Ebi Soda x BODUR - Kim K (Single)
Photo Credit: @selectoruk and @northerncowboyfilms
Fresh from performing six shows at this year's SXSW festival, jazz disruptors Ebi Soda link up with London-born, Turkish-Sri Lankan artist BODUR on the aspirational and infectious ‘Kim K’, their first tune together since ‘Run For President’ from debut LP ‘Ugh’. The new track also accompanies the announcement of their ‘Collaborations and Remixes’ project ‘Vol. 1’, a new EP concept where the band explore their influences outside of jazz and work with singers, MCs and those that sit somewhere in between.
Talking about the new single, Will, aka bandleader and trombonist, VVilhem adds: “Kim K is about what famous people do, and people’s aspirations to be famous. We made the song in a Golders Green flat during a heatwave, while eating Korean pork belly that Sam the drummer made. I was jumping between rooms to see which one would stop the laptop from overheating.”
‘Collaborations & Remixes Vol. 1’ brings together a plethora of talent from the wonderful and bizarre world of Ebi, while pushing the boundaries of jazz music with forward-thinking production. Collaborations come in the form of new tracks from the likes of vocalist J Harli on the UKG inspired ‘Please Don’t’ and a UK rap track‘Runnin’, featuring Dream Mclean and Wallace Rice, members of the adventurous six-piece band 'Monster Florence,' as well as the ever-innovative rapper Dame. While remixes taken from the band’s landmark album‘Honk If You’re Sad’ are delivered by intergalactic sound dealer Ash Walker on a dub of ‘Yoshi Orange’, producer and one-half of Anushka, Max Wheeler, as well as one of the best DJs in the game, JD Reid, and the band themselves who flip ‘Tang of the Zest’ into a sublime slice of glitchy electronica.
“The EP is more reflective of how we like to work collaboratively. We’d like to branch into the vocal world as a production team with a living sound bank. So we did that by making tunes with some of our nearest and dearest. The remixes come from our love of electronic music, and we are so grateful to have some of our favourite producers flip our tunes like this.” VVilhem explains.
BODUR is here to channel musical art into an exploration of self. The London-born, Turkish-Sri Lankan artist harnesses an alternative electronic soundscape to embrace her dual heritage and layered identities. From her music titles to her visual aesthetics, BODUR’s creative process is shaping her as an artist who is inspiring a generation of South Asian and Middle Eastern women across the UK. Delicately capturing three stages of transformation and documenting a journey of self-acceptance, BODUR can only be described as mesmerising, sensual and powerful. Effortlessly weaving through themes of youth, growth and rebirth, her latest release ‘ÖZ’ offers a political and personal project showcasing her natural virtuosity. Translated from Turkish, ÖZ means ‘self’, and that’s exactly what this collection of songs are diving into.
On the outskirts of the contemporary jazz scene emerging from the UK, Ebi Soda are swiftly gaining a reputation as exciting newcomers to the genre. They proudly embrace a non-traditional approach, seeking to experiment and defy expectations at every turn. Ebi Soda have been supported by the likes of Jamz Supernova, Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), and NPR (New Music Friday), including press accolades in The Vinyl Factory, Clash and Jazzwise to name a few. The band have also featured on compilations for Soul Jazz Records and Majestic Casual. Channelling this ethos, Ebi Soda are supporting club and dance pioneering collective UNKLE aka influential label Mo’ Wax founder James Lavelle at this year’s Brighton Festival at the Dome on Friday 24th May.