fweaks only

Go On

Dream With You

Sinus Node (feat. Josh Arcoleo)

Superb

Sleep Dreams

Dreams In Aspamia

So Long Stay Safe

Qwalia is the experimental, improvisational home for a quartet of some of London’s most prolific and inspiring musicians. 

Led by drummer Yusuf Ahmed (Joy Crookes, Anoushka Shankar, Unknown to Known), much of the band’s music to date surfaced in a single two-day session at the Fish Factory in Willesden, West London. 

Although improvisational at its core, the band’s fluency and innate musicality makes it hard at times to believe these pieces weren’t written and developed over weeks, rather than conjured in the moment, with no prior rehearsal. Qwalia’s music is an instinctive aural expression of how things seemed in the moment of creation.

Featuring Ben Reed on bass (Frank Ocean, David Byrne, Richard Russell’s Everything Is Recorded), Tal Janes on Guitar (Jordan Rakei, Cherise, Waaju) and Joseph Costi on keys and synths (Cat Stevens, Tom Herbert, Heidi Vogel), the band’s debut album ‘Sound And Reason’ was released by Alberts Favourites in March 2023.

This beautiful version of Elevator Company was recorded in Yusuf's living room last spring for a live video promoting the 2nd album Abbreviations. The band rarely, if ever, replay music they've already recorded, so this is a unique moment and one we're incredibly happy to be able to share. 

Elevator Company (Live)

Qwalia - Elevator Company (Live)

Mulatu Plays Mulatu

Yèkèrmo Sèw

This one was an unexpected treat. Two of our favourite contemporary musicians, Finn Rees & Sholto coming together and collaborating on a double dose of celestial, cinematic alchemy.

At Mr Bongo we are massive admirers of drummer, musician, and producer Sholto (Oscar Robertson). His two albums on Funk Night Records and DeepMatter Records, had both been highlights of their respective years. We’d gotten to know Oscar and sent him a few records. Included in the package was Australian pianist-composer Finn Rees’ debut album, Dawn Is A Melody, which was one of our favourite releases on Mr Bongo in 2024.

In Oscar's words 'For me it was a standout modern jazz record - encapsulating a spiritual / hazy dreamy soundscape which hugely resonated with me. Glissando keys and harp with lush melodies, I was instantly intrigued.”  

The pair started following each other online and as luck would have it, Finn was staying in London for the summer season, so they arranged to meet. The pair instantly clicked and said it felt like they'd known each other for years. After 40 minutes of chatting, they started to jam. 

'Love In Memory' and 'Bluebell' were recorded over two days - a track a day in Oscar's SFJ studios. Laid down on mostly analogue equipment, the pair utilised Wurlitzer’s, mellotrons, and ribbon mics through Oscar’s ‘70s Studer desk. Composed and crafted without any real intentions, other than a shared appreciation for the same style of music and approach, the tracks started to take shape. The results were as lush, nostalgic and textured as you’d expect from these two brilliant musicians, with a classical feel inspired by artists such as Piero Piccioni, Piero Umiliani, and Henry Mancini. 

For the beautiful string arrangements, the pair recruited the talents of Sholto's long-time friend and collaborator Clementine Brown (Penguin Cafe Orchestra) and Matthew Hayes of 30/70, Allysha Joy, Xpress Point, Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange fame, was brought in to play bass on 'Bluebell'.

So here we have it, a chance collaborative project built on two musicians' mutual respect for each other's outputs. The result is truly breathtaking.


Finn Rees & Sholto - Bluebell

Finn Rees & Sholto - Love In Memory

Pequena Vertigem de Amor

Vale a Pena

24 Hr Sports

Carry Me Away

Don't Gotta Think About U

LOVED

Finallyover

Luisa (Feat. Azymuth) - Lenha Na Fogueira

SCOTTY B BALLAD

Sometimes all it takes is a gentle groove and a few quiet piano notes to make the day feel a little lighter. "Smoothie Mo" grew out of relaxed afternoons, when sunlight drifts through the window and life outside slows down.
The piano melody seemed to settle naturally into the beat, joined by a guitar that adds its own subtle touches. For me, this track feels like a walk through a city at sunset: calm, but full of little details you only notice when you listen closely.
Maybe you’ll find a moment to breathe in this song, too.
Manchmal braucht es nur einen sanften Groove und ein paar leise Klaviertöne, um den Tag ein bisschen leichter zu machen. "Smoothie Mo" ist genau daraus entstanden – aus entspannten Nachmittagen, an denen das Licht durchs Fenster fällt und das Leben draußen langsam wird.
Die Melodie am Klavier hat sich fast wie von selbst in den Beat gelegt, begleitet von einer Gitarre, die immer wieder kleine Akzente setzt. Für mich ist das Stück wie ein Spaziergang durch eine Stadt im Sonnenuntergang: ruhig, aber voller kleiner Details, die man erst beim zweiten Hinhören bemerkt.
Vielleicht findest du in diesem Song ja auch einen Moment zum Durchatmen.

get it and support✨🙌

Smoothie Mo

Improvisation parlée.
Un vent, un souvenir, une voix qui revient.
Enregistré à la maison, sans plan, juste le besoin de dire.
“Le vent parle” – une conversation entre le souffle et le cœur.
Le Ninja Noir & Blanc
Musique libre. Sons du corps et du vent.
Entre trip-hop, lo-fi et poésie.
Enregistré à cœur ouvert.

Le vent parle

Vale a Pena

SESSA

Related tracks