Description
Vinyl Records London are on cloud nine, we are now spinning in a brand new copy in Heavyweight LP from Royce Wood Junior London producer, songwriter, multiinstrumentalist and soul singer Royce Wood Junior is to release his debut album ‘The Ashen Tang’ via 37 Adventures on January 29th.‘The Ashen Tang’ beautifully incorporates elements of nostalgia with modern, multilayered production that perfectly characterises Royce’s unique sound. Combining a distinctive mix of soul, funk and R&B, Royce’s debut evokes the sounds of R&B heroes Prince, D’Angelo and Stevie Wonder. The album is also infused with spikes of wonky electronica that brings to mind Radiohead or JDilla, effortlessly bringing together these genres into jaunty and harmonious pop songs.The moonlit, soul stomper ‘Midnight’ January 29th, 37 Adventures will be the next single to be taken from ‘The Ashen Tang’. The track is an ode to that strange twilight hour where one day ends and another begins and yesterday’s mistakes can be erased, or at the very least slept on. Built around a skewed garage beat, wobbly synths and shuffling percussion ‘Midnight’ perfectly demonstrates RWJ’s distinctive, understated bluesy voice, combing unique, woozy electronic sounds with a familiar soulful backdrop.‘The Ashen Tang’ is not short of RWJ’s world of electronic, genrebending soul jams. Whether it’s the playful, piano led moodlifter ‘Clanky Love’ or the gloriously fuzzed out, guitarheavy wonky R&B single ‘Honeydripper’, ‘The Ashen Tang’ is a remarkable debut from someone who has been honing his craft working behind the scenes for a number of years. First gaining attention with the soulswooning coproduction of Jamie Woon’s debut album ‘Mirrorwriting’, Royce’s profile continued to rise producing tracks for BBC Sound Music poll topper Kwabs, before coproducing the likes of R&Bsoul ingenues Nao and Denai Moore. Royce has undoubtedly proven his musical credentials that confidently shine through on his debut album.The Deluxe Edition of ‘The Ashen Tang’ will also feature three new songs, Love’s a Lonely Town, Ophelia and Don’t Wanna Lose You. ‘Love’s a Lonely Town’ was written in what Royce describes as a ‘really grimey, super lonely period of isolation living in a recording studio in Brighton’. Recorded during the same sessions as previous single ‘Honeydripper’, it features similar squelchy, gloopy sound textures, but is the opposite side of the coin the heartbroken, melancholic relation to ‘Honeydripper’s’ molten lust. ‘Ophelia’ available as an instant grat track with preorders of the album is both deeply personal and epic in ambition it’s major chord structure and fragmented, rave influenced keyboards belying a song that is both beautiful and fractured, bringing Royce’ love of songsmith Rufus Wainwright and Radiohead to the fore. The three new tracks on the Deluxe Edition are completed by ‘Don’t Wanna Lose You’, a cover of Grand Central Records’ underground classic of the same name by Toni D and Veba.An exceptional future classic debut from one of the UK’s most exciting new artists, ‘The Ashen Tang’ by Royce Wood Junior is due for release on January 29th, 2016 on 37 Adventures.






