The Mood - Higher Ground Rec.                                
-Kassian - Patterns - K7 Rec.
-2xm - Hear my call (Neil Macleod remix) - 2XM Rec.
-Effy - The Highest Level - Steel City Dance Disc                      
-Fernie - Unearthly (Ancestral Landscapes Remix) - Bahn Rec.
-Dangelo - Ciclo Infinito - Take More Music Rec.
-Jolene Scheffler - Space Sugar - Made of Concrete Rec. 
-William Arist - Visiting from Mars (Gene Richards Jr Remix) - Truncate Rec.
-Kmyle - Autobahn - Kmyle Rec.
-Developer - Fervere - Developer Archive Rec.
-Regent - Encoder - Mutual Rytm Rec.                                  
-Crackazat - We Know - Heist Recordings
-Ghedzo - Everything (Lh Production Garage Remix) - Stomp House Rec.
-Miguel Palhares - I Need You - Piston Rec.
-Louie Vega - Feel So Right (Tedd Patterson Club Remix) - Nervous Rec.
-Filta Freqz - Datz House (Take 2) - Seventy Four Rec.
-Stacy Kidd - Glory - House 4 Life Rec.
-Enta - Detox - Biological beats
-Anais, Hugh Hardie, Slay, T-Man - Headshot - Hospital Rec.     
-DLR - Fake Money - Sofa Sound                   
-Monrroe - Tsubaki - Shogun Audio              
-Exile, Jenks - Breakbeat Butcher - Jungle Cakes Rec.
-And is Phi - Double Pink - Albert's favourite LTD.

[DEEP]Search 07 (20 Nov 2023)

'All This Trouble' is the first track to land from Jonny Drop’s 2nd album "The Only Sound".  Warm, hazy Jazz is covered by a patchwork of percussion and beats that clearly display his sensibilities as a drummer. This early taste of the new album, due in June, is one of the closest heir’s to the "Sub Plot" crown, but confidently points at the producer’s development, which will be clearly heard in his new material. 

Jonny Drop’s debut, "Sub Plot", was the very first album release on the fledgling Albert’s Favourites label at the beginning of 2016. The initial offering, a 7” of album favourites 'Mind Field' and 'This Is The One' had quickly been picked up on by the good people at BBC Radio 6 Music as well as some of Drop’s personal heroes including Kenny Dope, Mr. Thing and Nightmares On Wax. But when the infectious rhythms and warm production of the beat tape landed, its impact was greater than anyone at the label could have hoped. 

Although Jonny never stopped producing beats in the following years, he was also kept busy as a drummer, playing live for Andrew Ashong, The Bongolian and Connie Constance, whose Boring Connie EP he also laid down beats for. Then in early 2018 his band The Expansions delivered their celebrated "Murmuration" LP. All the while, with the support of his label family, Drop had been evolving his solo sound too.

"The Only Sound sees a huge progression in my writing direction, as I collaborated with multiple vocalists and musicians, instead of the usual 'one-man band' approach. The development of these processes make this LP a steady departure from the beat-tape influence of my past releases, and hopefully, showcase the more original sound I've been working to achieve over the past few years."

Preorder Album: https://albertsfavourites.lnk.to/MXxbhPR

The Only Sound

Preorder Album

Exclusive Premiere: Jonny Drop "All This Trouble" (Albert's Favourites)

@modified-man is Dave Koor, a prolific keyboard player who is part of The Expansions, Hector Plimmer and Andrew Ashong’s live bands too, as well as having played improvisations with Yussef Kamaal. And Adam Scrimshire who cut his teeth with his own solo project 'Scrimshire' and runs the Wah Wah 45s record label, which is home to Dele Sosimi, The Milk, Resonators and Paper Tiger.

We've got the premiere of "Croydon Rooftop Cafe Culture" A broken chip tune jazz-funk oddessy. Brimming with influences of Dam-Funk, Herbie Hancock or Bugz In The Attic, this jittery, vibrant & playful track is a showcase for the sound of South London, as is the whole EP.

SB PREMIERE: Modified Man - Croydon Rooftop Cafe Culture [Albert’s Favourites]

Rinse FM Podcast

Download

Red Rack'em - 28th May 2018

Get You (STōND_LōK Mix)

South London producer Aeshim returns with another four-pack of beats and sounds created on his treasured Juno 6 synthesiser.

Premiere: Aeshim - Try Love Feat. Alice Higgins

South London producer Aeshim readies another four pack of beats and melodies created on his treasured Juno 6 synthesizer! As with his debut "One Week Peak", Aeshim challenged himself to produce each of the tracks on "Two Times Four" in a limited amount of hours. 

'Hot Scissors' has an all-around playful sound and feels that although made in a time-crunch was still a blast to create. It gives a nod to the mentality of today's style of Bruk - uplifting keys and chords overtop of in-the-gut low end bass and rhythms, and would probably fit within a Broken set. 

The new EP "Two Times Four" is out in October, but for now enjoy 'Hot Scissors'!

Preorder EP: https://aeshim.bandcamp.com/album/two-times-four

Hot Scissors

Preorder EP

Exclusive Premiere: Aeshim "Hot Scissors" (Albert's Favourites)

Modified Man brings another diverse bunch of tracks together for Set 3 with bubbling basslines, sizzling, expansive synth sounds and heavy, broken and percussive beats.  'Blame’s On You Bruv', combines their signature synth bounce with broken beats via some classic UK two-step vibes, and is the first time we’ve heard a (human) voice on their records.

Artist: @modified-man
Label: http://albertsfavourites.com/

SB PREMIERE: Modified Man - Blames On You Bruv [Alberts Favourites]

'Set 3 from Modified Man brings another diverse bunch of tracks together with bubbling basslines, sizzling, expansive synth sounds and heavy, broken and percussive beats. 

Blame’s On You Bruv, combines their signature synth bounce with broken beats via some classic UK two-step vibes, and is the first time we’ve heard a (human) voice on their records. 

Glass Army is way more direct, bringing grouchy beats and bass up to a euphoric disco/house jam before delivering an emotional final punch. 

Hear Me Calling is 808 gospel music, still nodding at the duo’s broken beat influences. Big, bass heavy, uplifting dance music. 

The rest of the EP continues to deliver the bizarre twists and turns, and sense of humour we’ve come to expect from the South London pair. Bumpy, atmospheric, spacious and jazz influenced in equal measures.

Artwork once again comes from a unique piece of plasticine art created by Tim Easley. This piece itself has been gaining love and attention with massive design authorities and tech sites from Creative Review to Engadget! '

Follow : @modified-man

Qwalia - In Your Own Words

Albert's Favourites

Related tracks