Review: Soothsayers - Fly Higher (Wah Wah 45s)

The WAH WAH 45s 26th anniversary party has the mighty Soothsayers with a VINYL release of their 11th album, get in early! 

We're long term fans of the label as you can tell from the many reviews on YATM and this is another excellent release.

OK, so we're still waiting for a certain Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s top man, Jazz FM, Soho Radio and many more) who in the past has been playing out the Hectic Extension of the previous singles to actually have an official release of one.  And members of Soothsayers have links with the South Coast but even so, this 10 tracks is the band at their Afrobeat/reggae/dub best.

I honestly think this is their best work to date. The musicianship, the guests, the production, the three-part harmonies, the message, but above all the song-writing, are all on point.

The album is out this Friday on vinyl LP (and digital via Bandcamp) only. It'll get a full release on evil Spotify and elsewhere in January 2026.

If you've seen Youthsayers at any of their gigs/festival events, you'll know these guys have a legacy to follow them; and you can add 'Fly Higher' to that too!

BUY LINK: https://soothsayers.bandcamp.com/album/fly-higher

Live Shows

September 21st The Jazz Café, London
October 10th Eco Park, Porthtowan, Cornwall
October 11th The Jam Jar, Bristol
October 24th Brundenall, Leeds
October 25th The Vale, Mossley
November 8th The Hall, Hastings
December 12th Fox & Firkin, London
December 19th Bossaphonik, Cowley Workers Club, Oxford

Artist: Soothsayers  

Release: Fly Higher 
Release Date: 19th September, 2025
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: TBC
Format:VINYL LP Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Vital Disorders / Kotoa - Zombie (Wah Wah 45s)

If it's Fela Kuti, it's always worth repeating, 'Zombie' and Wah Wah 45s are on it in two distinct ways.

It was only last week that Land Of Echo's debut album, 'Almost Music' was released (see review HERE) and not long before that, Raz & 'Remixes of Resistance' (see review HERE) so it's a bit of a surpise, even with their very close association with Afica 70 member Dele Sosimi, here are two versionos Fela's classic track.

Each shorter that the original but you've got Vital Disorders on a vocal version and Kotoa with a raw jazz-funk instrumental.

And if you think there's echos of Bristol scene post-punk, you'd be right as back in 1982 when Vital Disorder's Nigerian born vocalist Lenneka at the time was 'discovered' by the band's  bassist in Norwich (!) and it became a big tune in their set; only to be unearthed years later by Gilles Peterson and his Arsenal fan mate Dom Servini was inspired to grab it for re-issue and paired it with a cover by one of the groups on his Wah Wah 45s label (sounding close to Soothsayers/Youthsayers)

As a protest anthem, 'Zombie' as stood the test of time since its original release and these two versions - whether recorded 40 year ago or this year - are as equally powerful.  Limited 7" release so don't miss this one.

BUY LINK: https://wahwah45s.bandcamp.com/album/zombie

Artist: Vital Disorders / Kotoa 

Title:  Zombie

Release date: 22nd August, 2025

Label : Wah Wah 45s

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Vinyl /Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Land Of Echo - Almost Music (Wah Wah 45s)

It's always worth repeating,
in the Land Of Echo, 'Almost Music' is coming out this week,  'Almost Music' is coming out this week,  'Almost Music' is coming out this week,  'Almost Music' is coming out this week,  'Almost Music' is coming out this week.

This is Land Of Echo's debut album but when you're told it is the 'return of the' Rob Mac, he of Jumbonics, Gum Drop, Speeka, Matt Smooth & The Easy Rockers on many labels including Tru-Thoughts, Altered Vibes, Sonar Kollektiv and Wah Wah 45s.

 

So a like bit of a home coming on the label with a 9 new tracks of "altered disco, downtempo soul and experimental electonics aided by the synths and violins of Lucy Wilkins, having herself played with Massive Attack, Radiohead and Roxy Music.

