Sound & Reason

by Qwalia

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Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Includes unlimited streaming of Sound & Reason via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

£10 GBP or more

1.	Fool Me Once 08:58	buy track
2.	The Grip 03:53	buy track
3.	Sound & Reason 05:09	buy track
4.	Electric Highway 02:10	buy track
5.	Haven't You Heard 08:53	buy track
6.	Vagherah 03:52	buy track
7.	In Your Own Words 07:57	buy track

about

"Qwality music" Album of the Week - Huey Morgan, BBC Radio 6 Music

“Excellent” Album of the Week - Louder Than War

"Layers of melody and atmosphere reward repeated listening: Definitely one to keep an ear on" Songlines Magazine

"A trancey jazz jam set which its easy to lose yourself in" The Arts Desk

“Filled with energy, spontaneity, and freedom” Twisted Soul

"Deep rhythm and melodic immediacy" Amazing Radio

"A beautiful dance of butterflies and notes in the air" Rodie Music

"Inventive and inspiring." Living Life Fearless

New London based quartet Qwalia, led by drummer Yusuf Ahmed, offer a plethora of influences whilst remaining resolutely itself. Assembled from musicians who play with David Byrne, Joy Crookes, Nubiyan Twist, Frank Ocean, Jordan Rakei, Sampha, Cat Stevens and more; Yusuf is joined by Tal Janes on guitars and vocals, Ben Reed on bass and keyboardist Joseph Costi. Qwalia’s debut album ‘Sound And Reason’ is set for release by Alberts Favourites on 24th March 2023.

The name Qwalia stems from the same sounding word Qualia, a philosophy of mind with the property of being an ineffable experience. Qwalia’s music is an instinctive aural expression of how things seemed in the moment of creation.

In April ‘21, Qwalia spent two days recording completely improvised music at the Fish Factory in North West London. There was no plan or preconceived idea of what the music should sound like or what was going to happen.

“We set up altogether in one room, dimmed the lights, pressed record and just played,” says Yusuf. “We came away with over 13 hours of music, which was consolidated into three albums worth of material. The final record is mainly a result of pulling faders up or down to create space and structure out of what was already there from the live recording. The production process felt akin to a sculptor chipping away excess stone to reveal a statue that was already there, and occasionally putting some makeup on it!”

The band members are Pakistani, Italian, Venezuelan, Jewish and English. A reflection of the fact that cultural categories are infinite; Qwalia’s music unconsciously explores identity, exposing what this can mean. Or perhaps that it doesn’t mean anything at all.

credits

released March 24, 2023

Yusuf Ahmed - Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Tal Janes - Guitar, Percussion, Vocals
Ben Reed - Bass
Joseph Costi - Piano, Synthesizers

Executive Producer - Yusuf Ahmed
Produced by Tal Janes and Yusuf Ahmed
Engineered and mixed by Alex Kilpartrick
Recorded at Fish Factory Studios, London 2021
Mastered by Adam Scrimshire
Painting by Kevin Bolliet
Design by Jonny Drop and Yusuf Ahmed

Guests:

Roshannah Bagley - Vocals
Valeria Pozzo - Vocals
Idris Rahman - Saxophone, Vocals
Robin Hopcraft - Trumpet, Vocals
Ernesto Marichales - Percussion

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about

Qwalia London, UK

Qwalia is a collective of musicians active in many contemporary musical forces today including Frank Ocean, Sampha, Jordan Rakei, Nubiyan Twist, David Byrne, Joy Crookes, Cat Stevens etc.

Herein lies a wide range of musical aesthetics culminating psychedelic-folk, sophisticated funk, ambient and avant- pop into an engrossing, experimental sound. ... more

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