Ramrock Selectahs: Joseph Malik

Ramrock Selectahs: Joseph Malik

George T ft Joseph Malik Automatic Self on Hold - EP

Artist: George TTitle: Automatic Self On Hold ft. Joseph MalikLabel: F*CLRCat. No: FCLR020Release date: March 27th, 2023F*CLR Records are beyond happy to present you with the debut release from internationally renowned producer/remixer, George T and his collaboration with Scotland’s finest, Joseph Malik. George has never done anything by the book and with ‘Automatic Self On Hold’, he has taken Joseph’s vocals and added David Rosenthal’s exquisite trumpet playing and distilled them together to give you the very essence of classic Detroit Techno and Chicago House with 21st century house experimentation sensibilities, creating something incredibly fresh. Already receiving massive support from Ashley Beedle, the initial reaction from ‘those in the know’ has been outstanding. Emerging from the epic Scottish House and Techno scene of the 90s, George started his musical adventures as a DJ then promoter, bringing DJs from Chicago, New York, Toronto, Paris and London to Scotland to play at the legendary Tribal Funktion parties in Edinburgh. Aside from co-founding Edinburgh’s Underground Solushn record shop, he also started producing his own blend of Techno and House in the mid 90s which led to a string of releases with seminal labels such as NRK, Stickman, 2020 vision, Crosstown Rebels, Tirk and more recently Greco-Roman, Optimo and Output Recordings. After a move to London in 2000 the George T moniker began a long hiatus and nothing was heard until Joe Goddard released an EP of rediscovered gems on Greco-Roman in 2017. His various monikers from then and now include Plastic Avengers, George Demure and more recently as one half of Jeanga and George. He collaborates extensively and some of his most recent projects have featured globally acclaimed actor, Tam Dean Burn and Paranoid London’s Quinn Whalley. He continues to share his eclectic tastes on his monthly radio show “All Noise” on Edinburgh’s EHFM Radio.

RRRLP004 - Till Sunday - Steven Christie ft. Joseph Malik

The incredible 'Till Sunday' recordings are a result of Steven Christie and Joseph Malik writing music together with no pre-planned agenda. The first day of recording lead to the demo track 'Till Sunday', and with Joseph's stunning lyrics and melody, the pair quickly arranged another session which produced the final set of songs - ‘Tired On My Own', 'Justify Me', ' Everybody Seems To Want Something From You' and 'Girl Everything'. The songs also showcase the outstanding vocal skills of Nicole Cassandra Smit and the multi-talented Christina Robertson who also designed the beautiful album sleeve. Instrumentally, the guitar playing of Chris Hall and Jay Robertson (a.k.a 'Aqua Bassino') along with trombonist/arranger, Chris Greive, Alistair Mckenzie on Cello and drummer, Daniel Walls (a.k.a ‘Digital Liquid’) led to the completion of the ‘Till Sunday’ LP recordings. Both Christie and Malik felt the songs had captured a pure, emotional honesty and they presented the whole project to Jo Wallace at Ramrock Records who was deeply moved by the remarkable combination of music and vocals and signed it without any hesitation.Friends for nearly 30 years, Steven and Joseph first worked together in the 90's Hip-Hop outfit ‘Blacka'nized’, also collaborating at that time on the 'East Coast Project' compilation and later on Malik's broad ranging 'Diverse' trilogy of albums. Over the years, they’ve been busy on different projects – Steven has been touring and recording extensively with Scottish super group, The Proclaimers whilst Joseph expanded his song writing/production skills, resulting in a huge catalogue of tracks plus collaborations with international artists including Marc Mac (4Hero), Niki King and Black Science Orchestra. As well as this, Joseph signed his ‘Diverse Pt.2’ and ‘Diverse Pt.3’ LPs with Ramrock Records as well as a plethora of EPs including the ‘Stranger Things Have Happened’ soundtrack with Scottish hivemind, ‘Out of the Ordinary’.

Joseph Malik - Performance at Boisdale Music Awards 2022

Scottish artist, Joseph Malik performs 'Take A Left' with the Jools Holland Band at the 2022 Boisdale Music Awards before receiving his 'One to Watch' award from Jools Holland. An unbelievable evening.

