NASHVILLE |DT: JUNE 30, 2011
FR: ALEXANDRA GREENBERG/JOHN OCHOA
MSO
TODDLA T
SETS OFF WITH NEW ALBUM
‘WATCH ME DANCE’
SEPTEMBER 13 ON NINJA TUNE
“WATCH ME DANCE” WITH ROOTS MANUVA SINGLE SET FOR RELEASE
AUGUST 2 (DIGITAL)/AUGUST 16 (12”) INCLUDING REMIXES BY ANDREW
WEATHERALL, SEBASTIAN, HEARTBREAK AND SX
In 2007, U.K. producer TODDLA T (aka Tom Bell) was working in a shoe shop in his hometown of Sheffield, then just 19 and living at home with his parents. He DJed on weekends and was producing beats and tracks with his friend Scott as Small Arms Fiya. Flash forward to 2011, TODDLA T is about to release WATCH ME DANCE, his second artist albumSeptember 13 on the legendary Ninja Tune label, has a regular slot on BBC Radio 1 and has produced tracks for some of the U.K. urban scene’s biggest stars (hands up Tinchy, Jammer, Bashy, Roots Manuva and Ms Dynamite).
He DJs around the globe, has a slew of remixes under his belt (Hot Chip, Gyptian, Gorillaz, Major Lazer for starters), is a star of his own Toddla TV channel online and has worked in studios from Kingston, Jamaica to Kingston upon Hull. Not to mention the recent launch of his Girls Music Label which, after only a handful of releases, has already featured productions by British dance music heroes Sticky, Seiji and Roska.
Much of this impressive career trajectory can be attributed to TODDLA’s phenomenal talent, drive and ambition. He has good taste and keen eyes and ears in all elements of British youth culture. However, the man himself modestly explains that it has just as much to do with the sea change which has taken place in British pop music in the last few years.
His debut album Skanky Skanky was released in January 2009, followed by a Fabric live mix album and a lot of requests for his production skills with everyone from Major Lazer to Grandmaster Flash getting in touch. As TODDLA reflects on the last couple of "pretty crazy years" and the current U.K. scene–plus embarks on what promises to be a very busy and successful 2011– he explains:
"When I was first signed (to 1965 Records), every kid wanted to be in a band. The Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines and all that were really popular; me and my mates who were into Notorious B.I.G. and dancehall were really in the minority. Nowadays, kids want to be Skream and Benga or Tinchy or N-Dubz and because of that all their points of musical reference have changed."
As a backdrop to Dizzee, Tinie, Tinchy, et al storming the charts, the explosion of dubstep and subsequent reevaluation of bass-driven, U.K. club music has seen a major shift in what people aged 15-25 are partying to. Where Soulwax and SMD and their like were ruling the clubs 2002-2006, nowadays seasoned campaigners like Shy FX and David Rodigan are championed by kids who weren't born when they were first spinning records.
His second album WATCH ME DANCE is a bold step forward for TODDLA T. Fans of Skanky Skanky will find plenty that will please them, but for the countless thousands of clubbers who know TODDLA T the DJ–but haven't heard his productions–this second album may come as a surprise.
"I've been busiest in the last two years as a DJ, so of course this album has a big dose of the sounds and production techniques that I'm out there representing in the clubs every weekend, but if you're looking for tops-off jungle or 4×4 bassline tearouts you won't find them here. This is definitely still a record for clubbers, but it's the one they'll listen to at home with their mates or every day on the way to work."
With WATCH ME DANCE, TODDLA has created a dubwise, street-soul masterpiece. In a typically precocious reference to records that were made when he was 4 and 10 years old, respectively, TODDLA sums it up: "A bit of the Soul from Soul II Soul Club Classics and a bit of the Left-field from Leftism, I've been listening to those now and again, they took in a whole load of club music and made an album that summed something up and were great to listen to at the same time."
In ensuring WATCH ME DANCE was everything TODDLA envisaged it could be, he’s carefully selected an impressive lineup of friends, peers and musical icons to guest vocal, co-produce, remix and co-write with him on the album. Names including previous collaborator Roots Manuva, fellow DJ, producer and remixer Skream, Ms Dynamite, Ross Orton,Wayne Marshall, Donaeo, Roisin Murphy and of course Shola Ama who appears on “Take It Back,” the first offering from the album. Check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unpcCIisLQ8.
As TODDLA T prepares to release the album, Ninja Tune will make available its title track “Watch Me Dance” with Roots Manuva as a digital single on August 2 and 12” vinyl on August 16. Available now as a free download on RCRD LBL is the “Watch Me Dance” remix from French electro house producer SebastiAn. Grab the remix here: (http://bit.ly/imFFaE). This release does not simply feature Roots Manuva (Rodney Smith) on vocals, but is more a collaboration between the two producers. In fact, it was Rodney’s original demo that inspired TODDLA to mould it into this very version for his album, naturally with Rodney’s stamp of approval.
Continuing work on the demo resulted in Rodney’s own version which will also appear as track two on the single package along with a wealth of remixes including one from Sebastian and the legend that is Andrew Weatherall. The Roots Manuva version will also feature on his fifth studio album, 4everevolution later in the year. This unique release displays the different interpretations born from the same demo and displays the mutual appreciation between these two highly respected and innovative U.K. artists.
In addition to the music, TODDLA and Rollo Jackson have made a film entitled Always Moving which will be available in a limited edition run of the album package.
The track listing for WATCH ME DANCE is.
- Watch Me Dance (Feat. Roots Manuva)
- Take It Back (Feat. Shola Ama & J2K)
- Cruise Control (Feat. Maxsta & Jamie George)
- Cherry Picking (Feat. Roisin Murphy)
- Streets So Warm (Feat. Wayne Marshall)
- Badman Flu (Feat. Serocee & Mr V)
- Body Good (Feat. Timberlee)
- How Beautiful It Would Be (Feat. Passa Wasso & Ms Dynamite)
- Lovely Girl (Feat. Kush, Mr Bailey, Siobahn Gallagher & Mr V)
- Do It Your Way (Feat. Terri Walker)
- Fly (Feat. Ms Dynamite & Silvertones)
Track listing for the “Watch Me Dance” single is:
- Toddla T 'Watch Me Dance' with Roots Manuva
- Roots Manuva 'Watch Me Dance'
- Toddla T 'Watch Me Dance' with Roots Manuva (Andrew Weatherall Remix)
- Toddla T 'Watch Me Dance' with Roots Manuva (Sebastian Remix)
- Toddla T 'Watch Me Dance' with Roots Manuva' (Heartbreak Remix)
- Toddla T 'Watch Me Dance' with Roots Manuva (SX Remix)
U.K.’s The Guardian talks with TODDLA T at Glastonbury:
www.youtube.com/user/GuardianMusic#p/u/31/Sf4kWTPR9Vk
Follow Toddla T at:
www.toddlat.com
www.facebook.com/toddlat
www.twitter.com/toddlat
# # #
For more information on TODDLA T, contact:
MSO 818-380-0400
Alexandra Greenberg x223, agreenberg@msopr.com
John Ochoa x230, jochoa@msopr.com
http://
