Tash LC launches label, Club Yeke
- PublishedThu, Jul 25, 2019, 13:12
- Words
- Share
- We spoke to the London DJ, broadcaster and promoter about her new outlet and its debut release by Jumping Back Slash.
- Tash LC is starting her own label called Club Yeke. The London-based DJ and BBC Radio 1 resident has been hosting parties, radio shows and a mix series under the Club Yeke name, and she's now also adding a record label. "I think as a broadcaster and DJ, my main role and the one I take pride in is finding and sharing new sounds and scenes with the world," she told Resident Advisor. "As someone who isn't a producer, I definitely take that responsibility on fully, in being a voice for music that isn't necessarily mainstream or highlighted in the way it should be, so it eventually felt natural to create a bigger platform to showcase the sounds I'm most excited about on." Tash LC goes on to explain what those exciting sounds are: "We essentially want to tap into underground music from and inspired by the African Diaspora, Caribbean, South America, the UK and beyond that." She continues, "The aim is to give a platform to raw underground sounds, and we want to present music that isn't necessarily coming from a super polished machine, but that's coming from producers that are forming and shaping something cool and innovative in their communities." Club Yeke's first release, by UK-born, South Africa-based producer Jumping Back Slash, is the seven-track Animals EP, out today. The label calls it a "musical journey through jungles, forests and savannahs exploring the brutality and beauty of wildlife." "It was actually Portara, our label manager, who showed me his productions initially and completely blew me away," Tash LC said. "He feels like such an obvious choice to kickstart Yeke with a proper fuck-off, slap-in-the-face EP to show the world what we're about." As for future releases, Tash LC wouldn't name names, but she shared this teaser: "Our next guy is relatively slept on, but is a sick young musician who we've been following and playing for a while now. He's always making the most unsuspecting crazy beats." That theme should flow through upcoming records, Tash LC said. "We wanna continue pushing and reaching out to lesser-known talent, especially through SoundCloud, which is where we found our next artist, and where I've always found the maddest, unhighlighted shit—often with about ten likes." To celebrate the label's debut record, Tash LC is hosting a Club Yeke launch party tonight at Peckham spot Rye Wax. On the bill are Quest?onmarc, Cooly G, Okzharp, Kru and label heads Portara and Tash LC. Listen to Animals.Tracklist 01. Bhengfeelz 02. That Mampara 03. Tsemedi (w/ Morena Leraba) 04. Mantlapa En Litsiroane (w/ Morena Leraba) 05. Untitled Darknezz 06. Blunt Blades 07. A Song About Birds Animals is out now on Club Yeke. Correction: This story initially stated that Jumping Back Slash is South African. He is from the UK, but has lived in South Africa for over a decade.
