Misdirection

ART MAKE LOVE

JAY LUV

Finn Rees, one of the key members of Melbourne’s bubbling music scene, announces his debut solo album, Dawn Is A Melody on Mr Bongo with the first single, ‘Looking Up’. As part of 30/70 and Close Counters his previous work has found form in its groove, Dawn Is A Melody instead places the piano and arrangements centre stage, embracing a timeless warmth infused with bittersweet melodies and saturated textures.
 
The lead single ‘Looking Up’ is a divine dose of uplifting, soul-rousing optimism that kicks off the album. A blank canvas for Finn and a whole host of Melbourne’s finest talent to fill with colour. Sitting between spiritual and cinematic, the track instantly envelops you in a swell of vintage hues, Lucky Pereira feathering the drums as Blakely McLean Davies riffs on the double bass. Finn’s fingers flow across the ‘70s Yamaha grand piano, delicately dancing around Siwei Wong’s stunning harp playing as the track builds and breaks. A sublime string section made up of Chloe Danger, Eunise Cheng, Nils Hobiger and McLean Davies, alongside shimmering vocal harmonies by 30/70 bandmate Allysha Joy, lift the track to limitless heights.
 
Finn’s layered synthwork on the Moog and Prophet provides a contemporary touch to proceedings, but one of the beauties of ‘Looking Up’ and the rest of the Dawn Is A Melody is its inability to be placed by age or era. A blend of inspirations from Arthur Verocai to Alice Coltrane, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson to Kamasi Washington, tied together with recording and mix engineer Henry Jenkin’s vintage recording setup warmth.
 
Just as the swell washed in at the start, the tide draws ‘Looking Up’ to a close, fading back out across the horizon as the sun sets another story.

Finn Rees - Looking Up

FiNDiNG CLEO - Alike

Stay

On debut album ‘While I'm Distracted’, London-based New Zealander Arjuna Oakes draws inspiration from contemporary soul and jazz, touches of global folk, electronica, modern classical, and post-rock, with dynamic arrangements and production. ‘While I'm Distracted’ is an album about fighting for your innocence and right to be a vulnerable and honest human. Arjuna’s songwriting explores themes of identity, depression, existentialism, social media, loss of innocence, and finding hope for the future through artistic expression.

“I'm obsessed with albums,” says Arjuna. “I've made seven EPs, but needed time to tackle a full length record. I was using the EPs to learn the craft of how to make a great album, much like a director will make short films before they make a feature. I wanted to take the listener on a journey and spark their imagination. Hopefully the album expresses complex emotions, rather than having an intellectual concept. I'd rather ask questions than answer them”.

Across the album, Arjuna performs vocals, piano, keyboards, synths, production, and wrote the string arrangements. He’s joined by Harrison Scholes on bass, Jo Jenkins and Andre Smith on guitar, Sam Notman on drums, Louisa Williamson on saxophone, Nathan Haines on flute, Kate King on french horn, Leah Thomas on clarinet, Hilary Hayes and Emma Colligan on violin, Chris Van Der Zee on viola, Charley Davenport on cello, Zane Hawkins on percussion, James Macewan on trumpet, and additional production by Callum Mower.

Following the release of his debut EP ‘The Watcher’ in 2019, Arjuna has released various  projects including ‘First Nights’ and ‘Final Days’ (collaborations with longtime friend and co-producer Serebii), released by LA-based record label Innovative Leisure (BADBADNOTGOOD, Allah-Las). ‘First Nights’ debuted at  #5  on KCRW’s top 30 Albums chart with play on BBC 6 Music and BBC 1Xtra. He recently performed for the New Zealand Olympic team in Paris, supported Nathan Haines at The Jazz Cafe, and played sold out shows at 91 Living Room and Servant Jazz Quarters in London.

While I'm Distracted

Catch Me

SELF LOVE

Grow

Grow (feat. Marysia Osu & Tawiah)

Due To The Circumstances

All The Quiet (Part I)

Lifetones

PLAYING TRACKS BY
Dr Haki R Madhubuti, Yatha Bhuta Jazz Combo, Kuniyuki and Chip Wickham.

TAGGED
#ww international#rebecca vasmant#aku#dj format#worldwidefm
Two hour show focusing on the Glasgow music scene. Rebecca Vasmant hosts  guests who have been influential parts of the scene with their clubs and input over the last two decades. Together they detail the scene, play some records and portray their vision of the city they call home.

For this show, Rebecca is joined by the sax-bone-drums trio AKU for a live session and the genre-bending DJ Format.

Tracklist: http://worldwidefm.net/show/ww-international-glasgow-rebecca-vasmant-with-aku-live-and-dj-format

WW Glasgow 4 : Rebecca Vasmant with Aku and DJ Format // 01-10-18

Bookings DJ : tim@limbsmusic.co.uk


Radio : Worldwide FM Monthly 
Sub Club Resident - Era Suite <3 
Live : Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble

In an age increasingly dominated by faceless machine-created sounds, DJ-Producer Rebecca Vasmant is bringing a fresh new twist to dance music with her love of jazz, the original form of unbridled spiritual sonic expression. Rebecca is a passionate record collector and her knowledge exceeds her time as a "digger".

While promoting her own parties and record fair in Glasgow, starting her record label Schiehallion and touring the world over the past years, her whirlwind schedule has fitted in sessions with eight-strong Ghanaian outfit Kakatsitsi, as a live fusion show mixing traditional African rhythms with modern dance ingredients; two strains of dancefloor- friendly catharsis joining together in a vibrant new mutant. As well as working on her 'Glasgow Jazz Experiment which features world class musicians from The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, her talents are not only in spinning records, but in composing and live shows also.

Rebecca has already made a name in Glasgow with her residency at Sub Club, Made In Glasgow and Know The Way parties, running a popular record fair with the venerable Sub Club and a monthly spot on BBC Radio Scotland playing contemporary records in an attempt to bridge the gap between much abused but crucial genres and the electronic scene. She also airs this facet of her irrepressible musical passion at key events like the Glasgow Jazz Festival, Kasheme Zurich, Casper Montenegro and the Baltic Soul Weekender, Waunderlust and Le Melletron Paris, as well as recent high profile gigs curated by Mixmag, like TRNSMT Festival and many others.

Renowned UK clubs which have been treated to Rebecca’s sublime house and techno sets include a two year residency at Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire, the Sub Club and The Arches in Glasgow, Aberdeen’s Snafu, Dundee’s Reading Room, We Love... at Manchester’s Sankey’s, Leeds’ Back To Basics and London niteries including MOS and East Village. She has also played festivals including Rockness, Kelburn, T in The Park and Wickerman, plus Ibiza spots such as Space, Savannah and Zoo Project.

Rebecca’s activities have taken her to play in 22 countries, including premiere spots in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Estonia, India, Africa, Nicaragua, Bosnia, Latvia, Dubai, Austria, Turkey, Serbia, Algeria and Bulgaria.

This year, she has released a remix of Norwegian duo Perfume with Hot Gem recordings, and in September is set to release an EP on Made In Glasgow Recordings which is a collaborative effort with Perseus Traxx. The end of the year will also see a release of her solo EP of disco and jazz tinged house.