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 - Love In Memory

Stream " Self Eroticism" now : https://idol-io.ffm.to/self_eroticism

“Self Eroticism” is the third chapter of an EP that tells the story of a boy, Corpus Perditum, of Greek origin, as he wanders through his homeland. The track unfolds within a framework reminiscent of indie rock, infused with western influences. The playful rhythm of drums and bass sustains the allegory of the wind pushing the waves. Guitar riffs and layers of synth carry a strong 1970s connotation, reflecting an eroticism turned inward, where summer memories intertwine with inner sensuality.

Self Eroticism

Corpus Perditum - Self Eroticism

The Spork

Berlin 1 (Spork Version)

The Spoon (Spork Version)

The Butter (Spork Version)

"The instrumental for ‘Blame’ was recorded when I was making ‘While I’m Distracted’. It was just a big jam but it had this irresistible quality to it, especially Sam’s groove. I couldn’t find my way back into the song until recently when I needed a vessel to express some emotions I had been bottling up."

London-based New Zealander Arjuna Oakes is back with new single ‘Blame’, a hypnotic groove steeped in Latin-boogie rhythms and the open-hearted soul-jazz energy that’s quickly becoming his signature.

Blame

Arjuna Oakes - Blame

Harap Dan Ragu

Broken street lights flicker under rusted rails
Silent storefronts draped in graffiti scars
Subway tunnels breathe a last tired sigh
Asphalt scars mirror the sky’s cold numb

Like a city lost without its spark  
In a concrete shell that's falling apart  
I'm drifting through the empty streets  
He-he-hey, he-he-hey, he-he-hey, ay, ay  

Shadows crawl past storefront dust
Echo pulses in the empty heart

Like a city lost without its spark  
In a concrete shell that's falling apart  
I'm drifting through the empty streets  
He-he-hey, he-he-hey, he-he-hey, ay, ay  

Sirens fade into the blank horizon
Neon flicker drowned in rain-washed cracks
Abandoned bodies of towers decay in steel
Forgotten voices map the collapse

Like a city lost without its spark  
In a concrete shell that's falling apart  
I'm drifting through the empty streets  
He-he-hey, he-he-hey, he-he-hey, ay, ay  

Concrete shell

Pull Me Into Midnight

---

[Verse 1]

Pull me into midnight, love…
let your shadow cover mine.
Let your hands draw constellations
down the curves you want to find.
Every breath you steal from me
makes the room a little slow —
come closer while the world outside
never has to know.


---

[Pre-Chorus]

Mmmh… feel the tension rise,
soft as smoke, deep as sighs.
Ohhh… let your heartbeat speak,
touch me strong, touch me weak.


---

[Chorus]

Pull me closer, darling… take your time,
trace my body, cross the line.
Mmmh… lose yourself in me,
no control, no gravity.


---

[Verse 2]

Your lips write stories on my neck,
heat in every whispered word.
You move slow, like temptation
that wants every sense disturbed.
Let your fingers memorize me,
learn my rhythm, find my pace —
tonight we’re made of hunger
and the secrets that we chase.


---

[Pre-Chorus]

Mmmh… feel the tension rise,
soft as smoke, deep as sighs.
Ohhh… let your heartbeat speak,
touch me strong, touch me weak.


---

[Chorus]

Pull me closer, darling… take your time,
trace my body, cross the line.
Mmmh… lose yourself in me,
no control, no gravity.


---

[Bridge]

Sweat and trembling, tangled breath,
moonlight paints what you undress.
Mmmh… don’t slow down, don’t you break —
one more touch is all it takes.


---

[Final Chorus]

Pull me closer, darling… don’t let go,
move like waves, soft and slow.
Mmmh… drown in heat with me,
no more words… just destiny.


---

[Outro – whispered]

Mmmh…
ohhh…
pull me deeper…
don’t stop now.


---

Pull Me Into Midnight

This song is about what really happens when family comes together — the good memories, the broken pieces, the people we miss, and the things we’re finally ready to let go of. It’s about cracked plates, old stories, old wounds, and the way a familiar room can hold both pain and comfort at the same time. 

I wanted to capture that moment where everyone sits down, looks around the table, and realizes that forgiveness doesn’t have to be a big dramatic thing — sometimes it’s just passing the wine, sharing a smile, or choosing not to reopen the same old fight. It’s about letting love be louder than the history we’ve all lived through. 

This song is my way of honoring how imperfect and beautiful family can be, and how a simple meal can become the place where healing finally starts.


LYRICS: 

[Verse 1]
Cracked plates and stories untold
Grandma's laugh a treasure of gold
Remember the fights the slamming of doors
We gather now on familiar floors 

[Prechorus]
Can we let it go
Can we let it go 

[Chorus]
Around this table of forgiveness
Love's the only thing we profess
Pass the gravy pass the wine
Let bygones be bygones this time 

[Verse 2]
Uncle Joe's got a brand new wife
Little Timmy's got a brand new life
Auntie Susan she can't make it this year
But we know she's with us oh so near 

[Prechorus]
Can we let it go
Can we let it go 

[Chorus]
Around this table of forgiveness
Love's the only thing we profess
Pass the gravy pass the wine
Let bygones be bygones this time

Table of Forgiveness

that-gee.-she’s-tough.-.mp3

The entire sound is in my hands. I write cyber poetry, produce, and compose every track ready for Immersive 3D. Every beat is crafted for spatial and next-gen headphones.
Intimate lyrics, total immersion, every track.

For 30 years I kept unfinished demos to myself, never letting them out. Now I finish what I start and release it the moment it’s alive.

I use every tool available, human or machine, as an instrument.
Technology doesn’t replace creativity. It expands it.

Concrete shell

Terminalose