Grammy winning duo Blue Lab Beats one of the fastest-rising production duos in the world right now, whose sold out December KOKO show and MOBO Nomination ended 2023 on a high, get 2024 off to a stunning start with the sumptuous soul groove of their new single “Wait A While”. Featuring Grammy-nominated Amber Navran, the LA-based singer, producer, and founding member of Neo-Soul trio Moonchild, and rising UK Neo-soul artist Farah Audhali, ‘Wait A While” sounds at once completely contemporary while recalling the heady days of the 90s UK soul scene (Young Disciples, Omar, Soul II Soul, Brand New Heavies...) The single is taken from the duo’s eagerly awaited fourth studio album, “BLUE ECLIPSE” (April 19 2024) and heralds a new era for the immensely talented act.
“The tempo and the vibe of ‘Wait A While’ brought to mind Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” and we wanted to come up with a similar harmonic sequence while maintaining our own sound”, say producer NK-OK and multi-instrumentalist Mr DM. “Having Amber and Farah on vocals really enhanced the track and gave us the exact vibe that we needed.” Amber comments “I’ve been a fan of Blue Lab Beats for a long time and was so excited to get the chance to collaborate! Farah Audhali is also amazing!” while Farah adds “working with Blue Lab Beats is always awesome, (Farah is signed to Blue Adventure Records founded by NK-OK of Blue Lab Beats) and to have Amber Navran on the track too is just crazy! I love how unique her sound is and her verse is just so beautiful!”
Starting out as bedroom producers, remixing tracks for A-listers such as Dua Lipa and Rag’N’Bone Man, on to supporting the likes of Roy Ayers and Thundercat, and producing on Kojey Radical’s Mercury Prize-nominated ‘Reason To Smile’, Blue Lab Beats have been dreaming big from the beginning. Their 2018 debut album ‘XOver’, a brilliant blend of analog and electronic sounds, included the track ‘Pineapple’, which amassed over 10 million streams alone, while 2022’s ‘Motherland Journey’ proved a work of great musical ambition and imagination featuring vocals from the late great Fela Kuti, as well as one of a kind artists Tiana Major9, Ghetto Boy, Ego Ella May, Kofi Stone, and Pip Millet.
The last two years have seen Blue Lab Beats emerge from the bedroom, and into the ears, minds and hearts of millions of music lovers with over 50 million streams, a GRAMMY for their production on Angelique Kidjo's 'Fired Up' track from her ‘Mother Nature’ LP, a Jazz FM Innovation Award and now 2 MOBO nominations. The pair also contributed the key track Blow You Away (Delilah) featuring Afrobeats artist Ghetto Boy, for the hugely acclaimed British film Rye Lane and also made their silver screen debut when they performed in the movie.
Playing 2 electrifying sets at Glastonbury Festival in 2023, the Blue Note in Tokyo, Love Supreme in Japan , 3 shows at Jazzaladia Festival in Spain, a sold out show at the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room, a support with Robert Glasper at Jazz A Vienne and straight on to both Montreux Jazz Festival and Montreal Jazz Festival before ending the year at the legendary KOKO for Global Soul Radio in December, Blue Lab Beats are showing no signs of slowing down.
