Contributing Writer
Miami’s Nii Tei and Washington DC’s Late London have joined forces for their newest EP ‘Disco Africa’, set to be released via Stereo MCs connected label this October. We sat down with Nii Tei to discuss the record, early musical influences and more.
Hi Nii Tei and welcome to Music is 4 Lovers! How is your year going so far?
Thank you for having me. So far the year has been amazing, several great moments, some solid shows and some travel here and there. Still have the rest of the year to go, so I’m planning on finishing strong.
You have a new release ‘Simigwado’ coming out via connected next month. What can you tell us about the record?
So Simigwado is originally an old school Hi Life track from Ghana recorded in 1975 by Gyedu Blay Ambolley. It’s one I grew up listening to. As a way to pay homage, and to make it known to a wider audience, we decided to chop, rearrange and write some new drums, basslines and a few other things. While we used some samples from the original we decided to leave enough so the excited listener who digs deep to find the original can appreciate and enjoy the track in its original form.
You’ve collaborated on this record with fellow American, DJ & Producer Late London. How did this collab come about and how did you find it working together on the release?
We met in Washington DC a while back but then sometime ago I received some amazing promos of an edit pack, really amazing tracks that turned out to be made by him. Fast forward, I decided to collaborate with him based on the fact that he had done some amazing stuff with other records and I felt his flair on this project would be the perfect addition to elevate it. Great guy and awesome friend so collaborating was pretty seamless.
This is your first release on connected, how did these tracks end up there and what was it like working with the label?
Correct, this is my first release on connected. It’s a label I respect a lot and appreciate the sound they push. So without a doubt they were one of the first few people I tried to shop these tracks to. Nick and Rob were great; they indulged us, showed interest in the tracks and here we are.
Are there any bits of equipment or plugins that were crucial to the release?
The Roland Handsonic we used to throw, or to say sprinkle, some perc bits across the tracks. Omnisphere to write some richer basslines and also some mixing tricks to push a fat sound.
I’ve read that the sounds of your youth are an important inspiration for your DJ style. What are some of the key tracks / artists that inspired you when you were young?
Osibisa, K. Frimpong, Lucky Dube, Gyedu Blay Ambolley and Wulomei just to mention a few.
If you had to shout out another artist in the Miami scene, who would it be?
My brothers Dude Skywalker grinding, pushing and doing work but really there’s so many great artists in Miami. So in summary, I want to shout out the whole Miami.
Other than Miami, what’s your favorite city to DJ in? Are there any cities you have yet to DJ in that you would like to?
I’d say NYC without a doubt but I’d also add Mexico City; though I’ve only played there once the energy and vibe created such a lasting impression that I’m itching to go back. As for cities I’d love to play in, my picks would be; Ibiza, Kenya, Berlin, Amsterdam amongst others.
Lastly, what else can we expect from Nii Tei in the near future?
More music productions and shows coming soon to your city, or one near you.
Buy the EP HERE.
Follow the artists:
Nii Tei – Instagram / SoundCloud / Beatport / Spotify
Late London – Instagram / SoundCloud / Beatport / Spotify
