Tenderlonious, the founding father of South London collective 22a, has been busy carving his musical artistry with an EP on Yoruba back in 2015 and now he is bringing it again with another on home turf. All your Way/ Bobs Riddim is yet another evolution of his unique sound and is part and parcel of what his label has come to represent.
‘All Your Way’ begins in an ethereal manner, with the familiar 22a woozy bass building to incorporate mixed percussion and a multitude of drums. The track features a rare vocal from the man himself, a welcome addition that adds a new layer to the rich musical mix. As the bassline hits all of the layers come together in unison; the more you listen and tease apart the more you understand the real skill this man has.
‘Bob’s Riddim’ is another piece altogether. Stripped back, lean beats form the core here but that Tenderlonious twist still features heavily. His varied influences shine through with elements of jazz, hip-hop and broken beats seamlessly blending with echoing synth riffs. Tenderlonious definitely has his own trademark sound and that familiarity is present on this release. What’s more exciting is that he continues to take this to new heights each and every time.
22a009 is out 12th February on 22a – pre-order now from Bandcamp. You can find Tender and the 22a family at Gottwood Festival this summer.
Fore more 22a on STW:
Label Spotlight: 22a (mixed by Tenderlonious)
Monday Morning Mixtape: Henry Wu
Monday Morning Mixtape: Reginald Omas Mamode IV