The centrepiece track 'Freedom In Our Rhythm Parts 1 + 2' is Massive Attack-eques a go-go so that's a winner on its own!

The vocals are provided another returnee from a career break, Sheffield's Kathy Diamond (Morgan Geist, Hercules & The Love Affair, Soul Clap and many more) and Tokyo born/London based Ayana Homma (Tokyo Riddem Band & Sound Anthropology).  And whilst we're at it, Angus 'yes i'm related' Mac in on bass and if you can't dance to the opening track, 'What We Want' with the groovy bassline, disco synths and string and sing-a-long vocals; there's no hope for you.

There's definitely some hang-over from the 'Hi-Falutin' Gum Drop album, which is a good thing and you can bet that they're already lining up outside Wah Wah 45s North London HQ for the remix options (Kay Suzuki on a dub? A Kelley Polar 'symphonic-disco' rewerk? etc) but that's a no-go for now as there's some real highlights here like 'Lean Into Your Own Breath', 'Never To Never' (I'll forgive the "bah, bahs"), 'Don't Talk (Just Dance)' and 'I Want'.

So the Land of Echo is on repeat in the office - don't miss this one.

BUY LINK: Almost Music | Land Of Echo

Artist: Land Of Echo

Title:  Almost Music

Release date: 15th August, 2025

Label : Wah Wah 45s

Catalog Number : WAHLP034

Format: Vinyl /Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Raz & Afla - Remixes Of Resistance (Wah Wah 45s)

WAH WAH 45s could not resist themselves as Raz & Afla's 'Echoes Of Resistance' from last year becomes Raz & Afla's 'Remixes Of Resistance' this year - but your can't resist this.

We're long term fans of the label and the singles previously released, 'What's Going On', 'Ebo Be Me' and the awesome 'Shikor Shikor' that were just three of the highlights on the original album (see review HERE).

Of course, we were hopeful that the Hectic Extenson of 'What's Going On' would make the cut but you can't argue that Lumberjacks In Hell's Marcel Vogel (he of 'Real Love - see review HERE) and Seamont's remix is a great opener.

But they're not the only ones stepping up to remix tracks by Raz Olsher (electronics) and Afla Sackey (percussion and vocals) that Dom Servini, the label's head honcho, was/is enormously proud of.

I was kinda taken aback with the Jamz Supernova and Sam Interface remix of 'Shikor Shikor' as talk about bassbin wobble!  And add to that, JKriv's remix of 'Stefana' gets us moving like his other recent releases on his own Razor-N-Tape label a (see review HERE of his 'Intuition' EP and HERE, the JKriv & Megatronic 'Out Of Time' that's out this week too!)

.

Even a track with a multiple repeated chant of 'On Da Fone', Davin Varda & Buscadora don't put the breaks on "the run-a-way double headed freight train" and DMX Krew gets busy on  'We Taya' (big tune) and the "haunting re-work" of 'Mo Ni Fere' by Maxxi Soundsystem (massive tune!).

We said last time that, "There are moments of pure euphoria and unadulterated joy too though, as tracks like 'Mon Ni Fere', 'Voodoo Zeezee' and 'Baby Moo' inspire elated, tribal dance floor pleasure" and whilst I still prefer the 'Voodoo Zeezee' original, Lawne (Joe Martin and Joe Nicklin) meld 'Ano Be Mumu' into some prog-OST! 

This is a fantastic album that's not as 'compilation' as many a remix album even with such a range of remixers on the case, including the warp of Motion Kin's 'Eno Be Me' doesn't seem out of place.

Artist: Raz & Afla

Release:  Remixes Of Resistance 
Release Date: 8th August, 2025
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: WAHDIG21
Format: Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: IKE - On Higher Dreams (Wah Wah 45s)

Isaac de Martin (aka IKE) is 'On Higher Dreams' and we're up there in the clouds with him.

