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The popular genre-mixing band have been blending electronic influence with trip hop psychedelic rock, blues and pop since 1995 when vocalist Skye Edwards and brothers Paul and Ross Godfrey formed the band. Since their debut album in 1996 ‘Who Can You Trust’, The band have released 10 albums and produced soundtracks for legendary Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh. The band’s musical innovation has been evident throughout their discography with tracks ‘Blaze Away’ and ‘Mezcal Dream’ from the album ‘Blaze Away’ showing their 90s psychedelic rock influences in an album released in 2018. Whilst 2021 album ‘Blackest Blue’ combines trip hop, dance and blues sounds. The band released their first single since 2021 in January this year, titled ‘Call for love’. The track has relaxed reverb and emotional electrics which has left fans anticipating their upcoming May album.

The festival will commence after the release of Morcheeba’s album ‘Escape the chaos’ on May 23 which commemorates the band’s 30 year anniversary. UNKLE, who will join them at this event have been touring their Rōnin Live show around the UK throughout 2024 and will bring this to the South Facing festival in August. Their experimental alternative rock trip hop performance is electrifying and produces an undeniable energy which will transform the Crystal Palace Park at this festival which has hosted huge names such as hip hop band The Roots and 60s soul and R&B icons The Originals. Rapper and record producer Skepta has also announced this month that his festival ‘Big Smoke’ will be held here on August 9.

Lavelle explains in an interview with xsnoise his goal with the Rōnin tour, stating that ‘The project started as a DJ-based performance and we aimed to push the limits of what we thought DJing was at the time, incorporating visual elements along with the music. We want people to dance, celebrate and have a great time.’ This is clear by fans’ sharing of the performance on social media.

#UNKLE / @frontonmexicoce / Rōnin pic.twitter.com/oC5TbcTCLA

— Prissssss (@prismejia_) September 24, 2023

 

It will be exciting to see how the two artists’ musical style will pair together and create a sensational atmosphere at the festival, especially with the inclusion of special guest DJ Shadow who rose to fame in 1996 with his iconic album ‘Endtroducing’ which has since been sampled by several notable names from Metallica to Bjork.

This iconic line up is exciting for any trip hop fan and the blend of these prominent names in the scene will make a show to remember.

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The musician explained the idea behind the project: “that started in lockdown back in June 2020 where Steven (Weston) and I started doing some remixes for a new set we thought we would be playing later in the year. As the lockdown continued and any hope of live shows disappeared, we decided to work on it as a mixtape where we could create an hours worth of new remixes and incorporate brand new tracks in the spirit of a new live show, but give it a proper release due to the circumstances.”

He added: “I wanted to take a look at my work across The Road period and create club versions of particular tracks, reflecting the mood of where we are, but to also take it into an optimistic uplifting place. To create a mix that felt like both letting go and coming together – the best things that club music can do to take you on a journey through all the eclectic elements of a set I love to play. I looked at certain songs where I felt the lyrics were in feeling with the current world we are living in. Most of the songs were recorded before Covid-19 hit, there was a lot of struggle, uncertainty and political change and unrest at that time. The pandemic has just amplified that, so I felt the songs still resonated with today’s situation giving them a new lease of life.“

UNKLE – ‘Rōnin I’ – Pre-order now -> https://t.co/LKrthyClJL pic.twitter.com/AGEqmwFU22

— UNKLE (@unkleofficial) March 17, 2021

New mixtape can be preordered in the official UNKLE store.
The band  says about the new mixtape as: “The record is meant to be like a night out at a party or club from the beginning of the night to the end, or a new UNKLE: Sounds show. It’s the set I dream of playing out in a festival or club when we finally get to come together and dance again!”

See full tracklist below:

1 初登場
2 Ar.Mour (Rōnin Dub) [Feat. Miink]
3 The Other Side (Rōnin Def Mix) [Feat. Tom Smith]
4 On My Knees (Rōnin Def Mix) [Feat. Michael Kiwanuka]
5 If We Don’t Make It (Rōnin Throwdown)
6 Do Yourself Some Good (Rōnin Throwdown)
7 初幕間
8 Find An Outsider (Rōnin Reconstruction) [Feat. The Big Pink]
9 Days and Nights / Reprise (Rōnin Re-Edit) [Feat. Dhani Harrison]
10 Feel More / With Less (Rōnin Reconstruction) [Feat. Liela Moss]
11 Catch Me When I Fall (Rōnin Vocal Mix) [Feat. Callum Finn]