Stutter by Owelu Dreamhouse

Owelu Dreamhouse (pronounced Oh-WAY-lew) is a new collaboration from vocalist Nkechi Anele and arranger and multi instrumentalist Nic Ryan-Glenie rekindling the musical relationship they forged in iconic Melbourne soul band Saskwatch. Writing and producing together in collaboration with old and new friends Nkechi and Nic’s new body of work is a sonic combination of cinematic soul, psychedelia, and Afrobeat, weaving through the complexities of cultural ties, gender and identities between generations. The band's namesake is a play on Nkechi’s grandmother's village — Owaelu — in Nigeria. The new single ‘Stutter’ was heavily influenced by Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Debango, and his 1972 album ‘Soul Makossa’. Embodying both a joyful looseness and a highly focused intensity, the track is released on Thursday 16th October via Hopestreet Recordings.

After dedicating endless hours researching and listening to West African music from the last 60 years, the aim was to present pride, joy and uninhibited expression in the form of a dance track that nodded toward recent practitioners such as Florence Adooni and Mim Suleiman. Inspired from a cut up drum sample that wasn’t able to be synced to a BMP, each time something new was added, the track would need to be played from top to bottom again, creating a raw and lived in energy. “Through this process, Nic and I were getting closer to understanding the flow of the Owelu Dreamhouse sound we’d been navigating towards. We truly started to lock into the freedom of this shared approach” Nkechi reflects. Holding down a repetitive groove for a majority of the track, tension builds with catchy and simple vocal riffs. “What really inspired us about Manu Dibango’s music is the way it can sit confidently on a groove for so long - just locking in and letting it ride. When that change finally arrives, it feels like this big beautiful release” adds Nic. With the unbridled energy of Afro-beat master Fela Kuti, the Owelu ensemble made up of a choir and Naarm instrumental talents bring the tune to life, co-produced and engineered by Henry Jenkins (Karate Boogaloo, Surprise Chef, Ella Thompson) and tape-operated by Alex Bennett (Sound Recordings).

Former Saskwatch bandmates, Nkechi and Nic cut their teeth at the helm of the 2010s Melbourne soul renaissance, earning a reputation as one of Naarm's most electrifying live acts. Appearing at major festivals across the world (Glastonbury, Edinburgh Fringe, CMJ, Splendour in the Grass, BluesFest, WOMADelaide, Falls Festival), Saskwatch released four albums, sold out tours and supported Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Maceo Parker, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble and Earth, Wind and Fire. These experiences have set Nkechi and Nic in the perfect place to share something new together via Owelu Dreamhouse.

(Oh-WAY-lew)
Dreamhouse

Cinematic soul, psychedelic undertones, and Afrobeat grooves intertwine with the complexities of cultural heritage and identity.