‘Nitely’ is the debut album from Jonny Wildey; written recorded over three years at North London’s creative haven Total Refreshment Centre.

Although ‘Nitely’ will be his first release under his own name, Wildey has been making electronic music under the name Alphabets Heaven for the last decade, releasing a string of acclaimed singles on Nightmares On Wax, Tru Thoughts, Soundway, and King Deluxe.

Recording upstairs at Total Refreshment Centre proved an inspiration in itself for Wildey – he recorded at night, which happily meant that some of the most exciting music around was happening in the same building: “The TRC had gigs on at the time, so I’d go there, start working on something, then would see the Neue Grafik Ensemble, or some amazing jazz band, and go back upstairs and carry on working, which was a lot of fun.” Unsurprisingly, he soon attracted some like-minded collaborators – ‘Nitely’ features Danalogue (The Comet Is Coming, Soccer96), Emma Gatrill (This Is The Kit, Laura Marling), Marcus Hamblett (James Holden, Timber Timbre) and London- based beat master Deft (Yip Wong).

‘Nitely’ represents a musical shift, with Wildey embracing more traditional songwriting and a drawing upon his wide range of musical tastes – Shuggie Otis, Yes, Arthur Lee’s Love, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, A Tribe Called Quest, John Frusciante, Milton Nascimento, Steve Miller. “I really just wanted to take a lot of influences from the 70s and 80s that I was maybe a bit embarrassed about earlier in life and try and apply that to everything I’ve been doing for the last 10 years. I’m not ashamed to write songs and put my vocals at the front, which is a huge step for me. The big connecting thing is that a lot of the music I like is fun – say, Shuggie Otis has a lot of what I like in dance music, in that it just feels so light – it will just make whatever you do feel a bit better, that’s the kind of music I wanted to make.

Spanning 12 tracks, ‘Nitely’ is a record from the heart; it’s direct, warm and unequivocally honest. The sound palette of the record effortlessly meshes the crunch and warmth of 70’s funk & soul (Lonely, Violet, Your Dreams), the dreamy air of bedroom pop (Don’t Fall Asleep, Love is Out There) and sub heavy frequencies from beats/electronica (Roll, Too Much). The result is a modern day Pop / New Soul classic, an album that from start to finish is an endearing look into the mind of Wildey. It’s familiar-yet-new, nostalgic and straight forward, wearing its emotions very clearly on its sleeves.


Support: Huw Stephens (BBCR6), Huey Morgan (BBCR6), Charlie Bones, Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s), Clash Magazine, Vinyl District, Roadie Music, Fortitude Mag, Contact Music, Glam Glare, Indie Criollo, Tinnitist, WorldWide FM.

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Jonny Wildey - Nitely (WOT043) (Out Now)

‘Roll’ is the first official single taken from Jonny Wildey’s highly anticipated debut album ‘Nitely’, following his cover of Rosie Gaines’ UKG classic ‘Closer’ (‘a divine exploration that thrives on beatific emotion’ - Clash Magazine)

‘Roll’ is one of the most driving and direct takes from ‘Nitely’ and, although the track most reminiscent of the imaginative electronic production perfected under his Alphabets Heaven moniker, also demonstrates the strong psych/soul influences and pop sensibilities that define the album.

Aptly affectionate, playful and personable in vibe, ‘Roll’ is, in Wildey’s own words, ‘about how you and your friends can be a really important, and often fun, support network for each other’.

Wildey’s wistfully airy vocals, warm rhodes chords & vibraphones lay down the cushioning bed for a squelchy SH101 bass line, seriously tumping drums and 70’s bubbling synthlines come together to roll you along for this mellow-tough journey.

Roll (WOT043B)

Roll

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Jonny Wildey - Roll (WOT043B)

‘Your Dreams / Lonely’ is a double single taken from Wildey’s debut LP ‘Nitely’, following the dreamy and bubbly ‘Roll’.

Opening track ‘Your Dreams’ encompasses the crunch, warmth and raw upbeat energy of 70’s funk & soul, shuffled with Wildey’s unique approach to get your booty moving. Inspired by a desperate trip to Venice and the art of Chirico, ‘Your Dreams’ is, in Wildey’s own words, ‘a fun jam track about how expressing dreams changes them’.

In ‘Your Dreams’, uptempo four-to-the-floor drums are partnered with irresistibly funky guitar & bass licks, church organ chords & melodies, providing a solid bedrock to Wildey’s direct and airy vocals, and coming to a psychedelic crescendo with lightly scorched synths.