Joseph Malik - Diverse, Pt. 2

Ramrock Red Records are so proud to present, Joseph Malik - Diverse, Pt. 2

Joseph Malik - Diverse, Pt. 3 Variant Issue

Ramrock Red Records are so proud to present, Joseph Malik - Diverse, Pt. 3 Variant Issue

RRR003 – Joseph Malik – Take A Left

Ramrock Red Records are so proud to present the first single release ‘Take A Left’ unleashed from internationally acclaimed vocalist/producer/DJ Joseph Malik’s forthcoming album, ‘Diverse Part 2’. Co-written and produced with Joseph’s long-term friend + DJ partner since the 80’s, Saleem Andrew McGroarty aka Sound Signals, ‘Take A Left’ is a stomping RnB monster of epic proportions that would be at home in a 1950’s juke joint from across the tracks to a present day shebeen in a dingy basement club. Drawing their inspiration from the darkest recesses of the musical repertoire of Dr. John, Muddy Waters, Allen Toussaint and a generation of blues artists who travelled alone with their guitars in a gunny sack along lonely back roads in the pale Delta moonlight, Joseph and Saleem, along with a stellar line up of Scottish musicians, have created something akin to musical redemption. Ramrock Red Records boss, Jo Wallace gives ‘Take A Left’ an additional remix by taking Joseph’s impromptu jam from the front porch of a wooden cabin, along an echoing corridor and into the confines of a compact Bayou studio….you will sense the darkness but surely see the light.Joseph Malik has always had a great ear for finding artists to work with on his projects and on ‘Take a Left’, he has teamed up with Scotland’s finest soul brothers and sisters to provide the soul power to help him complete his mission to record the best in Soul, Jazz and Blues music. With Joseph on lead vocals, backing vocals are provided by Polish vocalist/ Malik Orchestra violinist, Dominika Czerniga, now based in the South Side of Edinburgh and renowned for her powerful vocal delivery with an impressive operatic range. Malik says of Australian jazz trombonist Chris Greive, ‘we would never dare sample a horn from a record when the world’s best lives just around the corner!’ and along with the harp man from Edinburgh’s premier blues band, ‘Black Diamond Express’ and musical enigma, Tom McClelland, they create a relentless melody that drives the track as they let the notes interweave, cemented by Kris Howden, one of the South Side’s soul brothers + a major player on Edinburgh’s live music scene, with his big, fat, nasty bass line. Recorded at Rusty’s Yard in Edinburgh’s Easter Road by ex-drummer & founding member of Edinburgh’s punk band ‘The Fire Engines’, Rusty Burn on the recording desk, and mixed down by Saleem Andrew McGroarty for Sound Signals at The Sound Still, Leith, the end result feels more like a session straight out of the Stax or Atlantic studios – ‘Take A Left’ will lead you straight onto the talced dance floor.

RRR004 – Joseph Malik – Love Bound EP

Back in October 2017, I was clearing out the spam trap on my PC when I found Joseph Malik’s ‘Diverse Part 2’ LP trapped deep within an IT abyss. The first track I opened was ‘Love Bound’ – 4 bars in and I was hooked; 8 bars in and I was in pieces. I rang Joseph, we discussed the inspiration for the track and on the strength of ‘Love Bound’, I signed the entire ‘Diverse Part 2’ album.It was then that I promised him that if I ever remixed the track, I would apply my 40 plus years of love and devotion to a genre known as ‘beat ballads’ and for those of you who aren’t deep soul aficionados, beat ballads reigned supreme in early 1960’s. Their walking paced rhythms were drenched in emotion featuring finely honed vocals from artists such as Roy Hamilton, Lou Johnson, Tommy Hunt and Freddie Scott. Their lyrics were marinated in a mixture of heartache, misery, broken promises, anguished teens sitting by phones that never rang, mascara’d teardrops running down cheeks - but above all, the pain of love gone bad. Side A showcases the original LP version mixed & produced by Joseph Malik and David Donnelly, who combine the elegance of Brian Wilson, De La Soul’s hip hop impudence and Prince Paul’s humour with Mr Malik’s raw delivery scouring your soul. Side B see Jo Wallace & Darren Morris take over the controls and their ‘North Street’ remix invokes the spirit of the Beach Boys, the genius of New York’s Brill Building outpourings, the Wrecking Crew sensibilities, the grandeur of Scott Walker and his brothers and a nod towards the musical giants, Burt Bacharach, Jerry Ragovoy and Teddy Randazzo. Joseph Malik distills all of the above into one tiny droplet of truly monumental 21st Century Soul that is, ladies and gentlemen, ‘Love Bound’ – trust me, there won’t be a dry eye in the house.

