How has 2015 been for Yoruba Records, and can you tell us about why you have decided to launch Yoruba Soul?
The year has been great for the label. Every year has its challenges, today’s main challenge being vinyl production turn around, however we have been lucky, also splitting up manufacturing helps. Yoruba Soul was born from a long need to separate the non-house music on the label. There are nearly equal amounts of non-dance material on the label however these releases get lost as most know Yoruba for house music mainly. The label also gets mistaken as Yoruba Soul as that’s been the branding of my remixes, so Yoruba Soul was fitting and familiar. My idea was to simply create a 7″ sub label dedicated to all things other than dance music. I decided to instead base the labels format on double gatefold 7″ as it was something I’d not seen before.
The excellent debut release on Yoruba Soul from Miles Bonny ‘I Bring You Love’ pushes atmospheric boundaries. How do you feel about it, and what attracted you to signing the songs?
Miles and I have been kindred for some time now, I’ve been a fan of his for years and we are both from Missouri. He joined me on tour in Australia a few years back and we always spoke of him doing something for the label. It took us about a year to get here, mostly due to the design of the dbl 7″. I’m very happy with the release as it opens stage doors but doesn’t dictate the shape of the rooms. Yoruba Soul will be anything soulful, be it with a beat words or even music in the basic sense for that matter.. It’s a simple exploration of sound and another vehicle for my family to express themselves without the boundaries of the 4×4.
Listen https://yorubasoul.bandcamp.com/album/i-bring-you-love
How do you feel about the art of song writing in recent years – and also in terms of how dancefloors react to them around the world?
There is very little song writing going on in my opinion, most things are repeats of something already said or heard. That being said, as always there are many new artists pushing the boundaries. I suppose it’s what you’re being served. I am a music fiend so I look for the unknown. Most I think are the opposite. Those things their fed are without soul or song. In terms of the dance floor, it’s changed a bit..normally people go up for vocals and certain emotion in the song, today that’s replaced with the break down, build up crap, however organic wins over hype every time. One can never deny a good feeling.
Can you tell us about your studio set-up and how you balance your day between work and life?
My studio is mostly analog gear, I record and edit with logic. I balance work and life simply. It’s one and the same. I’m never doing just one. Recording happens when the inspiration comes. Running the label(s), 24/7, managing the artists 24/7 .. it all falls into the life category. It’s one event for me.
What is your favourite instrument – do you own one?
Cello, yes
Can you tell us about your latest Mix on Soundcloud: No Sleep?
Basically couldn’t sleep while in Paris. Woke up decided to make the mix to distract sleep. Always nice to create when everything around is calm
https://soundcloud.com/osunlade/no-sleep
Outside of Dance music which artists have you been listening to most?
There is music playing 24/7 in my life so I can’t say one artist plays over another, but to name a few this week and presently on my mind., floating points, abbollina, dornik, sounds of nature, the dramatics just to name a few
What are your plans for 2016?
Take a break, finish my album and spend as much time in nature as humanly possible
http://yorubarecords.net
Radio Show http://yorubarecords.net/#/category/radioshow
https://twitter.com/RecordsYoruba
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlXwYWViDpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMCswZSOHqo
Another reason why great music is still as vibrant as it ever was. Take Vince Watson’s beautifully realised, poignant and very musical offering. Let’s start at this point as Another Rendezvous journey’s across emotive landscapes taking in heart-warming piano, soulful percussion and a sense of occasion that truly serves its ten plus minutes in duration. Put it this way, you leave the experience feeling better than when you began it. On the flipside Dakota and Osunlade’s vocals fuse together over more typically rhythm and bluesy grooves on Make it Better while soulfully satisfying the quest for a song.
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