Wah Wah 45s are proud to bring four remixes of our Afrobeat legend to vinyl! You No Fit Touch Am has been universally received with open arms.

A perfect document of the lessons Dele learned in Fela Kuti’s ranks during the 70s and 80s, but brought firmly up-to-date and with contemporary social comment as vital to the afrobeat genre as any rhythm or instrument. To take that forward thinking even further Wah Wah 45s commissioned four huge remixes from some of the UKs most interesting new production names.

Tru Thoughts’ no-nonsense house producer Titeknots first delivered us a massive tropical-house take on Sanctuary back in January. Gaining radio support from Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 6 Music, Wah Wah 45s received an endless amount of requests for this to appear on vinyl, so here we are.

Alongside it Wolf Music legend and in-demand house remixer Medlar brings an, intense and insistent disco flavoured rework. To complete the package two relatively new production duos bring quite distinctly different versions.

Warsaw artists Ptaki take on slow burner We Siddon We Dey Look with characteristic punch and new London outfit Modified Man light a broken beat fire under the album title track You No Fit Touch Am.

Four tracks of killer dancefloor fodder for pretty much every occasion. Taking the already incendiary music of Dele Sosimi in a more angular and electronic direction, worthy of a rare 12” release on the Wah Wah imprint, we’re sure you’ll agree



Dele Sosimi 12" remixes

Paper Tiger release the first single taken from their new album, 
featuring Shafiq Husayn

Just a month after releasing the back-from-a-two-years-hiatus track I’m A Cyborg (But That’s Okay), Paper Tiger announced they are launching their second album – Blast Off. 

To kick things off, the band unveils Weight in Space, the first single to be taken from the LP, featuring the Grammy Award-winner Shafiq Husayn (1/3 of the iconic alternative hip hop group Sa-Ra).

Weight in Space is the result of the creative dialogue between the Leeds-based band and the California residing MC and producer, a process focused on experimenting with sounds, styles, vocals and tonalities. "We approached him without really expecting to hear anything back - Sa-Ra and all of his work has been hugely influential for us - and not only did he respond, but he contributed to the writing and production too. The final result blew our minds" said Paper Tiger’s Greg Surmacz.

The single comes complete with a stunning remix by One-Handed Music’s soulful producer Bastien Keb, who, staying true to his MO, gives the song a loop-based, mellow and instrumentally rich sound. It also got the video treatment, courtesy of Prefix Studios, supporting Paper Tiger’s story-telling with a set of animated visual effects that complement the track so well.

For Blast Off, the band embraced an improved production process that helps create a more live-sounding experience for the listeners, almost transposing them into the studio and recording booth alongside Paper Tiger and their guests.


Paper Tiger - Weight In Space

http://www.lealea.co.uk
http://www.wahwah45s.com/artists/lea-lea/
https://www.facebook.com/lealeamusic

As we head towards the debut album release from Lea Lea we're proud to bring you a very special giveaway. 

The legendary DJ Vadim got together with Serocee to produce this exceptional remix of Lea Lea's debut single The Road. 

Not only do you have the beguiling tones of Lea Lea herself but the inimitable sound of Horace Andy on this Carnival weekend killer.

Download now WAV quality here...
http://lealea.bandcamp.com/album/free-download-the-road

FREE Download MP3/WAV

Lea Lea - The Road feat. Horace Andy and Serocee (DJ Vadim Remix)

Amidst the fervent anticipation of the release of Stac's long awaited second album (due in the spring of 2014) our favourite soulful songstress has found the time to gather together ten of her favourite pieces of contemporary music for your delictation, in the shape of the third instalment of the "Allo Love" series.

Stac is a real music lover (not a fighter) and her selection exemplifies the breadth of her knowledge, and her perfectly pitched taste. A sonorous collection, it kicks off in grandiose style with music from The London Bulgarian Choir, no less, and remains in deep musical waters with the Matthew Herbert produced Hejira, trumpeter and friend Matthew Halsall and close contemporaries, Natural Self and Blue Daisy.

You'll also find a quartet of cherry picked Wah Wah 45s nuggets, with music from The Gene Dudley Group, Henri-Pierre Noel, Lea Lea and Scrimshire fitting perfectly into Stac's personal soundtrack, and the latter's cut also featuring the lady herself on fine vocal form. 

Finally, Stac also appears on a stunning downtempo delight from the mysterious William Sommers with whom she duets on the delicate "Delight", a tune that sums this compilation up perfectly. Enjoy.

The London Bulgarian Choir - Pilentse Pee

Matthew Halsall - The Sun in September

Henri-Pierre Noël - Simbi

For 15 years Wah Wah 45s have been releasing music with a soulful feel, regardless of sub-genre, many of which have no doubt ended up as staples of your local underground party on a Saturday night. That’s right, Wah Wah don’t just do acoustic soul, brass band funk, dub reggae and foot friendly jazz,  we’ve been dipping our toes in the world of dance floor electronica for sometime and following on from the success of last year’s compilation, we thought it was about time we brought you the second instalment of “Wah Friends Electric”.