Continuing the raw warmth and instrumentation of ‘Your Dreams’ is the B-side ‘Lonely’, a gritty slow jam with an epic lead guitar hook over lighter strums with a slower, more intimate sway. In Wildey’s own words ‘Lonely is about absence making the heart grow fonder’. It’s the closest we come to a modern-day, soulful ballad on the LP; a truly nostalgic and heart-warming track.

‘Nitely’ is released 15th October 2021 on 12” vinyl & digital.

Previous support comes from Huw Stephens (BBCR6), Huey Morgan (BBCR6), Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s), Clash Magazine, WorldWide FM

Your Dreams (WOT043C)

Your Dreams

Jonny Wildey - Lonely

Jonny Wildey - Your Dreams

‘Violet’ is the final single taken from ‘Nitely’, Jonny Wildey’s debut album, released October 15th 2021.

Continuing the eclectic journey of previous singles ‘Roll’ and ‘Your Dreams’, displaying Wildey’s electronica/beats and 70s funk & soul influences respectively, ‘Violet’ sees his gossamer vocals over pop sensiblities coupled with a subtle splash of psych rock.

‘Violet’ is an ode to someone close to Wildey that encompasses all the senses and feelings of human nature; ‘I really love that violet can be a colour, a flower and the name of someone. It’s a song about someone who is all 3’.

Bubbly, gliding arps open the track to a swung four/four beat over a bed of wavey organ chords, funk-strum rhythm guitar and a bouncy walking bassline. Trippy synths are lightly sprinkled throughout the track, hinting towards the harmonious break down, which elevates the track into the stars.

Previous support comes from Huw Stephens (BBCR6), Huey Morgan (BBCR6), Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s), Clash Magazine, WorldWide FM

Violet

Jonny Wildey - Violet (WOT043D)

‘Nitely’ is the debut album from Jonny Wildey; written recorded over three years at North London’s creative haven Total Refreshment Centre.

Although ‘Nitely’ will be his first release under his own name, Wildey has been making electronic music under the name Alphabets Heaven for the last decade, releasing a string of acclaimed singles on Nightmares On Wax, Tru Thoughts, Soundway, and King Deluxe.

Recording upstairs at Total Refreshment Centre proved an inspiration in itself for Wildey – he recorded at night, which happily meant that some of the most exciting music around was happening in the same building: “The TRC had gigs on at the time, so I’d go there, start working on something, then would see the Neue Grafik Ensemble, or some amazing jazz band, and go back upstairs and carry on working, which was a lot of fun.” Unsurprisingly, he soon attracted some like-minded collaborators – ‘Nitely’ features Danalogue (The Comet Is Coming, Soccer96), Emma Gatrill (This Is The Kit, Laura Marling), Marcus Hamblett (James Holden, Timber Timbre) and London- based beat master Deft (Yip Wong).

‘Nitely’ represents a musical shift, with Wildey embracing more traditional songwriting and a drawing upon his wide range of musical tastes – Shuggie Otis, Yes, Arthur Lee’s Love, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, A Tribe Called Quest, John Frusciante, Milton Nascimento, Steve Miller. “I really just wanted to take a lot of influences from the 70s and 80s that I was maybe a bit embarrassed about earlier in life and try and apply that to everything I’ve been doing for the last 10 years. I’m not ashamed to write songs and put my vocals at the front, which is a huge step for me. The big connecting thing is that a lot of the music I like is fun – say, Shuggie Otis has a lot of what I like in dance music, in that it just feels so light – it will just make whatever you do feel a bit better, that’s the kind of music I wanted to make.

Spanning 12 tracks, ‘Nitely’ is a record from the heart; it’s direct, warm and unequivocally honest. The sound palette of the record effortlessly meshes the crunch and warmth of 70’s funk & soul (Lonely, Violet, Your Dreams), the dreamy air of bedroom pop (Don’t Fall Asleep, Love is Out There) and sub heavy frequencies from beats/electronica (Roll, Too Much). The result is a modern day Pop / New Soul classic, an album that from start to finish is an endearing look into the mind of Wildey. It’s familiar-yet-new, nostalgic and straight forward, wearing its emotions very clearly on its sleeves.

Previous support comes from Huw Stephens (BBCR6), Huey Morgan (BBCR6), Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s), Clash Magazine, WorldWide FM

Jonny Wildey - Nitely (WOT043) (Out Now)

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