xoaxoa.bandcamp.com/album/way-west
fiveeasypieces.bandcamp.com/

XOA ‘Way West’ (FEP028)
Release Date: 14th June 2019
Label: Five Easy Pieces
Format: Vinyl // Digital

XOA, led by London based producer and musician Nick Tyson, is set to release debut album ‘Way West’ on 14th June via Five Easy Pieces.

XOA means to look outwards; to draw inspiration from many sources. ‘Way West’ is alive with this: steeped in the rich analogue sonics of the past, the warmth of machines and influence from the sounds of London’s fervent music scene. Featuring a blend of contemporary electronic production and live instrumentation, 70s Afrobeat inspired drums and cosmic melodies are thrust into the present day with strong cues from house and techno.

Three vocalists contribute across the album, with Tyson choosing to work with singers he has a personal admiration and friendship with. Hollie Cook, known to many for her ethereal pop tinged reggae, delivers a sumptuous contribution on ‘Heartland’, adding a beautiful emotional dimension to the horn led track. Lulu Jones’ vocals are treated more as a sample for the garage tinged ‘Call On Me’ and Ruby Wood, of Submotion Orchestra, has worked with Tyson over a number of projects and their shared love of 90s soul comes to the fore on the laid back grooves and sun kissed ‘Only One Thing’.

“When collaborating, especially with vocalists on melodic and lyrical ideas, it’s important to have that personal connection and respect for each other’s craft. That’s why I never ask vocalists to prepare anything in advance for the tracks, I like to get in the room and just see what happens in the moment, to trust each other’s ideas, and for it to be a natural, organic and spontaneous process”.

Collaboration has always been at the heart of the project for Tyson. He plays the bulk of the instruments on the album but invites Marijus Aleksa on drums to provide live energy, extra synth work from Parisian Kenzo Zurzolo, and a notable Rhodes solo from Johnny Tomlinson (a member of Bonobo’s live band) on ‘Osu’.

After well received releases on Soundway Records, Cin Cin (with Wayward) and Banana Hill (with Contours); ‘Way West’ shows another step up for Tyson as a writer and producer.

“It feels like this project is coming alive for me, the music I envisaged in my mind a few years ago is being realised, and I’m proud of how it sounds”.

‘Way West’ is set to be released on 14th June 2019 via London based label Five Easy Pieces (Mo Kolours, Reginald Omas Mamode IV, Natureboy Flako, Royalty, Call Super) on vinyl LP and digital formats.

Tracklist:
01. VS20
02. Heartland Feat. Hollie Cook
03. Way West
04. Damascene
05. Call On Me Feat. Lulu James
06. Les Musiciens
07. Only One Thing Feat. Ruby Wood
08. Osu
09. Dance Of The Mantas
10. Out + Out

XOA — Call On Me (ft Lulu James)

DJ / Producer based in London

@hazelmarimba on all socials

Having previously released music via Soundway Records and Five Easy Pieces, South London based producer XOA (AKA Nick Tyson) caught the ears of Gilles Peterson, DJ Mag, Boiler Room, Red Bull, XLR8R (and more) with his use of rich analogue sonics, steeped in the electronic sounds of London’s musical underbelly, blending vibrant textures and cosmic melodies, melding afrobeat and jazz sensibilities with house and techno.

Re-emerging last year with a new direction and meaning: hard hitting Jazz with big analogue electronic sounds, along with a four-person outfit (which features Tyson (Bass & Electronics) joined by Johnny Tomlinson (Synths / Fender Rhodes), Josh Arcoleo (Tenor Saxophone) and Joost Hendrickx (Drums). Their previous release ‘Program Change', took the listener on a warp-speed kaleidoscopic journey through space and time, and gained support from Jamz Supernova, Gilles Peterson, Clash, Bolting Bits & more.

Forthcoming release ‘After Burner’ gives a fuel injection to the outfit, elevating XOA’s music to new and dizzying heights. From the rich tones of lift-off of the intro ‘Drawing Light’, through the intricately composed textures of ‘Invisible Shapes’ to the driving and pulsating title track ‘After Burner’; culminating in the vast and contemplative finale of ‘Final Ascent’.

Feeding on their collaborative energy of four musicians going hell for leather, XOA have created an urgent and enthralling sound - one which perfectly captures the lightning-rod tenacity of their live performances. 

The release will be the second on Tyson’s own imprint Outervisions - a label which embraces creatively driven artists blending the sounds of Jazz and electronic music from London and beyond.

Nod Steady is my one man free-form music project.

I got into DJing in the early 90's, and soon after, began making music. As a composer, I've mostly worked with various forms of electronic music and hip-hop, but don't really care much about genre boundaries.

As a DJ, I've blended all kinds of music with the style and finesse of a classic hip-hop scratch DJ. I've done radio shows and radio mixes, as well as collaborating onstage as a turntablist together with musicians from various genres.

The name Nod Steady is partly inspired by the hip-hop classic "The Nod Factor" by Mad Skillz, and hints at beats with a nod factor.

Michal Poncar started his playing in 1993 under a name DJ Face. In that times it was just in small places near Prague. As an eager Radio 1 listener he met Béla Némeshegyi and very soon he started to write reviews for Béla..s Pareniste server under a nickname Myclick.

In 1999 he was also contributing with reviews of new records to Tripmag magazine thanks to Honza Babka who was editor in chief in that time. One year later, after his work for Trance.cz server, Mellow with Dan Kafka offered him a collaboration with Techno.cz.

After reviews with unbelievable 13.000 types he is enjoying writting of voluminous reports from the events he took part in. He is preparing news from the world of dance music for this website and publishes DJ beginners..sets. Since 2004 you can hear him two times a week on
Akropolis Internet Radio in programmes Techno.cz on Akropolis Radio and Techno.cz In Da Mix where he is interviewing DJs and mixing live sets right in studio.

House in all its periods was his favourite. But there was basic change at the end of 2001 and the beginning of 2002. Then he was contacted by <a href="http://www.lucasross.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lucas Ross</a> the guitar player, Mataro purchased electronic percussion and Face 2 Face project had got its roughcast. Every performance took place with different guests and with different repertory. Five musician formation Face 2 Face with records and live instruments combination was performing beside small clubs also at Sazava Fest, Creamfields and several times in Roxy Club.

DJ Face currently enjoys first of all nu disco, deep house, dubby house and minimal house and an ideal performance is to him 
a nights Unplugged @ House boat U Bukanyra, House 4 Adults @ 2. patro with DJ Cubik, Groove Bar and Moovement with DJ Diom, Bar v Krymsky with MC Manda, Luft Cafe and Moje Muza with Pavel Aeling and Namax.


At the beginning of 2010 the circle closes and his big dream comes true... Side by side with his friends who he called about his musical wishes to the Radio 1 in the mid of 90th,
now he puts its own radio show Fluffy Clouds with legendary FlyBoyEda and soon with his longtime back 2 back partner in crime Diom every odd Sunday 15:00 - 18:00. Stay tuned: 91,9 MHz / http://www.radio1.cz!

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