Volume 2 continues where it predecessor left off, covering the club friendly end of the Wah Wah back catalogue, from early deep house offerings from Aaron Jerome (the man behind the Sbtrkt mask) and blue eyed disco from Talc’s night club dwelling alter egoes Man / Boy featuring Girl, to more recent outings from Lea Lea, Paper Tiger and Scrimshire. Add to that previously unreleased, and exclusive to this compilation, remixes from The Reflex and Noisses, as well as other homegrown greats such as Stubborn Heart and Debian Blak, not to mention Japanese dons Goth-Trad and Anchorsong, and you’ve got one serious second volume of dance music from the Wah Wah vaults.

Henri-Pierre Noel - A Fifth Of Beethoven (The Reflex Revision)

Bev Lee Harling - Why Don't You Do Right (Suonho Remix)

A – HACKNEY COLLIERY BAND – ALL OF THE LIGHTS (SCRIMSHIRE REMIX)
AA – HENRI-PIERRE NOEL – DISKETTE (THE REFLEX REVISION)

Buy direct here: http://wahwah45s.bandcamp.com/album/wah-wah-fifty

Wah Wah 45s are proud to present their debut Record Store Day special release!

In 2014 the label celebrates not only its 15th anniversary, but, with this record, its 50th seven-inch release, and it’s something very unique indeed. 

Two of the imprints best love artists, East End brass juggernaut Hackney Colliery Band, and funky Canadian piano maestro Henri-Pierre Noel come together on seven inches of wax for the first time, remixed by label boss Scrimshire and superstar disco re-edit king The Reflex.

Scrimshire’s re-working of HCB’s version of Kanye West’s All Of The Lights is a horn fuelled left-of-centre club bomb, whilst The Reflex’s ‘revision’ of Henri’s classic Diskette is a disco fuelled take that’s sure to cause plenty of dance floor devastation too. 

Having both on one slab of strictly limited heavyweight vinyl with gorgeous, bespoke artwork to celebrate the label’s 50th seven-incher is almost too much! Enjoy!


Buy Vinyl Direct

Henri-Pierre Noël - Diskette (The Reflex Revision)

Wah Wah 45s celebrate the joy of the cover version! The label has always had a keen ear for a re-working of a classic piece of music, whether it be an unexpected brass take of a soft rock or hip hop cut from Hackney Colliery Band, or a sultry rendition of a soul nugget from Stac, with the only conditions being that the cover takes the original piece of music somewhere new, fresh and exciting.

The label's 15thanniversary seemed like a good time to not only re-visit a number of very canny covers from over the years, but to throw in a couple of new and exclusive ones for good measure too and as a way of saying thank you for all your support over the last decade and a half. So, as well as well loved renditions of Bill Withers' The Same Love That Made Me Laugh from Ashley Thomas and Part-Time Heroes' gorgeous re-imagining of The Boss' Dancing In The Dark, you get a spine-tingling, pitch shifting, electronica flavoured take of Rose Royce's ballad Wishing On A Star from Stac x Blue Daisy and The Gene Dudley Group's fierce dance floor funk version of Richard "Groove" Holmes No Trouble On The Mountain (itself a Wah Wah 45s release back in the day!) featuring the rasping vocals of Annie Frankenstein.

Add to that Lea Lea's recent cover of Talking Heads' Psycho Killer, Scrimshire's updating of Tammi Terrell's version of All I Do, with Stac on vocal duties, as well as club classics from Henri-Pierre Noel, Bev Lee Harling, Alister Johnson and a couple of big hitters from Hackney Colliery Band and you've got one heavyweight haul of version excursions on your hands.

Hackney Colliery Band - Africa (The Wah Wah Version out July 14th 2014)

East London brass juggernaut, Hackney Colliery Band, have seen their star rapidly rise over the past two years. Since the release of their enponymous debut and sophomore album, Common Decency, this riotous nine piece have toured the UK and Europe, playing at some of its finest festivals along the way, and gained support from radio and club DJs, broadsheets and tastemakers ranging from The Times to BBC 6Music funk and soul afficionado Craig Charles, as well as having the likes of Eliza Doolittle and the late Amy Winehouse joining them on stage.

The band’s penchant for a canny cover has always been one of its strengths, and perhaps one that sometimes overshadowed HCB’s frankly brilliant song-writing. After a string of singles led by a cunning cover version, the A Bit of Common Decency EP sheds light on HCB’s original music, albeit with the help of a remix or two.

From bandleader Steve Pretty’s high octane title track, available here as a useful Radio Edit and frenetic remix courtesy of multi-instrumentalist Fedka The Irritant, to drummers Oli Blackman and Luke Christie’s respectively penned Dead Dialogue and Smile for the Webcam, the quality from the band’s main song-writers is obvious. Add to that remixes of Dead Dialogue from label mates Paper Tiger and the mysterious Triangulator, as well as a stomping disco revision from re-edit king The Reflex (of another of Steve Pretty’s songs, Superhero Disco) and you’ve got a worthy collection of original cuts and re-works that will help confirm HCB’s status as a leading light in the global brass band scene.


