Island Vibes, Broad Records

Aswad is arguably Britain's most successful reggae band, in terms of both popularity and longevity. Critical opinion of their body of work is often divided. Some hail their early material as the greatest roots reggae Britain ever produced, beginning with their 1975 self-titled debut, which highlighted the plight of the immigrant Jamaican in the unfamiliar and often hostile environment of '70s London. Others find their later pop-crossover phase more distinctive and unique, when they shifted to funk and soul, resulting in the U.K. chart-topper "Don't Turn Around." Regardless, Aswad's ability to adapt themselves to the changing times – new musical trends, shifting personnel – was ultimately the driving force behind their decades-long career.

Novelty Island follow up their stunning debut ‘How Are You Coping With This Century?’ with ‘Wallsend Weekend Television’ via Nine x Nine Records and Think Like A Key Music. Novelty Island is the bizarre-pop project of Liverpool-based songwriter / producer, Tom McConnell.
‘Wallsend Weekend Television’ is an album that has been a long time coming. His body of work started taking shape through various incarnations and projects over the years. In 2018 he made the ultimate pilgrimage from his native north to Abbey Road Institute with all of these songs in hand. This is where Novelty Island was born, inspired by classic pop, woozy electronica and northern wordplay…