RRR007 – Out of the Ordinary ft. Rosanne Erskine + Davy Henderson

Ladies and Gentlemen, Ramrock Red Records are proud to present the all-star Edinburgh collective ‘Out of The Ordinary’ with their first single 'Meadows' from the forthcoming LP ‘Stranger Things Have Happened’. After the phenomenal success of his solo album ‘Diverse Part 2’ in 2018, Joseph Malik decided to sit firmly in the producer’s chair and team up once again with the co-writers and production ‘dream’ team of arranger/producer Chris Greive, fellow producers Saleem Andrew McGroarty and David Donnelly to create ‘Meadows’, an open love letter to Edinburgh, the city they all love. It’s an anthem for well-being that embraces all races, all creeds, all colours, all genders and where Joseph shares his experience of homelessness and salvation. 'Meadows' contains the iconic hook from Jefferson Airplane's 'Today' and it was a joy to get the original song writers blessing to create a re-interpretation for their anthem of unity. Joseph knew deep down in his heart ‘Meadows’ had to be a duet but he did not want to sing on the track. So he called upon Ms Rosanne Erskine from Coco & The Bean and indie legend, favoured John Peel Sessions guest, and member of the 'Fire Engines', Davy Henderson. The resulting EP is nothing short of magnificent. The LP & ‘Café Graffiti’ versions are arranged by Chris Greive who crafted the soaring, live strings, played by violinist & Grit Orchestra founder, Greg Lawson whose improvisation has become another instrumental colour within the track. Along with trumpeter Colin Steele and 'The Proclaimers' keyboardist Steven Christie, a sound comparable to the golden era of ’66 Haight-Ashbury folk-psyche fusion was created. With the ‘North Street’ Vocal remix + Dub, Darren Morris and Jo Wallace take the progressive rock element and run with it. The fuzzed up Rhodes + Mellotron of Darren Morris’s keyboards, the mesmerising ‘electrified strings’ of Greg Lawson and the hypnotic repetition of Davy Henderson’s ‘there’s no evil’ vocal hook take you on a trip into an uncharted universe…..in addition to the 4 mixes on vinyl, the digital release also has the ‘North Street’ Dub, Gospel Mix and ‘North Street’ instrumental.Before making ‘Meadows’, Joseph spent time sleeping rough. He says:“It was April and it was getting warmer and I woke one morning in the ‘Meadows’ in Edinburgh. The sounds of the trees, leaves and birds filled my head and in that moment as the sun was coming up, the guitar hook from ‘Today’ came into my head inspiring me to bring the city together in unity”.Fellow ‘Fire Engines’ member, Russell Burn opened his studio to us even when times were tough. Every week the musicians gathered at Rusty’s studio in Easter Road to create ‘Meadows’ and the forthcoming album 'Stranger Things Have Happened'. The final recordings were taken to the new Silverback Lodge studio, just near The Meadows, for 'Out of the Ordinary' to mix the song in the location where it was written.

RRR017 – Joseph Malik – I Quit my 9 to 5 EP

During lockdown, Joseph Malik kept himself busy by producing his 1st single from his forthcoming album, ‘Diverse Part 3’ with the Easter Road Northern Soul Band and his label sisters including special guest and long-time friend and powerhouse vocalist, Niki King. Joseph's battle plan was simple – ‘let’s just go and write a song that reflects how everyone feels right’ – and ‘I Quit My 9 to 5’ is Joseph’s response to folks being furloughed or paid off - not just the music industry but all the chefs, taxi drivers, bar staff, teachers – the ordinary person in the street. The lyrics came to Joseph late one night at 2 am: I quit my 9 to 5, I'm staying home, just to stay alive, what am I gonna do? After gathering an Allstar cast of Scottish musicians, the track was recorded over 3 studios so everyone could respect the Covid rules. Joseph and Niki laid down a raw, uncompromising track with funk fuelled keys from the Proclaimers keyboard player, Stevie Christie and wicked horn action from Chris Greive. Once the original LP version was in place, Joseph presented the track to the North Street West collective and Ashley Beedle, Darren Morris and Jo Wallace took ‘I Quit’ to the hottest joint in town and dressed it in a large fedora, camel coat and a fine cane + jewels – people nodded knowingly as it went past. It’s the guest of honour on ‘Soul Train’ and even Don Cornelius hustled down the ‘line’.Play ‘I Quit My 9 to 5’ loud and stand back and watch the dance get started.