Hackney Colliery Band - Superhero Disco (The Reflex Revision)

Wah Wah 45s are proud to present the second single on the label from a very special new artist, Léa Mondo.

Hailing originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, by way of Wigan, and now settled in North London, this young singer-songwriter and guitarist enjoys a plethora of eclectic influences. Léa’s musical output is a smorgasbord of experimental styles fusing aspects of soul, high life, bossa-nova, jazz and reggae. Drawing inspiration from reggae icon Bob Marley, and Malian artists such as Fatoumata Diawara and Rokia Traorè, as well as Nigerian born UK soul superstar Sade, her music largely talks about life, love, peace and freedom while reflecting on the state of the world.

Vices is a song about Lea’s personal struggles. The singer’s lyrics explore the highs and lows of personal addictions and her history of poor relationship choices. Drawing influences from Red Hot Chilli Peppers (Californication) drums and arrangements, the melody of the tune is curated in a way to take the listener on a journey that leads to a climax to convey the feeling one feels when they’re coming up, to eventual peak.

Léa and her band recorded the song live at That Sound Studio, Tottenham with producer Louis Auneau and engineer Bar Huss. The band consists of Jasmine Burton (Bass), Alex Karakurt (Drums), Tawanda Manika (Guitar), Olivia Cuttill (Trumpet), Max Rodriguez (Rhythm Guitar) and Léa herself providing lyrics, vocals, guitar, arrangements and co-producing the track.

Since 2021, Léa has been somewhat prolific on the London live music scene, co-founding famed female & non-binary improv session Peng Femme Jam, and sharing stages with our very own Afrobeat Ambassador Dele Sosimi and Afla Sackey’s Afrik Bawantu project. 
credits
released January 19, 2024

Léa Mondo - lyrics, vocals, guitar, arrangements, co-production
Jasmine Burton- Bass
Alex Karakurt - Drums
Tawanda Manika - Guitar
Olivia Cuttill - Trumpet
Max Rodriguez - guitar
Louis Auneau - Producer
Bar Huss - Engineer
Studio - That Sound studio
license

Léa Mondo - Vices

E Go Betta is the opening track from forthcoming Dele Sosimi album You No Fit Touch Am.

One of the true masters of afrobeat, who learned his art as keyboard player and musical director for Fela's Egypt 80, Dele delivers here an album full of energy, power and social comment.

The full length version of E Go Betta is now available instantly when you pre-order You No Fit Touch Am. Official release is on May 25th. Available on LP/CD/DL.

Pre-order here: https://delesosimi.bandcamp.com/album/you-no-fit-touch-am

Or on iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/you-no-fit-touch-am/id974508168

More info: http://www.delesosimi.org

Dele Sosimi -  E Go Betta (Radio Edit)

Pre-order on iTunes: http://bit.ly/GDGZiTunes
Pre-order vinyl: http://bit.ly/GDGZdirect

Wah Wah 45s are proud to present the brand new single from one-man horn driven funk music machine, The Gene Dudley Group. 

Following on from last year's dance floor smash, No Trouble on the Mountain, featuring Anne Frankenstein on the microphone, Gene Dudley returns with more soulful vocals, and a sure fire festival hit for 2015. This time the vocals come courtesy of one half of U.S. duo Myron & E (Stones Throw) with the latter of the pair lending his velvet tones to the hypnotic, sweet summer soul of the BBC 6Music favourite, I've Changed. 

On the flip comes a secret weapon every DJ will be after over the festival period. Gene's version of Todd Terje's Inspector Norse is a funk driven horn-fest and takes the modern dance floor classic into exciting new areas. So much so, that it can already count Gilles Peterson and even Terje himself as fans! 

Look out for the Gene Dudley Group's sophomore LP, Zambidoose, dropping this July and accompanied by a plethora of gigs across the UK with the full live Gene Dudley Group band.

The Gene Dudley Group -  Inspector Norse

Buy direct in high-quality: https://delesosimi.bandcamp.com/album/e-go-betta-mixes

Wah Wah 45s are proud to present the new single from an Afrobeat legend!

E Go Betta is the third single to be taken from Dele Sosimi’s latest LP You No Fit Touch Am. The album has received huge praise from Okay Africa, Clash Magazine and Songlines, and radio support from stations as diverse as Rinse FM and BBC 6Music. This single is a straight up dance floor monster, made even more foot friendly by a very cunning re-edit courtesy of rising star O’Flynn (Blip Recordings).

Born in Hackney, East London, but soon to return to his parents’ native Nigeria at the age of four, Dele Sosimi was schooled and raised in Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s shadow at the height of early 70s afrobeat. Having been chosen by Fela to join his band at somewhat of a tender age, he was still a young man when sharing Fela’s Glastonbury stage in 1984, and became both Musical Director for both Fela’s Egypt 80 and Femi Kuti’s Positive Force.

After Fela’s passing in 1997, Dele went on to concentrate on his own solo career and, with diligent patience, carved out his own Afrobeat crown. In London, where he now resides, his Afrobeat Vibration all-nighters are charged with his passion, labours and his unrelenting spirit and deliver Fela classics alongside his own compositions from his first two studio albums, Turbulent Times, and Identity.