You'll recall the single, 'Sidda' as a melange of ambient proggy "Ethio-Egyptian influenced jazz" wrapped in a Italian OST heritage envelope plus some Swingle Singers-esque cherry on the cake.

'Rapids' featuring Danny Kuttner and 'Eventide' are previous singles that picked up radio plays by Gilles Peterson (Worldwide FM/BBC 6 Music), Enrique Domenich (CKUT FM) and, of course, label boss Dom Servini (Jazz FM/Soho Radio) as they have fallen for IKE's blends of jazz and electronica that's "warm, smooth and often cinematic". 

You can see why the Italian lifestyle of Treviso suits the music, especially if you've been watching the Giro d'Italia this month; I wonder where Mr. Servini family background is from?  [Ed. you can't guess Woolwich].   We're told, IKE's bandground is a bit of a "flip" as he was born in Italy to parents with a British background and that he trained in the UK in classical guitar and jazz.

That said, much of the influence for the album was Egypt/Ethiopia, for example, the introduction to 'Sidda' is inspired by 'Ashweyna' (translates from Hindi as 'Child Of The Star)' by Ethiopia's Mahmoud Ahmed whilst 'Siddha' in Sanskrit, means “one who is accomplished”, and refers to the masters who have achieved a high degree of intellectual perfection, as well as liberation or enlightenment: a state of being 'On Higher Dreams'.

With UK appearances with the album launch, with a full live show at A L P H A B E T (Brighton: with a DJ set by Dom Servini, 25th May), plus a listening party at the Total Refreshment Centre (North London, 30th May) and an in-store at Love Vinyl (Hoxton, Saturday, 31st May). 

BUY LINK: On Higher Dreams | IKE

P.S. Did you notice 'SIDDA' is Addis backwards (as in Addis Abeba), the capital of Ethiopia! 

Artist: IKE

Release:  On Higher Dreams
Release Date: 30th May, 2025
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: WAHLP
Format: Limited Vinyl (Black) / Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Raz & Afla - Windowlicker / Going Back To My Roots (Wah Wah 45s)

This is great for all fans of the cover version: two absolute classics done by Raz and Alfa - get ya orders in now on Wah Wah 45s.

More Wah Wah madness!  Who would have thought that Raz Olsher and Afla Sackey, the guys who brought you 'Echoes Of Resistance (that interestingly on my itunes comes up as 'unknown genre') could turn their fusion of electronic and African rhythms to two absolute classic tracks from both ends of the spectrum.

Raz & Afla (see review HERE) have, "made it their own", Aphex Twin's iconic 'Windowlicker' (check out the fantasic cover) with the multi-versioned 'Going Back To My Roots' - not only Odyssey but also Hugh Masekela, Orlando Julius, Richi Havens that was first performed and written by Lamont Dozier in 1977!

So two tracks that span nearly 25 and 50 years ago match incredibly well and it's set big for the whole of 2025; don't go home before you check this out.

Dom, big fat 12" required?

"Ohhh whaouuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" Laurent Garnier (Worldwide FM)
"Love this cover and it hits the spot!" Phat Phil Cooper (Nu Northern Soul) 
"Version excursion!!" Rob Da Bank (Camp Bestival)

PS. Don't forget Alfa is featured on Medlar's 'Islands' album (see review HERE) and there's news of a Raz Olsher solo project coming soon too!

Graphic designer Michael Sallit 

Artist: Raz & Afla
Release: Windowlicker / Going Back To My Roots
Release Date: 18th April, 2025
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: WAHDIG200 
Format:  Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Dele Sosimi & The Estuary 21 - The Confluence LP (Wah Wah 45s)

 

Regular readers of YATM will know that we go a long way back with Wah Wah 45s and Mr. Dom Servini so for the 25th Birthday Party compilation that came out last week, here's a bit of a selective retrospective!

