Mara TK, a golden voiced, Maori-Scottish world-wandering citizen of Aotearoa, New Zealand announces his debut single ‘Met At The River’, released 20th November on Extra Soul Perception. Stepping out on his own, Mara TK is the former frontman of the acclaimed Kiwi future soul trio Electric Wire Hustle.

Opening with the beautiful honey-toned vocals of Kenyan R&B singer and songwriter (Teyana Taylor) Xenia Manasseh over delicate piano chords, the track flips into a neo soul jam as the pair’s vocals melt together. The Double A-side single also features a solo version of Mara himself, speaking about the track Mara TK explains “This song took ten years to write because that was the life span of meeting someone wonderful, making babies and then fucking it all up - and finally feeling like you are all gonna be straight after all that shit. This song was therapy that didn’t cost me $200 an hour”.

An alumnus of Red Music Academy, Tortonto Mara TK’s work beyond Electric Wire Hustle has seen him work with critically lauded names including Om’Mas Keith of Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Detroit producer and J- Dilla collaborator  Waajeed, and UK vocalist and producer Steve Spacek to name a few.

A new signee to innovative London based label Extra Soul Perception, ‘Met At The River’ is the first single to be taken from Mara TK’s debut album, due for release in 2021 on ESP. Extra Soul Perception is a collaboration and community music platform that  started life between the UK, Kenya and Uganda but is now continuing to grow and connect independent musicians worldwide. Extra Soul Perception has released music by Lex Amor, K15, Maxwell Owin, Lynda Dawn, Hibotep, Karun, Labdi, Faizal Mostrixx and more.

Mara TK ft Xenia Manasseh - Met at the River

This Spring sees the highly anticipated return of Mara TK, the golden voiced singer of the Kiwi future soul trio Electric Wire Hustle. While EWH’s globally acclaimed career has seen this Māori-Scottish singer wonder all across the world, with his debut solo album ‘Bad Meditation’ he is returning to deeply personal topics about his home in Aotearoa (or long white cloud, the Māori name for New Zealand). The third single and the album’s title track is released 9th April.

Electric Wire Hustle released three critically revered albums released over seven years with their final output being ‘The 11th Sky’ came in 2016 across which time they grew a devoted following.

In the five years since then, Mara TK has been on a journey of musical self-discovery, as he says; “writing this album has been a form of therapy over the last few years trying to figure out what kind of music I wanted to make next”. The result, ‘Bad Meditation’, is his thirteen-track magnum opus, written and produced by Mara himself.

Speaking of the process of making the album he says; “I was offered what was basically a whole studio worth of gear from a friend who was moving overseas. I took a gamble and bought that gear and have spent the last five years learning how to use this shit. I had to bet on my own ability to learn new things so it was scary, but also keep in mind that music, like any other creative form doesn’t have to be perfect - the brush strokes don’t have to be exactly straight”.

‘Bad Meditation’ is an account of love, loss, healing and the story of Mara’s Māori heritage. As he explains; “Growing up poor, everything goes through our indigenous lens. Here in Aotearoa we have our own Gods, our own values our own ways of speaking that are different to the colonial/capitalist culture”.

This sentiment is carried through on the groove of ‘Grew Up Inna Chaos’ and the storytelling on previous single, melancholic lament, ‘Highly Medicated’, which sees Mara open up about his journey to heal following the death of his grandfather, who was his link to traditional customs in Aotearoa. Current single ‘Bad Meditation’ and ‘Colours’ are filled with layered harmonies, while the influence of Mara’s father, psychedelic rock guitarist Billy TK, seeps through. Features on the album include Kenyan R&B singer and songwriter Xenia Manasseh on ‘Met At The River’ and Māori musician Troy Kingi on the Boris Gardiner inspired ‘Every Hori Is A Star’.

An alumnus of Red Music Academy in Toronto, Mara TK’s work beyond Electric Wire Hustle has seen him collaborate with critically lauded names including Om’Mas Keith of Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Detroit producer and J Dilla collaborator Waajeed, and Steve Spacek.