London’s new Afrobeat king is here to party and you’re all welcome to join in!

Dele Sosimi - E Go Betta (O'Flynn Edit)

Wah Wah 45s are proud to bring four remixes of our Afrobeat legend to vinyl! You No Fit Touch Am has been universally received with open arms.

A perfect document of the lessons Dele learned in Fela Kuti’s ranks during the 70s and 80s, but brought firmly up-to-date and with contemporary social comment as vital to the afrobeat genre as any rhythm or instrument. To take that forward thinking even further Wah Wah 45s commissioned four huge remixes from some of the UKs most interesting new production names.

Tru Thoughts’ no-nonsense house producer Titeknots first delivered us a massive tropical-house take on Sanctuary back in January. Gaining radio support from Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 6 Music, Wah Wah 45s received an endless amount of requests for this to appear on vinyl, so here we are.

Alongside it Wolf Music legend and in-demand house remixer Medlar brings an, intense and insistent disco flavoured rework. To complete the package two relatively new production duos bring quite distinctly different versions.

Warsaw artists Ptaki take on slow burner We Siddon We Dey Look with characteristic punch and new London outfit Modified Man light a broken beat fire under the album title track You No Fit Touch Am.

Four tracks of killer dancefloor fodder for pretty much every occasion. Taking the already incendiary music of Dele Sosimi in a more angular and electronic direction, worthy of a rare 12” release on the Wah Wah imprint, we’re sure you’ll agree

You No Fit Touch Am (Modified Man Remix)

We Siddon We Dey Look (Straight Molin') (Ptaki Remix)

Wah Wah 45s are proud to bring four remixes of our Afrobeat legend to vinyl! You No Fit Touch Am has been universally received with open arms.

A perfect document of the lessons Dele learned in Fela Kuti’s ranks during the 70s and 80s, but brought firmly up-to-date and with contemporary social comment as vital to the afrobeat genre as any rhythm or instrument. To take that forward thinking even further Wah Wah 45s commissioned four huge remixes from some of the UKs most interesting new production names.

Tru Thoughts’ no-nonsense house producer Titeknots first delivered us a massive tropical-house take on Sanctuary back in January. Gaining radio support from Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 6 Music, Wah Wah 45s received an endless amount of requests for this to appear on vinyl, so here we are.

Alongside it Wolf Music legend and in-demand house remixer Medlar brings an, intense and insistent disco flavoured rework. To complete the package two relatively new production duos bring quite distinctly different versions.

Warsaw artists Ptaki take on slow burner We Siddon We Dey Look with characteristic punch and new London outfit Modified Man light a broken beat fire under the album title track You No Fit Touch Am.

Four tracks of killer dancefloor fodder for pretty much every occasion. Taking the already incendiary music of Dele Sosimi in a more angular and electronic direction, worthy of a rare 12” release on the Wah Wah imprint, we’re sure you’ll agree




Sanctuary (Titeknots Remix)

Part of a remix package for Dele Sosimi's first album in a decade, Medlar returns back to basics with a nostalgic disco rework.

Read more: http://www.stampthewax.com/2015/11/11/premiere-dele-sosimi-you-no-fit-touch-am-medlar-remix/
Listen on Youtube: http://bit.ly/sosimi-medlar
Buy: https://delesosimi.bandcamp.com/album/you-no-fit-touch-am-retouched-ep

Follow:
@medlar
@dsao (Dele Sosimi)
@wahwah45s

Listen on Youtube

Dele Sosimi - You No Fit Touch Am (Medlar Remix) (STW Premiere)

01 Weight In Space (with Shafiq Husayn) (Radio Edit)

02 Weight In Space [Bastien Keb Remix]

Wah Wah 45s bring you four incredible re-works from French disco don The Reflex, for our very own legendary Canadian/Haitian keyboard wiz Henri-Pierre Noel.

Funky Spider Dance is a percussion heavy bomb filled to the brim with Henri's soaring piano licks and infectious female vocal hooks. The Reflex has taken what was already a sure-fire club favourite, and created something of a dance floor destroyer.

His rework of A Fifth of Beethoven takes its time to build into another heavy hitter. As the beats make way for Henri's deft keyboard flourishes, the recognition of this cover of the Walter Murphy classic (taken from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack) begins to dawn - and as it does, it's clear that once again the dream team of HPN and The Reflex have worked their magic!

The Reflex's Revision of Back Home...; Sweet Home is a modern Island Funk masterpiece with organ and tropical guitar riffs making way for sunny brass stabs all underpinned by foot friendly beats.

And last, but most certainly not least, the full-length version of The Reflex's re-working of the dancer's favourite Diskette, is available here for the very first time in all of its glory!

The original versions of Funky Spider Dance and Back Home...; Sweet Home can be found on Henri's One More Step album, Diskette is taken from his debut, Piano, and his take of A Fifth of Beethoven was recently available on 7-inches of wax - all on Wah Wah 45s of course. The Reflex Revisions all appear here together for the very first time!

