With the release of his debut LP impending, South London producer, DJ and label boss Seb Wildbloodhas today shared the final taster of his eagerly anticipated full-length. ‘small talk‘ sees Wildblood harking back to his roots, showcasing his trademark, meticulously crafted, dreamy deep house. The single features on his forthcoming album ‘sketches of transition‘, which is out 26th July via all my thoughts.
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small talk‘ will sit alongside previously released singles ‘
sketches‘ and ‘
amelia ft. mauv‘ on the ten track album; the latter being the most recently previewed and the first to feature vocals. Each of the three singles represents a different sonic cross-section of what the album has to offer, be it balearic-infused or ethereal and down-tempo electronica, versus straight up house. The ability to produce a body of work spanning interlinking genres to such a high standard is what has earned Wildblood the reputation for being both progressive and prolific, and has seen him win fans at
BBC 6Music, NTS Radio, Resident Advisor, XLR8R, Mixmag, FACT and many more.
‘sketches of transition‘ comes off the back of Wildblood’s most recent, critically acclaimed ‘Grab The Wheel‘ EP, which saw him experiment further from his signature jazz-infused sound to explore more classic 90’s-tinged sonics, from deep melodic garage to atmospheric Chicago house, and even reverb-soaked dub techno. As well as an impressive back catalogue of single & EP releases, he is the head of celebrated labels Church, Coastal Haze and all my thoughts, and regularly plays at festivals and in clubs across the continents.
As Wildblood’s relationship with the dancefloor has revved up, so has his own personal story — and that of being an artist in 2019. Those moments of evolution and experience have helped influence what’s a deeply personal debut record, whose organic textures and soulful musicality reflect change in the face of an ever-evolving world. ‘sketches of transition‘ was written over the course of two years, during a period of new beginnings, emotional endings, and moments of personal loss. What we’re left with are ten tracks that reflect life’s winding journey.
Album cuts like ‘one for malcolm‘ are servings of soothing ambient that feature the melodic touch Wildblood is known for. Entrancing vocals come into play on ‘amelia ft. mauv‘ and ‘ghostie‘, a piece of pacey deep house with oft-collaborator Buddy Love. ‘small talk‘ and ‘bahn‘ will evoke familiarity towards some of Wildblood’s early, cherished house records, with their twinkling synth arpeggios and warm atmosphere. Other moments throughout the LP turn towards more experimental broken beat, flexing Wildblood’s refusal to be pinned down to a specific vibe.
With previous support from the likes of Bonobo, Mary Anne Hobbs, and Move D, ‘sketches of transition‘ finds Wildblood coming to terms with the past and accept new beginnings and uncharted territories. All the while, we’re transported to our own personal place of calm, wherever that may be. “Music is a way of escape for me, I want the listener to be able to use this record as a form of escape too,” says Wildblood. “I guess I’ve had a sudden realization of how transient life can be. I hope the record captures this in some way. Sonically it’s dynamic, constantly shifting however there’s an undercurrent that remains the same throughout the whole piece. Each track on the record focuses on and is inspired by a moment in time.”
This year will also see his most ambitious world DJ tour to date and includes major sets everywhere from Australia’s Splendour in the Grass, New York’s Public Records and Bogota’s Kaputt to even a special appearance at this year’s Burning Man, where he will play atop the iconic Robot Heart bus once again. With Part 1 of his ‘sketches of transition‘ world DJ tour already underway, he shows no sign of slowing down – see date listings below, with many more to be announced.
sketches of transition World DJ Tour – Part 1:
Jul 12 – Seoul @ Livin’
Jul 13 – Osaka @ City Boy Lounge
Jul 14 – Tokyo @ wwwβ
Jul 19 – Byron Bay @ Splendour in the Grass Festival
Jul 20 – Sydney @ Harpoon Harry
Jul 26 – Melbourne @ Yours & Mine
Jul 27 – Perth @ Nevermind
Aug 9 – Medellin @ Calle 9+1
Aug 10 – Cali @ Levels Building
Aug 16 – Bogota @ Kaputt
Aug 17 – Madison @ Robinia Courtyard
Aug 23 – San Francisco @ TBC
Aug 24 – Phoenix @ Last Exit Live
Aug 29 – Burning Man @ Robot Heart