On 30th March, London 6-piece Cable Street Collective return with their brand new single, Wonderland, the first track taken from their upcoming EP Where Now From Here? Out 4th May.
Whilst based around a tinkly African-influenced guitar line and a catchy vocal, Wonderland’s real driving force is the bass, which skips over the glitchy, electronic backbeat to propel the song into a feel good summer sounding anthem. “Lyrically, it uses Alice in Wonderland as a metaphor for a relationship” says the band. “And the sometimes uncomfortable ways it can make you feel like you've lost control of yourself, or forget who you are.”
Cable Street Collective released their debut EP The Best of Times in 2014, attracting acclaim and airtime on BBC Radio 6Music. Since then they’ve spent their summers tearing up the festival circuit with sets at the likes of Bestival, Secret Garden Party, The Isle of Wight Festival, Boomtown Fair and the Lake of Stars Festival (Malawi). Their music mixes African-influenced guitars with dance music beats to create upbeat, festival-friendly tunes. “We're massively inspired by African music” says Tristan, “80s Congolese soukous artists like Loketo or Kanda Bongo Man, 90s South African music like Mzwhake Mbuli and more recent groups like Djaaka, Songhoy Blues and Mbogwana Star.”
In 2016 the band took a summer off as two band members left, and the core of the band took their sound in a more electronic direction. The original trio of Tristan Kennedy, Ashley Underwood and Fiona Jane have been joined by DJ and producer Dan Cat whose pumping, club-inspired rhythms now provide the backbone of their sound. His beats have been bolstered by the addition of Sam McEvoy on percussion. This new rhythm section is rounded out by the addition of bassist Aaron Gregory Brown, son of the legendary Afrobeat bassist Greg Kofi Brown (of Osibisa fame).
Wonderland is out March 30th. The EP Where Now From Here? Is out 4th May.
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