Buy Vinyl

Henri-Pierre Noël - Back Home, Sweet Home

Henri-Pierre Noël - A Fifth Of Beethoven [The Reflex Revision]

The sweet sixteenth instalment in the Dubplate series sees regular contributors Beatsy Collins and Bopperson deliver two firing, dance floor friendly re-works of a couple of classics from the great man that is Bobby McFerrin. 

Beatsy Collins' re-work of Thinking About Your Body has been knocking around on mp3 for some time now, and has been a mainstay of sets from a small selection of London's finest underground DJs. It's a low slung affair, complete with a frenzy of filters and beats to move your feet. 

On the flip, McFerrin's cover of the Lennon & McCartney favourite, From Me To You, is completely re-imagined by young Bopperson, giving it a foot friendly percussive shakedown, whilst adding some serious, face melting bass. 

As always, we hope you enjoy!

Bobby Mcferrin - Thinkin About Your Body (Wah Wah Dubplate)

Here’s your first taster of Afrobeat icon Dele Sosimi re-imagined in dub by two production masters, Prince Fatty and Nostalgia 77. ‘Dance Together’ is a never before released track from the same recording session that brought you Dele’s most recent album ‘You No Fit Touch Am’.

"It was such a rush to have Prince Fatty and Nostalgia 77 work their magic on Dele's material. With Fatty bringing the spirit of 80s On-U Sound, Mikey Dread and Mad Professor, and Ben Nostalgia having mixed Dele's original LP, this was always going to be something very special." Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s)

'You No Fit Touch Am', Dele Sosimi's first full-length album in almost a decade, was released by Wah Wah 45s in May 2015. It represented where Dele is today - something of an untouchable force in the music scene that he has always been such a vital part of. The album provided a musical representation of Dele’s strong socio-political opinions, as well as delivering classic song-writing that could have come straight out of 1970s Lagos.

Born in Hackney, East London, but soon to return to his parents’ native Nigeria at the age of four, Dele Sosimi was schooled and raised in Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s shadow at the height of early 70s Afrobeat. Having been chosen by Fela to join his band at somewhat of a tender age, he was still a young man when sharing Fela’s Glastonbury stage in 1984, and became both Musical Director for both Fela’s Egypt 80 and FemiKuti’s Positive Force. After Fela’s passing in 1997, Dele went on to concentrate on his own solo career and, with diligent patience, carved out his own Afrobeat crown. In London, where he now resides, his Afrobeat Vibration all-nighters are charged with his passion, labours and his unrelenting spirit.

“So fresh, while staying true to the template” The Quietus
“Blistering Afro-funk from a true legend” Clash
“Clinical in execution and brimming with vitality” London In Stereo

www.delesosimi.org
wahwah45s.com

Dance Together (feat. Prince Fatty & Nostalgia 77)

Dele Sosimi - Dance Together (feat. Prince Fatty & Nostalgia 77)

The sixth instalment of the Allo Love series is our first collective effort, coming as it does from the combined musical mind of Leeds / London based electronica outfit Paper Tiger. We could bang on about how this is our favourite Allo Love compilation so far; how it contains more exclusive tracks than any of its predecessors and how it's an almost seamless journey through melodic downtempo and dance floor delights, but we thought we'd let Greg Surmacz from the band explain for himself! 

"We were honoured and delighted to be asked to curate this release - the label has such a diverse and high-quality catalogue that narrowing down our choices was a tough process. However, one of Wah Wah 45s' defining characteristics is always pushing forward, always innovating: so in that spirit, we decided to compile as much brand new music as possible for the album and make it a 'family and friends' affair. 

There's an exclusive new Paper Tiger song; a debut release for our bassist Sam Vicary's amazing Hunrosa project; a debut by Chrome Glaciers (my new project with fellow Yorkshire artist Bambooman); new music from our DJ/producer Adam Radley (aka Vital) and frontman Raphael Attar, plus exclusive tracks from some of our favourite new producers. The catalogue picks are also a nod to the Wah Wah music which has influenced us - Bonobo, Dele Sosimi, Gene Dudley and a mega blast of Kanye from Scrimshire's monstrous Hackney Colliery Band edit. 

Most importantly of all, we wanted the release to hang together, to feel like a coherent album that illustrates our taste as musicians and listeners. Hopefully we've achieved this and produced something which provides an insight into all of our work, but can be enjoyed on its own terms!"

Allo Love: Volume 6

Stac - Balls Bounce (Bonobo Remix)

Wah Wah 45s are proud to present the first release from Afro-dub stalwarts and brand new signings, Soothsayers. Having been fans of this influential South London based outfit for the best part of two decades now, it's come as a great thrill to finally, officially welcome them to the fold.

These four brand new recordings, issued rather beautifully on ten-inches of wax with bespoke sleeve artwork and featuring the imagery of Polish photographer Kazimierz Zagórski, draw from the kaleidoscope of influences that have forged the Soothsayers sound. For the new listener they provide a window into the world of a band that have explored myriad forms, developing the groove and philosophy that originally shepherded these musicians onto a common path. For the seasoned fan, these tracks provide a fresh take on some live favourites, including re-workings of Afro-jazz favourites, and expansive vocal versions of classic Soothsayer dubs.

