DEEK Recordings take over SJQ for the second edition of Dalston Music Festival.

‘Pop, not slop!’ is the mantra and DEEK Recordings chants it from the rooftops. Set up by Nathan Jenkins (Bullion) in 2012 to release his music and collaborations, it’s turned into a home for pop-leaning artists with a mind to create something interesting. Jenkins collaborated with Laura Groves and Tic Zogson (Young Turks) to form Nautic, who hit a sweet spot with ‘Fresh Eyes’ in 2012. This inspired a move to reel more musicians and songwriters into the fold including Jesse Hackett who sparred with Jenkins on BLLUDD RELATIONS. Groves’ beautiful solo EPs followed, with contributions from the growing family of DEEKs; one Fabiana Palladino, daughter to Pino, on drums.

More recent additions to the label, Thool and Never took things broader still. Thool’s lush brand of world-dance music spun heads last year and Never’s Guy Gormley (yup, more heavy heritage) and Sam Bardsley went sombre and deadly-sweet with ‘Don’t Touch Me Now’ – see YouTube.

Jenkins self-released his debut Bullion album via DEEK in February with singing and playing from Sampha, drum king Tom Skinner and violinist Raven Bush… and the ball keeps on rolling, steady and true. Only last month near enough all DEEKs came together to contribute cover versions to ‘Extraordinary Renditions’, the 2nd compilation of its kind on the label.

Keen supporter and friend to DEEK Charlie Bones is NTS Radio’s breakfast don. To know him is to know positive music and by God do we need it!

Catch Groves, Never and Thool live at Dalston Music Festival with records and mp3s from Bullion and Bones.

LINE UP

Laura Groves
Never
Thool (debut London show)

+ DJs Bullion & Charlie Bones