Broken beat revivalists Danny Wheeler's a.k.a. WheelUP's debut album 'Good Love' has been a real treat. The soul fused title single featuring the catchy hook by the vocalist Destiny Will, bars by Alabamian rapper Brint Story and collab with bruk pioneer and Bugz in the Attic founder Afronaut is definitely a standout anthem of the album. Today, we're bringing you an exclusive listen from the follow-up release that features a tasteful remix of the slick-summer-groove.
As an artist, producer and DJ of dual Zimbabwean and British heritage, growing up in the epicentre of bruk that is West London around the likes of Goya Music, IG Culture and Kaidi Tatham, it was only natural that Danny would gravitate towards the ‘West London Sound’. As he puts it: “It’s in my musical DNA”. Originating from the drum and bass world as Danny Wheeler, WheelUP follows the footsteps and lineage of 4hero, evolving from jungle/D&B to broken beat/bruk and was recently knighted an “honorary Bugz” by the original dons of broken beat, Bugz in the Attic, due to his work in pushing the bruk sound to new audiences. Mentored by both Afronaut and Adam F, and with releases on Tru Thoughts, CoOperation Records, and Future Bounce (Jamz Supernova’s label), WheelUP has taken his project to the next level with a live band that includes Nathan “Tugg” Curran aka Planet Battago on On The Corner and session drummer (Basement Jaxx, Gorgon City, Elton John), as well as bassist Tom Mason, part of the London jazz scene (Robert Mitchell’s Panacea, Richard Spaven).
“A modern take on broken beat. The inspiration continues” – Gilles Peterson
Tru Thoughts is now releasing a follow up to the debut album with a single "Rise Above" featuring Abacus, the alter ego of Harry Bryson from drum & bass duo Pola & Bryson. Talking about his new single, Danny says:
“Rise Above is my own modern take on Broken Beat, this is Bruk to the future, while giving a nod to the original heads. I teamed up with a good friend of mine Abacus, who like me originates from the Drum and Bass scene, he is one of the guys in leading new school duo Pola and Bryson.”
The release contains remixes from Dutch-native and saxophonist extraordinaire Reinier Thijs a.k.a. Thijsenterprise and the future-soul duo and WheelUP's label mates Anushka, who reworked the slick-summer-anthem 'Good Love'. Not too long ago, though, these tables were turned and Danny remixed the track 'Speak To Me' by Anushka, that came out on March 25th. As WheelUP added his bruk-flavoured drum patterns to their composition, the duo returned the favour by flipping his tune into a quirky 4-to-the-floor bounce. All in all, a great exchange and example of the beauty in sharing a label.
You can now hear this goodie exclusively below and fully enjoy the entire release once it drops tomorrow.
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