Under the Radar Gems

Will You Follow Me Home?

Fonte

Fonte (feat. Vittor Santos e Orquestra)

Album of the Week - Louder Than War
Meat of the Week - Huey Morgan Show, BBC Radio 6 Music

“Filled with energy, spontaneity, and freedom” Twisted Soul
"Deep rhythm and melodic immediacy" Amazing Radio
"A beautiful dance of butterflies and notes in the air" Rodie Music

New London based quartet Qwalia, led by drummer Yusuf Ahmed, offer a plethora of influences whilst remaining resolutely itself. Assembled from musicians who play with David Byrne, Joy Crookes, Nubiyan Twist, Frank Ocean, Jordan Rakei, Sampha, Cat Stevens and more; Yusuf is joined by Tal Janes on guitars and vocals, Ben Reed on bass and keyboardist Joseph Costi.

The name Qwalia stems from the same sounding word Qualia, a philosophy of mind with the property of being an ineffable experience. Qwalia’s music is an instinctive aural expression of how things seemed in the moment of creation.

In April ‘21, Qwalia spent two days recording completely improvised music at the Fish Factory in North West London. There was no plan or preconceived idea of what the music should sound like or what was going to happen.

“We set up altogether in one room, dimmed the lights, pressed record and just played,” says Yusuf. “We came away with over 13 hours of music, which was consolidated into three albums worth of material. The final record is mainly a result of pulling faders up or down to create space and structure out of what was already there from the live recording. The production process felt akin to a sculptor chipping away excess stone to reveal a statue that was already there, and occasionally putting some makeup on it!”

The band members are Pakistani, Italian, Venezuelan, Jewish and English. A reflection of the fact that cultural categories are infinite; Qwalia’s music unconsciously explores identity, exposing what this can mean. Or perhaps that it doesn’t mean anything at all.

Qwalia - Sound And Reason

Never Knew

Calling

Elixir

Direct-to-Disc Sessions

AŞIK ATIŞMASI (feat. Muhlis Berberoğlu & Okay Temiz)

Welsh producer and bassist Huw Marc Bennett is set to release his beautiful new
album 'Days Like Now'. Steeped in organic sounds of jazz, folk, soul, dub and the
earthy, psychedelic roots of his homeland; the music has history but also harmonises with the new world around it, understanding the changing landscape.

"I feel as if this is both a step back and forward with my identity, piecing together what I like about Welsh and Celtic music and feelings", says Bennett.

"Trying to move forward with a modern approach and bravery in that I may not understand everything but this is mine to use and be proud of".

His last album, 2020's 'Tresilian Bay', was widely supported on BBC radio by 6
Music's Cerys Matthews, Gideon Coe, Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, Lauren Laverne, Stuart Maconie, Tom Ravenscroft and BBC Wales' Adam Walton and Huw Stephens.

The Vinyl Factory said it “Melds south London electronica and Welsh psychedelia,
along with elements of Afrobeat and highlife” while Electronic Sound said Bennett is "Another name to add to the growing list of UK new jazz talents".

'Days Like Now' started as a continuation of the worldly-funk sound of 'Tresilian
Bay' before morphing inwards to become a more personal reflection of Bennett's
connection with living in, leaving, and revisiting Wales from his now home in south
London. Playing bass, guitar and synths, the tracks were written, performed and
recorded by Bennett and as the writing progressed, he became more influenced by
thoughts of home and melodies from Wales' extensive cannon of beautiful songs.

"Now I am older, home means more to me than ever", says Bennett.

"I look back at what I took from there. Being brought up in a quiet Welsh coastal setting gives you a sense of community but also a longing for the bigger world. I like to think this record is exploring a lot of those outside influences I've been exposed to, but following my journey back to where I started, and even deeper in to the destination where perceive my identity".

On ‘Y Gwydd’, Bennett takes direct inspiration from the music of Wales, offering his
version of the popular folk tune ‘Y Gwydd’ (The Loom), first collected by Maria Jane Williams. The original words of the tune, compares the threads of life, to the threads of the loom.

'Red Valley' refers to the Welsh who left their homes between 1936 and 1939 to fight in the Spanish civil war against Franco and the rise of facism. Bennett says,

"It's just my little nod to the humble people who saw themselves as global citizens and the responsibility that comes with that, and that their individual actions truly mattered".

Featuring the voices of Angela Christofilou, Cleo Savva and Bennett himself, the
beautifully serene 'Pinc Sunset' captures that moment when it's hard not to stop and recognise the beauty of nature.

"Whether on a busy main street or streaming in through the window in your small room, it makes you stop and have a moment of clarity and peace. To look at yourself, who you are, where you are going, and where you have come from. And whatever that is, you own it".

Under the Radar Gems

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