Blinded Souls is a fresh recording of a bubbling Afrobeat tune, first released on Soothsayers sophomore album, Tangled Roots. Simple, direct, chanted harmonies deliver a lyrical message lamenting the "long works hours culture" and modern materialistic priorities. Gritty rhythmic horns, jazzy Rhodes and analogue synths combine perfectly with an Afro break-beat for the three part vocal blend to ride on - this version was mixed by legendary dub wizard Nick Manasseh.

Eagle Song provides some soaring spiritual jazz and is a new version of a piece that was recorded for Soothsayers' debut LP, Lost City. It's a deeply grooving instrumental that has been an energetic high point of the band's live shows. Sax and trumpet improvisation and interplay, tight ensemble playing and a gritty mix by Rhys Adams at Yesking Studios make this a highlight.

Roll River Roll is a tough yet soulful dub cut that lays the perfect sonic bed for Soothsayers' three part harmonies, paying respect to the great Jamaican vocals groups like Culture, The Gladiators and The Mighty Diamonds. The rhythm is a reworking of a version from an earlier recording, Red Earth Dub, with a vocal written in the midst of a chaotic world with a calling to get back to our roots and learn from the natural world.

Finally, Refugee, written in tribute to all resilient humans uprooted from their homeland and coping with the struggles of relocation, is a new version of the instrumental Salaam Shalom that featured Soothsayers horns, and was produced by Nick Manasseh for the Roots Garden label.
There but for the grace of God go we!

Previous radio support comes from Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum, David Rodigan, Don Letts, Robert Elms and many more worldwide.

Soothsayers will be celebrating this release with a full live show at The Battersea Arts Centre on May 17th with special guests Dele Sosimi, Hector Plimmer, Wu-Lu and Wah Wah 45s DJs.

Speak To My Soul 

Soothsayers - Roll River Roll

In November 2014, The Milk joined forces with underground-soul label Wah Wah 45s to tease the first taste of their matured new sound. Having spent months developing a classic-soul sensibility with production don and "The Bees" mastermind Paul Butler, the band released 100, one-sided white label 7"s of 'Deliver Me'. They sold out in just a few hours.

That Christmas, as the band returned to Butler's medieval-barn studio on the Isle of Wight to complete the recording of 'Favourite Worry', interest was quickly growing. Though there were nerves all round about how people would react to their deviation from the pop sensibilities of debut album 'Tales From The Thames Delta', band and label remained faithful that this important collection of songs would be recognized as something truly special.

The music drew strong influences from the likes of Bobby Womack, Isaac Hayes, Bill Withers and the Isley Brothers (you can hear an incredible likeness to Ron Isley in lead singer Rick Nunn's vocals). But more than that, the songwriting was, without doubt, a match for so much of that classic era's legendary output.

By the following Christmas, Favourite Worry had been named one of the BBC Radio 6Music albums of the year, nominated by Fun Lovin' Criminal Huey Morgan. The band had sold out shows at The Dome, Oslo and Scala in London and completed a packed UK tour.

Since then The Milk have gone on to play festivals including Love Supreme and The Funk & Soul Weekender and sold out London's Union Chapel with an exceptional orchestral performance, captured in all it's glory on The Milk Live At The Union Chapel.

To complete this incredible journey for the four-strong soul band from Essex Wah Wah 45s are now releasing the deluxe edition of the album. The package include two previously unreleased tracks from the original recording session, 'I Heard A Shot' and 'My Son The Killer'. These sit alongside b-sides and remixes including Kicking The Smoke, the hugely popular Tall Black Guy Remix of 'Trouble Gonna Bring Me Down and the brand new remix of Deliver Me by Baby Prince.

With these never before heard new tracks to satisfy the die-hard fans, who have followed from the beginning, this new album should also offer more than a little enticement to those who have yet to discover the magic of the band.

Sometimes it takes a few bumps to find the right direction; often it involves experience, guts and self-belief to trust yourself and venture from one to find another. The Milk are a band that believe with utter conviction that they've now found their way.

Favourite Worry (Deluxe Edition)

The Milk - Deliver Me (Baby Prince Remix)

This autumn, Wah Wah 45s are very proud to present their latest signing, an outfit who've garnered huge praise from Jools Holland, are darlings of The Guardian's music reviews pages, and have set festivals alight up and down the country with their unique melange of sounds.
For a good few years, Honeyfeet has been a conduit for the ideas and expressions of an exotic mixture of Manchester based musicians. 

Jazz? Yes, some of that! Folk? Stick that in there! Hip-hop? I thought you'd never ask! Someone once called it Folk-Hop and Barrelhouse-pop, and that's just vague enough to make sense.

It helps that they are fronted by Ríoghnach Connolly, Real World's newest signing and "a remarkable singer and flautist who...can ease from Irish traditional influences to soul" (The Guardian).

This extraordinary band's debut single for Wah Wah 45s, Sinner, was originally affectionately known as Boingy Squelch, after the unconventional sounds trombonist Biff Roxby used in his early demos. 

Ríoghnach conveys the story of a woman who never intends on staying at home "chained to the sink" - "I may be a sinner, but I'm not a slave". In that way, the song is a rejection of outdated, traditional roles.

