Skream is a dubstep pioneer who now makes house and techno.
One of the UK’s best-loved selectors Skream (AKA Oliver Jones) returns with the high-energy new single ‘Waiheke Island’ in collaboration with much-hyped UK duo Prospa, out now.
‘Waiheke Island’ has its origins in a trip to New Zealand, where Skream bonded with the Leeds-based electronic duo Prospa. Together their high-paced breakbeat house beauty pays tribute to this little-known island.
“The first time I met the Prospa guys we bonded instantly, it was on tour in New Zealand – I love them and they’re like my little brothers to me.” Skream explains. “We made Waiheke Island over there as we had some down time between gigs. As we hit it off so well, the track came together rapidly. I think with the fun energy and personality of the track, we made a belter that’s perfect for good times with your best pals.”
‘Waiheke Island’ is Skream’s second single in quick succession, following the soulful percussive house bubbler ‘Your Love’ featuring Baijan artist Lagoon Wavey. Skream has become a shining example of the power of musical diversity, skillfully weaving together a variety of styles, influences and collaborators in a way that always makes sense.
As one of the UK’s best-loved selectors Skream (AKA Oliver Jones) has enjoyed the kind of consistency most DJs and producers can only dream of. His passion for collecting and playing music is unrelenting; disco, house, techno and everything in between… it runs deep into his core and he lives it every single day. Following early collaborations with fellow genre pioneers Benga and Loefah, he released one of dubstep’s most easily recognizable tracks, ‘Midnight Request Line’, before releasing one of the genre’s earliest albums, Skream! In 2006. Commercial success soon followed with Skream’s involvement as part of supergroup Magnetic Man (with Benga and Artwork), whose self-titled debut album reached #1 on the U.K. dance chart in 2010. Never limited to one genre, Skream has also produced countless remixes for an array of artists (including La Roux, Depeche Mode’s David Gahan and Klaxons), house, techno and electro DJ mixes such as 2018’s Fabriclive 96, and a relentless conveyor belt of single releases on every label in dance music worth mentioning, from Steel City Dance Discs, to Circoloco Records to Crosstown Rebels: the list goes on and on… and on… regularly providing heavy club ammunition.
Skream has achieved more in the last two decades than most people do in a lifetime, yet his hunger and enthusiasm is akin to that of a man who is only just getting started. Today, he operates in a genre-less field, shifting between styles at will, standing tall outside the bounds of one particular sound.
Prospa are a rising electronic duo consisting of Harvey Blumler and Gosha Smith. The Leeds natives broke onto the scene playing at Creamfields and ADE for BBC Introducing, and have been charting a course through classic house and rave-era dance music ever since. The pair first crossed paths in the early 2010s, joining forces as producers in 2013, originally pursuing deep house before moving into classic rave sounds. They released their breakthrough single ‘Prayer’ in 2018, helping to revive label Stress Records, before their debut EP Control the Party arrived to acclaim the following year. Since then, a consistent run of hit singles has included the smash hit ‘WANT NEED LOVE’ which has over 10 million Spotify streams. Prospa’s unique reimagining of classic dance is exactly why the duo are so championed by tastemakers such as Annie Mac, Pete Tong and Danny Howard.
‘Waiheke Island’ is another collaborative and genre-hopping masterstroke, weaving its way through countless sounds and influences to arrive at that singular Skream sound. With his latest cut, Skream continues to be one of the UK’s most treasured electronic music artists, keeping the legacy of UK rave culture alive until the very end
You can buy a copy of the release HERE.
