Music has always been in Jerry Frempong’s DNA, influenced by his late Father who led the way in pioneering the Ghanaian ‘Hi Life’ sound and showcased international artists and productions on the family’s music label, Asona Records. It was during the late 80’s that attending recording sessions with his Dad, he was exposed to a musical staple that consisted of a fusion of African beats, bass and rhythms. It was then at 17, that he accidentally discovered the craft of blending vinyl, it was then that a new passion had been birthed and the love of music coupled with the need to share his passion with others began.

During his University days at Leeds, Jerry began hosting halls of residence campus parties with good friend Ian Morbey. Jerry at the time had a love for the then pioneering and groundbreaking UK Garage and soulful house sound, whilst Ian possessed a love for the deep and more progressive house sound, it was then they realised they complemented each others sound. After regularly frequenting Leeds based clubs such as BackIIBasics, he was hugely inspired by likes Erick Morillo, Ralph Lawson and Carl Cox. From then on, the house sound was Jerry’s preferred sound of choice.

As a lover of vinyl, he’s spent many a time carefully selecting records from highly influential London based shops from the likes of Release The Groove, Black Market Records, Uptown Records, Vinyl Junkies and also PlayMusic in Leeds.

After a stint of travelling the globe with friends in 2004, Jerry returned to the UK fresh and inspired to create his own record label and club night with Ian Morbey, it was then that Pret A Ecouter was born. Pret A Ecouter was famed for it’s unique small parties where friends of friends came to from afar to enjoy the unique friendly vibe, the versatile and eclectic sound of electronic music in all it’s forms. Pret A Ecouter reached it’s height for hosting a number of superb and intimate sell-out boat parties on the River Thames.

To date, he’s had the opportunity to grace the wheels of steel at clubs such as Ministry of Sound, Sankeys, Plan B, Sosho, Mint Club, Kensington Roof Gardens, Paramount Club, The Whitehouse, Cafe de Paris, and many other venues across the UK and in Ibiza. In addition, he has had a stint hosting a show on Push FM and has held down a residency in London’s West End.

Recognised by many as an all round musical selector and vibe creator, he’s warmed the decks for the likes of Danny Rampling, Nicky Holloway, Joey Negro, Norman Jay, Robert Owens, Trevor Fung, Luke Solomon and many more.

As events come full-circle, 30 years later the resurgence of the Ghanaian Hi Life sound has once again swept the nations with many music lovers discovering Asona Records back-catelogue. Fittingly, Jerry Frempong has recently signed a re-issue deal with BBE head honcho and fellow Ghanaian, Peter Adarkwah, with all 11 albums from Asona Records to be released on the BBE Records in the fall of 2023. 

Expect to get hot, as in the words of Jerry Frempong… “If you don’t sweat, it aint a set”

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A Barn in Northamptonshire 
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To celebrate the end of the festival season, we're going to host one last weekender with just your mates, their mates and a few others to boot.

Because it's by us and for us, we've decided to take the pain out of everything, mostly your wallet. For a mere £65 we'll feed you, entertain you, reward you and of course throw a grubby party until the early hours. 

You'll be heading to a Barn in Northamptonshire, which is at the end of some proper country lanes. The ones that city folk fear. But fear not.

Like the Facebook page for updates. Feel free to invite as many friends as you like. 

Hope to see you there.

Not An Animal is a label born from the party debris left uncleaned from London’s infamous Bad Passion parties, as ran by Chris Stoker and Andy Bainbridge.

As Chris and Andy’s energy was being devoted more and more to their musical endeavours (Chris - Ess O Ess with Jamie Blanco / Andy - Machete Savane with Saul Richards & more recently Latrec with Ali Colling) it became both a logical and inevitable step that they would eventually see the birth of their own record label, to showcase not only their own music but also that of the friends that they’ve made in over a decade of throwing and attending parties in various guises.

It’s this collective nature which means that Not An Animal cannot be pinned down to one single sound, genre or style. The music is instead linked by a commonality of taste and approach from all of the artists involved. While you can draw some slight comparisons with the contributors (which include the aforementioned Ess O Ess and Machete Savane, as well as Man Power, Lauer, Roman Flugel, Chida, Suzanne Kraft, The Backwoods, Kuniyuki, Frank Butters, Justin Van Der Volgen, Discodromo, Tiago & Angophora ) it would be impossible to say that anything truly unites them further than an open aesthetic which is receptive to sounds as various as Techno, Disco, Rock, Balearica and good old fashioned House, and which doesn’t try to draw any distinction between any of them.

Followers of Raspberryluv