Since their previous album, 2013's It's a Good Job I Love You, keyboardist John Ellis jumped on board as full-time member, bringing his unique musical presence. This enabled the development of a more texturally adventurous style, as witnessed with the dual atonal solo between himself and guitarist Ellis Davies on Sinner. Similarly, for their next LP, Orange Whip, engineer, bassist and spiritual guide Lorien Edwards makes his Honeyfeet recording debut, so completing the "kitchen" of this very special band.

Sinner is released on October 20th and comes complete with a woozy, low slung club-friendly mix from former Innocent Sorcerer, Polish DJ and producer Envee.

The album, Orange Whip, will be released on Wah Wah 45s in the summer of 2018.

Sinner

1. Honeyfeet - Sinner (Radio Edit)

“In these days of homogenised, digital recordings lacking in any individual sound or identity it is most encouraging to hear something so truly original… most refreshing”.  David Rodigan MBE

Following on from their critically acclaimed second album ‘Imaginary People’ (championed by the likes of David Rodigan, Huey Morgan, Gideon Coe & many more) seminal UK Dub outfit Resonators return to conquer all with their latest offering.   ‘Something Special’ launches headfirst into a hypnotising 4/4 stepper, complete with earth shaking bassline and haunting saxophone lines. Meditative energies run through the dub laced ether, delayed vocals reverberating in the distance.  On the flip side ‘Why I (Discomix)’ moves into more introspective, half time territory, drifting slowly through space. Elevating consciousness and disconnecting from reality.

Resonators are without a doubt one of the most powerful and highly regarded dub outfits in the UK, taking all the influences of original Jamaican sounds and riddims, and bringing it forward into the sounds of here and now. With a plethora of new songs under their belt and a further EP scheduled for release later in the year, as well as what’s becoming a very healthy catalogue of crowd-pleasers from their last two albums, Resonators are touring the UK and Europe throughout  spring and summer.

SOMETHING SPECIAL 12 Inch MIX

Having kicked off this new series of compilations last year with other label boss Dom Servini’s “Allo Love” selection, Volume Two gives us an insight into his partner’s muscial diet. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the man’s own output, the down-tempo and electronica end of things is well covered with lush offerings from Hiatus & Shura, Amenta, Matches and Jesse Futerman. And in places, things get even more horizontal with more acoustic offerings from High Hopes Society and of course the man himself with his acoustic version of album favourite “A Promise Is All It Was”.

Let us not forget, though, that Scrimshire is also a DJ, and a damn fine one at that, and there’s plenty of turntable fodder to be found with Persian’s lovers and jungle mash-up, Twin Cities’ mid-tempo soul stirrer, Skinshape’s take on a Bill Withers classic, and plenty of cuts from the Wah Wah 45s stable including music from Part-time Heroes, Resonators, Paper Tiger, Hackney Colliery Band and LV’s deadly club version of Scrimshire’s “Everything You Say” featuring the Cinematic Orchestra’s Heidi Vogel. And even then there’s time for a couple of exclusives – Easy Access Orchestra’s re-work for Colman Brothers is quite possibly a modern summertime anthem, and new signing Gene Dudley Group get their first ever airing on Wah Wah 45s. Blimey, we’re out of breathe just thinking about it. 


Hiatus & Shura - River

Skinshape - Grandmas Hands

Having given us one of the most successful album releases in the Wah Wah catalogue with their eponymous debut over 18 months ago now, Bristol siblings in jazz the Colman Brothers have finally succumbed to the remix project we’ve all been waiting for, and what a project it is!

The brothers’ sophisticated style and penchant for 60s latin influenced jazz by the likes of Horace Silver and Francy Bolland has been brought right up-to-date by some of the most heavyweight producers around, and a few new names to watch. 

Up and coming beat-maker from Caracas, Venezula, Jimmy Flamante kicks things off in a low slung style akin to producer of the moment Tall Black Guy, who also features with his typically laid back re-working of one of the original album’s highlights. Elsewhere, latin specialist Sunlightsquare drops a 4/4 version of “Some Other Wonder” that’s aimed strictly at the dance floor, as does the mysterious Bman, and newcomers Skinshape impress with a dubbed out take of  the very cheeky “Momo”.

Look out for Herma Puma’s re-imagination of “The Chief”, taking it directly back to its B-Movie roots, as well as the popular interpretation by our very own Part-Time Heroes. And don’t forget label mate/boss Scrimshire who also weighs in with a sultry remix of “She Who Dares” and beat heads Frameworks, whose version of “El Nino” will keep lovers of both hip hop and jazz happy in equal measure.

Add to that sublime mixes from UK legends Easy Access Orchestra and The Herbaliser, NYC’s Greenwood Rhythm Coalition, Hamburg’s Renegades Of Jazz and of course, Bristol’s very own Colman Brothers themselves, and you’ve got an international selection of the highest order!