RRR021 – Joseph Malik & Niki King – Reason to Be EP

It is with much pleasure that Ramrock Red Records presents Scotland’s answer to Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross – two powerhouse voices join forces on one EP to create something truly wonderful.When Joseph Malik set out to write “Reason to be”, little did he know it would take two years to make. His inspiration was his record label family - Jo Wallace and Ashley Beedle’s wedding. Malik sat down and wrote the words “You better know that you’re more than you know, that you’re more than a reason to be”. It’s a song of devotion, love, romance, boy meets girl - and the demo became Joseph’s wedding gift to the happy couple. After seeing Joseph perform the track live, winner of the UK Perrier Jazz Vocalist award, support act for Al Green + Gregory Porter and multi-talented singer/songwriter Niki King, caught up with him after the gig. Having known each other for years, the right track at the right time had never come around until then, when Niki suggested she could hear it as a duet. So, as they say, it was written in the stars. It became very apparent from the start that this track demanded the classic ‘Malik’ studio line up. With Steven Christie on strings and celeste, David Donnelly on guitar and Fender bass, Daniel Walls aka Digital Liquid on drums, horn section arranger/performer, Chris Greive on trombone, Colin Steele on trumpet, Andrew Barrent on saxophone and Becc Sanderson on backing vocals, ‘Reason to be’ took shape and became part of Joseph’s immense 2021 ‘Diverse Part 3’ LP.Once label boss Jo Wallace had listened to the mastered original version, she decided to flex her considerable Northern Soul muscles and along with fellow North Street West compadre Darren Morris, they channelled their inner Funk Brothers. A dream team vocal combo, an incessant 4/4 drumbeat, Hammond B3 riffs galore, interplay between the baritone sax + muted trumpets, vibes + tubular bells – what more could you ask for from a North Street West Vocal remix? As Craig Charles would say - ‘Hold my calls’.

RRR022 – Digital Liquid ft. Joseph Malik + Beldina Odenyo – Footsteps EP

Contributing to the already funk filled Ramrock summer of good vibes and championed by BBC6 Music’s Craig Charles, Digital Liquid unleashes ‘Footsteps’, his darkly brooding collaboration with vocal behemoth, Joseph Malik and newcomer, Beldina Odenyo. With its combination of middle Eastern flavoured string melodies and the incessant disco earworm bassline, ‘Footsteps’ will be on heavy rotation for months to come. Meanwhile, the North Street West production crew unleashing their inner Larry Levans, adding additional glitterball elements and a cheeky nod to Niles Rodgers for their Vocal Remix, ‘Footsteps’ - a BIG tune worthy of big support.Digital Liquid is the solo project of Daniel Walls, an Edinburgh based multi-faceted musician, songwriter, producer and member of the Easter Road Northern Soul Band. He believes in mixing live instruments with electronic elements and cross pollinating the genres of funk, disco, House and techno to make, as Daniel says, ‘music to dance to’. In addition to making his own music, Daniel plays drums for Joseph Malik’s live shows as well as drumming + additional instrumentation on Joseph’s releases, ‘I Quit My 9 to 5’, ‘Strange New Places’ and ‘Reason to Be’. As if that isn’t enough, Daniel’s been keeping busy with Gavin Fort from ‘Movers International’ on a new EP, playing drums on Steven Christie’s (The Proclaimers) forthcoming ‘Till Sunday’ EP on Ramrock Records and working on more musical outings coming soon on the F*CLR House label.

RRR023 – Steven Christie ft. Joseph Malik – Justify Me EP

Taken from Steven Christie’s stunning debut solo LP, 'Till Sunday', Steven Christie and Joseph Malik, with guest vocals from Nicole Cassandra Smit, continue to make musical magic with their achingly soulful release, 'Justify Me'. On their 'Take 1 Re-Rub' of ‘Justify Me’, the North Street West production team of Ashley Beedle, Darren Morris and Jo Wallace give a generous nod to the magnificent STAX recording artists + musicians with swirling strings, muted trumpets and handclaps plus additional country soul piano and keyboards from Darren Morris.'Justify Me' will have you under its spell from the very first note.