Especially as there's a massive 32 tracks to celebrate 25 years (Ed. Wonder who thought of that equation?) and as Dele Sosimi has had such a fantastic year here's a chance to check the track 'Mo Se B'ólá Tán'? (Track 31. on the compilation - see below and original album review in earlier this year).

Review: Dele Sosimi & The Estuary 21 - The Confluence LP (Wah Wah 45s)

Posted by Gerry Hectic | File under : Dele Sosimi, The Confluence LP, The Estuary 21, Wah Wah 45s

This confluence is the meeting of the musical minds of the Thames Estuary and the "Afrobeat Ambassador" from The Shrine, Fela Kuti’s Egypt 80 and cofounder with Femi Kuti of the Positive Force. 

That's a pretty big body of water (no get enemy) as once aain, Dele Sosimi (formerly keyboardist and other musical duties with aforementioned Afrobeat legends) who is now based in the UK joins Sam Duckworth (formerly known as Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly).  "Hang on", you may be thinking to yourself, "Didn't this come out this time last year and still sounds brilliant?" We'll you'd be right on both counts except that this is the new LP verson and it's bigger and therefore even more brilliant!

As this album is firmly rooted in Afrobeat, the obvious tracks that will engage are the previous singles, 'Ride Out The Storm' / 'Mo Ṣe B’ọ́lá Tán' (see review HERE) and 'You Don't Have To' (see reveiw HERE) and, again, 'Ori Mi' and 'Òt​í​tó Ti J​áde' (albeit my calls for longer versions has been unheeded) along with 'Open Up' which also features UK jazz legend and Essex resident, Snowboy (aka Mark Cotgrove).

Other top musicans featured include Alfa Sackey (percussion), Callum Green (drums), Philip Van Den Brandeler (bass), Pete Fraser (sax), Sam Eagle (voice/guitar) and Lizzy Dosunmu (vocals) along with multi-instrumentalist Duckworth.

'Stories' is at the carib-pop-end of this meeting of minds but the new 'BIG' tracks are 'Alagbara Ma Me Ro' that's a time-after-time winner plus the Essex Go-Go of 'For The Love Of It' and at 60s jazz club towpath shuffle of 'The Ramblings'.

This is no Sosimi-lite (or Mr Get Cape etc 'heavy' for that matter) as this is all giving it their all and finding something special.  Who'd have thought that chance radio interview Dom Servini (now Jazz FM DJ you know) did with Dele did all those years ago would find us at 'The Confluence' (LP version). Who indeed.

P.S, get lively as the vinyl is likely to sell out quick.

 

Artist: Dele Sosimi & The Estuary 21
Release: The Confluence LP
Release Date: 5th April, 2024
Label: Wah Wah 45s
Catalog Number: WAHLP025 
Format: Vinyl 12 - Limited Edition / Digital / BANDCAMP

Review: Various Artists - We Wah 25 (Part 11/32 - Part-Time Heroes - 'Realise' feat. Jono McCleery) (Wah Wah 45s)

Regular readers of YATM will know that we go a long way back with Wah Wah 45s and Mr. Dom Servini so for the 25th Birthday Party compilation that came out last week, here's a bit of a selective retrospective!

Especially as there's a massive 32 tracks to celebrate 25 years (Ed. Wonder who thought of that equation?) and as Jono McCleery is riding high on his album on Sonar Kollectiv, 'Reconcile' (see review HERE), has anyone mentioned that he featured on Part-Time Heroes track 'Realise'? (Track 11. on the compilation - see below and original album review in October, 2008).