Extra Soul Perception is a collaboration and community music platform that started life between the UK, Kenya and Uganda but is now continuing to grow and connect independent musicians worldwide. Now with Mara TK added to the roster, Extra Soul Perception has released music by Lex Amor, K15, Maxwell Owin, Lynda Dawn, Hibotep, Karun, Labdi, Faizal Mostrixx and more. 
credits

Bad Meditation

Mara TK - Grew Up Inna Chaos Feat. 2MY - [Clip]

Melvo is back with a new episode of The Remedy, a usual eclectic selection of music & with two new guests. 

Chicago artist Ric Wilson joins Melvo live in the studio to talk all things music, also, label feature with Extra Soul Perception. 

01. The Love Unlimited Orchestra – Satin Soul
02. Little Simz featuring Cleo Sol - Woman
03. Sinead Harnett - Ready Is Always Too Late
04. Kymara & Bobbie Johnson - Home
05. Takuya Kuroda - Everybody Loves the Sunshine
06. Jungle Brown - Keep It Movin'
07. Shelley FKA DRAM - Something About Us
08. Planet Giza featuring JMF - Hands On
09. Rochelle Jordan - ALL ALONG
10. Durand Jones & The Indications – Witchoo
11. Cupidon, KALLITECHNIS & Ric Wilson - Wake Up, Get Down
12. Ric Wilson & Terrace Martin - Move Like This
13. Royce Wood Junior - Honey'd Up
14. Bluestaeb featuring Ric Wilson & cay caleb. - Whoa Wait
15. Gabriels - Love and Hate in a Different Time (Aroop Roy Rework)
16. Makaz featuring LYMA - Not so different
17. Fényan featuring Kosmo Kint - Break Your Rules (Original Mix)
18. DJ Spoony featuring Lifford - Gabrielle
19. Faizal Mostrixx & Karun - In My Soul
20. Mara TK featuring Xenia Manasseh - Met at the River
21. Lynda Dawn & Bes Kept – Roses
22. Rasmus Faber featuring Dyanna Fearon - All of My Dreams (BBQ-79 Mix)
23. dego - This Is A Message To You
24. Hadiya George - Hot Flavor (Kaidi Tatham's Remix)
25. Brief Encounter - Human

The Remedy 011 w/ Ric Wilson + Extra Soul Perception

70s funk and 80s boogie from the London singer-songwriter. 

Interview & tracklist: https://www.stampthewax.com/2021/07/14/stamp-mix-111-lynda-dawn/

Buy Lynda Dawn - Roses 7" on Extra Soul Perception: https://lyndadawn.bandcamp.com/album/lynda-dawn-roses

Stamp Mix 111: Lynda Dawn

Lynda Dawn and XL Middleton collaborate on boogie 7" Roses for Extra Soul Perception. London soul singer Lynda Dawn returns with her first release since being tipped by The Guardian as one of their Ones To Watch in 2021.

Following her participation in the first ESP. writing camp in Nairobi 2019, ‘Roses’ was originally released on New Tangents...Vol. 1 EP alongside four other tracks with artists from the UK, Kenya and Uganda.

As part of the label’s commitment to international collaboration, Roses 7" brings two artists together for the first time, united by their love for boogie. To accompany the original, Lynda collaborated remotely with L.A. producer and record shop owner XL Middleton for an up-tempo fip, mixing g-funk and 90s RnB.

The Roses 7" is Extra Soul Perception’s second release of 2021, following on from Bad Medication, the debut album from former Electric Wire Hustle frontman Mara TK.

Tracklist

A1) Lynda Dawn & Bes Kept - Roses
A2) Lynda Dawn - Roses - XL Middleton Version

Press: andy@extrasoulperception.com
https://lyndadawn.bandcamp.com/album/lynda-dawn-roses
www.extrasoulperception.com

Exclusive Premiere: Lynda Dawn "Roses" XL Middleton Version (upcoming on Extra Soul Perception)

my love for you - stronger than pride

This week on the podcast we welcome Lucy Cook, long time friend of the festival who's been behind some of our favourite downtempo mixes of the past few years for the likes of Outsiders and MMSU. Settle in for 90-minutes of earworms, passing by downtempo, hip hop and acid jazz on a leisurely summer stroll.

Catch Lucy spinning this year for The Ghost's takeover of The Beach on the festival's last day.

DIM292 - Lucy Cook

For the 37th installment in our Just For The Night series, selectors take you on their own journey through groove. Anything goes.

