This week’s PBS Feature Album is the self-titled debut album from Owelu Dreamhouse.
Owelu Dreamhouse is the collaboration from vocalist Nkechi Anele and arranger and multi-instrumentalist Nic Ryan-Glenie, rekindling the musical relationship they forged in iconic Naarm soul band Saskwatch. Writing and producing together in collaboration with old and new friends, Nkechi and Nic’s body of work is a sonic blend of cinematic soul, psychedelia, and Afrobeat, weaving through the complexities of cultural ties, gender, and identities across generations.
The band's namesake is a play on Nkechi’s grandmother's village — Owaelu — in Nigeria. Growing up as a woman of colour in a predominantly white Australia, Nkechi had fear and hesitation around expressing her Africaness, and Nigerianess. Touching on the tender dissonance felt as a third-culture kid, single ‘Tourist’ weaves real experiences from abroad, highlighting the complexity of returning to home, whilst simultaneously feeling out of place. Both archival and contemporary, the album’s DNA is laced with musical and historic references. Nic and Nkechi listened to their personal collections of West African records, including South America with latin influences, and European new music movements that are at the forefront of jazz, afro-beat, dance music, and 90s R&B.
Tune in all this week to hear tracks from Owelu Dreamhouse. PBS Members have the chance to win a vinyl copy of the album - simply email your name and membership number to before midnight Sunday February 8.
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TOP TRACKS WE'RE LOVING THIS WEEK
Alcides Neto - 'Canforá'
Atjazz - 'Oceans Apart' feat. Audrey Powne & Karizma
Tom Misch - 'Sisters With Me'
Redd Kross - 'The Lady in the Front Row' (Acoustic)
Girl Monstar - 'Soul Position'
Kneecap - 'Liars Tale'
Daphni - 'Waiting So Long'
Emily Scott Robinson - 'Dirtbag Saloon'
The Paper Kites - 'Morning Gum'
YĪN YĪN - 'Spirit Adapter'