Part-Time Heroes - Meanwhile... After Gilles Peterson’s recent trip to Japan where he met up with Part-Time Heroes promoting the new album, Meanwhile…, don’t be surprised to see these guys back in the Worldwide awards at the end of the year.
Just to reiterate, Part-time Heroes are from Southampton (not Bournemouth, Gilles how could you make such a basic error as that?) and their classic track ‘Realise’ was voted 26th in the Best Track category of Gilles Peterson’s 2006 Worldwide awards. Not bad for a couple of part-timers but since then, the duo of Ross Wakefield and Toby Vane are now very much full-time with this project and this is the debut album. Their mix of thoughtful soul-jazz and dancefloor knowledge has helped them work with some excellent vocalist that really suit their style. ‘Realise’ will always be a standout track in any set (see the single review HERE) but Jono McCleery also sings on a downtempo flute strings number called ‘Angels Fly’ which is just awesome. And whilst we’re getting reflective, ‘Stop, Fade, Blur’ (with highly acclaimed jazz vocalist Laura Vane; any relation?) is as good as it gets! These two tracks together, ‘Stop, Fade, Blur’ and Angels Fly’, get me every time but Ms. Vane, like most of the vocal guests, gets two tracks and her other track ‘In My Soul’ ends the CD up the up. These guys certainly have an ear/eye for a femaile vocalist as Bridgitte Amofah has appeared on The Nextmen’s album This Was Supposed To Be The Future and Dr. Rubberfunk’s My Life At 33. Here she gets the optimistic ‘Sun Will Shine’ and sentimental on ‘Method’. Liane Carroll featured on ‘Shadowlands’ on the ‘Realise EP’ and she continues to be a regular on the Hospital label. Her other track is ‘What It Could Be’ that’s linked with the instrumental ‘What’s The Noise? (Part II)’. What with the other instrumental, ‘Distance’, Part-Time Heroes take on the Koop’s, Zero 7s and Portishead’s of the world and come out points winners. The single from the album is more of a dancefloor sound, ‘Ready For Change’ featuring Pete (Elektrons, Domu Presents Pete Simpson, Joey Negro & The Sunshine Band) Simpson although the idea is to keep their PTH Projects guise for the club scene. The album launch was at Cargo in September and more llive band gigs are promiesed for next year but when they are not live, they are just as happy with their PTH Soundsystem so keep an eye open and don’t miss at any opportunity to see and hear them. Mr. Servini sir, you’ve done it again - Wah Wah 45s forever! Hectic Mix nominations: ‘Realise’, ‘Shadowlands’ [modern classics], ‘Stop, Fade, Blur’, ‘Angels Fly’, ‘Distance’. Reviewed: Part-time Heroes - Meanwhile… (Wah Wah 45s) Cat. No. WAHCD009 Release date: September 2008 Tracklisting: 1 Intro (0:39) 2 Ready For Change (4:20) feat. Pete Simpson 3 Shadowlands (5:07) feat. Liane Carroll 4 Realise (7:15) feat. Jono McCleery 5 Stop, Fade, Blur (4:56) feat. Laura Vane 6 Angels Fly (5:25) feat. Jono McCleery 7 Sun Will Shine (5:38) feat. Bridgette Amofah 8 What’s The Noise? (Part II) / What It Could Be (6:32) feat. Laura Vane 9 Method (Don’t Say Goodbye) (4:36) feat. Bridgette Amofah 10 Distance (5:36) 11 In My Soul (5:57) feat. Laura Vane + Hidden Track Links www.parttimeheroes.co.uk www.myspace.com/theparttimeheroes www.wahwah45s.com www.myspace.com/Misslauravane www.lianecarroll.co.uk www.mumsthewordmusic.com Gilles Peterson :: 2nd October 2008 :: Gilles Peterson’s Nu Japanese Mix Dee Dee Bridgewater - ‘Tokyo Blues’ (Verve) Hajime Yoshizawa - ‘Open Door’ (Village Again) Tokyo Zawinul Bach - ‘Mint Palladium’ (Body Electric) Cro-Magnon - ‘Morning Haze’ (Jazzy Sport) Audace - ‘Track 7’ (White) Forty Five - ‘Wa’ (Origami Productions) Sleep Walker - ‘Brotherhood’ (Mark Mac Remix) (Jazzamar) Kingdom Afrocks - ‘The Sunshine Has Gone’ (P-Vine) Nation Of Multiverse - ‘Unknown’ (Pravda Test) Quasimode Ft. Carmen Lundy - ‘Sounds of Peace’ (Geneon) United Legends - Thank You (Danny Krivit Re-edit) (Geneon) —Gerry Hectic Sunday 19 October 2008