Next up, Los Angeles producer & beat maker Dyami O'Brien aka Jamma-Dee 🌎 His adolescent obsession with record digging and beatmaking eventually led him to @Dam-Funk’s renown Funkmosphere parties where he built friendships with key players in the LA funk scene and began to make a name for himself as a DJ and producer. He's a part of the west coast modern funk and boogie scene, having released records under his own name and producing for the likes of @JoyceWrice & @Mndsgn.

His first full-length LP 'Perceptions' is one of our favourite 2023 releases, a masterclass in modern funk and soul production, with influences ranging from classic deep house & new jack rhythms to UK street soul & downtempo R&B, with collaborators including @The-Koreatown-Oddity, @Mndsgn & Benedek (check track Datafile Groove 🔥)

Enjoy this bouncing, groove-filled hour of all-wax deep cuts, garage house & more 🚀 

Eternal thanks @Jamma-Dee 🙏

Just For The Night #37 - Jamma-Dee

episode 71 of summer school radio, the first episode of 2025 :) ! music with positive affirmations, uplifting words, and mantras to bring into the new year.

"So be it! See to it!" - octavia butler

tracklist:
Your Soul Is Perfect (Supreme Uniter) — Surya Botofasina, Radha Botofasina
Fearlessly - Diego Gaeta, Jimetta Rose
A Brighter Tomorrow (Interlude) -- Switch 
open this wall — berlioz
Mantra — Melanie Charles
God Will Help You — SAULT
It’s Already Done — Sudan Archives
Spread Love — Harris & Orr
O P E N — kesswa
the best thing — Jamila Woods
Your Life What U Want (Dub) - Konk
Positive Mental Attitude Solves All — Theo Parrish
Adventures In Success — Will Powers
Make It Happen — Mariah Carey
Attitude, Belief, & Determination — Martin L. Dumas Jr.
Adventures In Paradise — Minnie Riperton 
Close Your Eyes and Look Within — Donald Byrd
Positive Mantra from Megan Thee Stallion
Liberated Woman — Ranking Ann
We Deal with the Freak’n (Interlude) — Solange
Me — Erykah Badu
For Us All (Yoka Boka) — Jeff Majors
Laws of Manifestation — Laraaji
All of a Sudden — Laraaji 
I Shall Get Over — Kleeer
On My Own — Debra Laws
Be Yourself — Air Power
Easier To Love — Sister Sledge
We Can Make It If We Try — The Sylvers

summer school radio (71)

A +5h journey into the record collections of DJs Paloma Ivanova (1/2 of Liminal People) and Pegasvs.
Recorded live at Bambi, London Fields, United Kingdom on 31st December 2024.
Follow the artists for more music.

@liminal-people-766042028
@pegasvs

Live from Bambi, London | 31st Dec. 2024

DJ and presenter Tash LC is beloved for her lively sets filled with club sounds from around the world. She's made this special mix for the next edition of Dig Deep, RA's pop-up charity record fair, which is taking place at Hope House in Leeds on Saturday, April 5th, in partnership with Cosmic Slop.

From Batu & Nick León and TYGAPAW to Marcel Dettmann and DJ Plead & rRoxymore, this hour-long mix is made up of records that have been donated to Dig Deep. Get down to the event to nab some of your favourites and raise money for War Child and MAP.

@tash-lc

Find out more and RSVP here: https://ra.co/events/2118531

Tracklist:
Om Unit - Camo
Glimmerman - Temple Sublet 
Metrist - VV Squi 
Batu & Nick León - Rezz
DJ Plead & rRoxymore - Round Echoes 
Marcel Dettmann - Lets Do It (Rolando Remix) 
Call Super - Cherry Drops 
Sam Goku - Earlier Forms (Paula Tape ‘Bubble’ Remix) 
Lorenzo_BITW - Calliope
G3 - Drum 2 (Peanut)
Lorenzo_BITW - Komole feat Mogogu
Alfred Czital & Ayu - Talk To Me (Roza Terenzi Remix) 
AMADEEZY - Bend Ya Back 
Mr. Ho - Bail-E
TYGAPAW - PRESSURE
Dubfire - Escape (Truncate Remix)
Roman Flügel - The Mass
DJ Plead & rRoxymore - Celestial City 
NADA-R - YA Z AN

Mara TK - Met At The River (Mara TK Solo) [4:37]

Extra Soul Perception

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