02 Momo (Skinshape Remix)

09 On A Better Day I'm Dreamin (Tall Black Guy Remix)

WAH7044

Out 03/06/13

Having wowed tastemakers across the board with her debut album, “Barefoot In Your Kitchen”, in 2012 (Gilles Peterson made it his Album of the Week a year ago) saucy songstress and culinary linguist Bev Lee Harling returns with a one-off single covering one of her favourite songs of all time.

The Peggy Lee classic, “Why Don’t You Do Right?”, was recorded by many artists in the 1950’s and 60’s, including Della Reese, whose version provided the inspiration for this take, but seemed to have become a bit of a forgotten gem for contemporary recording artists, until now that is.

This limited edition 7-inch release features a pair of cracking mixes from two of Europe’s finest production outfits with an ear for a classic tune and a touch of jazz.

Italy’s Suonho has found fame recently with his tasteful edits, on-point remixes and his recent re-versions of Brazilian classics. Here he takes Bev’s interpretation to the dance floor with a bass heavy four-to-the-floor mix that will please jazz and house heads alike.

On the flip, our very own Colman Brothers are back, adding a little of their trademark ‘Cha Cha’ magic to Bev’s sassy vocals, and creating a mid-tempo shuffler that should please fans of both them and the lady herself!

The original vocal version is also available via an accompanying digital package, and should help stave off the hunger for more Bev Lee Harling material until her new album drops in early 2014.

"I really, really like this!" Gilles Peterson, BBC 6Music (UK)

"I really love Bev's voice and generally like her unique sound! She really does have a great sound that stands out & grabs me!" DJ Format (UK)

"A luscious mix of lounging soul, pots’n’pans percussion and kitchen sink drama." Wrongtom, Tru Thoughts (UK)


Why Don't You Do Right (Colman Brothers Cha Cha Remix)

The Gene Dudley Group represents an outpouring of deep soul and funk music from obscenely talented 27 year-old multi-instrumentalist, Gene Dudley.  

The debut album, “Saturday Shifting”, was recorded in a cupboard in Muswell Hill, North London, and features the man himself on trumpet, saxophone, drums, bass, guitar and piano. On a couple of occasions, though, Gene had to budge over to allow fellow musicians Ewan Whyte and Tom Jackson to fit in a play a solo or two, but other than that, everything you hear on this album comes from the mind, mouth, fingers and heart of Mr. Gene Dudley Esq.

Fans of labels like Truth & Soul and Daptone will relish these sonorous soulful offerings, but the influences on this album are wide ranging. Tracks like “When The Gorilla Get Grip’ and “The New Lots Of Cooperstown” conjure up 60’s spy soundtracks, but elsewhere there are afro-beat influences on “The Hilo Bay Halfway” and more easy, introspective moments on “Minnie” and “Do The Stanley Weinberger”.  Just when you think you’ve got Gene Dudley’s sound pinned down, the album culminates with a real game changer in the shaped of the brilliantly titled “Waxing Unwaxed Lemons”, a quirky, electronic tinged nugget that should please many a dance floor.

In the live arena, rather than trying to play all the instruments himself, Gene deploys a quartet of top notch young musicians to help him out (whilst Gene mixes it up between bass and keys throughout the set) as witnessed at the recent Hot 8 Brass Band gig in London, The Gene Dudley Group’s debut live show.

Since that first outing, the group have played to much acclaim at venues such as London’s XOYO, and will be celebrating the release of “Saturday Shifting” with a live album launch, in support of label mate Henri-Pierre Noel, at The Jazz Café on July 13th. A night, and an album, not to be missed.

http://www.wahwah45s.com 
http://www.genedudleygroup.com


The Gene Dudley Group - The Hilo Bay Halfway

Wah Wah 45s are proud to present the second single from a lady who’s been causing quite a stir in 2013, the powerhouse vocalist and lyricist that is Lea Lea. Following on from her first single released on Wah Wah 45s, “Black Or White”, and in anticipation of her eponymous debut due in September, Lea Lea unleashes her new single, “Apartheid”, which comes with a host of remixes from some of contemporary dance music’s most interesting and exciting producers.

Having wowed audiences in London with her uncompromising live show, and recently worked with Hospital Records artist Other Echoes on his forthcoming LP, this young lady has had a very busy year so far. Her sassy style has drawn comparisons to Missy Elliot, MIA, Kelis and Grace Jones, but Lea Lea’s  is really a one-off – at once alluring, charming and commanding. Writing songs that encourage dialogue and challenge female stereotypes, whilst being thoroughly entertaining, Lea Lea thrives on the darker side of music yet delivers her songs with an infectious warmth.

Her second single for Wah Wah 45s speaks for itself, questioning prejudices that are still prevalent across the globe, and is underpinned with sparse yet foot friendly beats and bone crunching bass from Bonobo drummer and producer Jack Baker.

Remixes come courtesy of up-and-coming superstar Skinshape who’s delivered something very special indeed with a tropical/jungle hybrid complete with live guitar and horns, plus a trio of very tasty, more straight up club mixes from three of the UK’s finest producers – the bass loving Is Tropical, Rinse FM’s Funk Butcher and the brilliant Noisses. 

Modern in style, dramatic in production – Lea Lea is the new queen of dark electronic soul.

Wah Wah 45s

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