Review: Various Artists - We Wah 25 (Part 10/32 - Jamie Finlay - 'Daylight' feat. Ellen Beth Abdi) (Wah Wah 45s)

Regular readers of YATM will know that we go a long way back with Wah Wah 45s and Mr. Dom Servini so for the 25th Birthday Party compilation that came out last week, here's a bit of a selective retrospective!

Especially as there's a massive 32 tracks to celebrate 25 years (Ed. Wonder who thought of that equation?) and part of the celebrations was Wah Wah 45s stage on the Friday at WeOutHere Festival with Jamie Finlay and band that travelled all the way from Manchester to Dorset, starting out in 'Daylight' and ended as one of the gig's of the day in the Tomorrow's Warriors Big Tent (Track 10. on the compilation - see below as he was due to be the star turn at the London Jazz Festival launch  back in November, 2008).

Somebody called 'Speedy S' gave us an update; Speedy S eh!

Europe: City Guides/Events						FLY HOME NEWS AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST ASIA/PACIFIC CARIBBEAN EUROPE -Features -Reviews -City Guides/Events LATIN AMERICA US/CANADA - - - - - - FLY VIDEO FLYkr GALLERIES FLY CD SHOP (UK) FLY CD STORE (US) www.flickr.com what is this?
Wah Wah!! London Jazz Festival Launch (Cargo, 14.11.08) The best ever London Jazz Festival has the best ever launcher, its Dom Servini and a bunch of his favourite Wah Wah 45 folks.
It’s not that long since the brilliant Meanwhile… from the Wah Wah 45’s Part-Time Hereos but Mr. Servini and the boys now bring us the official London Jazz Festival launch and the Jaime Finlay album launch all rolled into one! You’ll recall Jamie Finlay (composer, producer, musician, DJ from Manchester) released the ‘Little Trumpet’/’Temperature’ 12” three years ago so the debut album Pocket Science is definitely long awaited especially as he’s been picked as ‘one to watch’ for sometime; comparisons with Prince, Plantlife, George Clinton and, legendary producers, the Mizell Brothers no less. In support are the London based funk band, The Filthy Six (sort of half of a Dirty Dozen?) that find their influences in the golden age of late 60’s Blue Note artists such as Lou Donaldson, Grant Green, Jimmy McGriff, Donald Byrd and other Droppin’ Science types. Currently hosting a monthly night at the world famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, London and other gigs across town, they now get a chance to burn up the Cargo dancefloor with their mix of original material and classics. They’ve got their own debut album Knockout ready to drop soon so it’ll be a double launch nigt. On the DJ front, Pete Isaac makes the long trip up from the West Country from the home of Jelly Jazz for a rare London appearance (so get there early) and your usual Wah Wah 45’s residents will also be on hand to entertain you. Looks like Wah Wah’s out to make the rest of the LJF an anti-climax! Links www.myspace.com/jamefinlay www.wahwah45s.com LIVE: JAMIE FINLAY & HIS ORCHESTRA + THE FILTHY SIX DJS: PETE ISAAC + WAH WAH RESIDENTS (DOM SERVINI, SIMON GOSS & CAPSTONE) 8-3am £10 adv, £6 before 9, £12 on the door www.cargo-london.com 83 Rivington Street, EC2 www.myspace.com/thefilthysix www.jellyjazz.com London Jazz Festival - Fri 14th - Sunday 23 November 2008 londonjazzfestival.org.uk www.bbc.co.uk/radio3 —Gerry Hectic Friday 7 November 2008