New music to listen to this week: Royce Wood Junior

Now Hear This

Royce Wood Junior (Press image)

London based producer, songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist (he does it all) Royce Wood Junior sounds a lot like the love child of Prince and Hot Chip.

Going onto a solo career after playing guitar in Jamie Woon's live band, producing and remixing the likes of Kwabs and Denai Moore, he has an assured quality in the construction of each track.

With nods to J-Dilla and Flying Lotus alongside classic funk evoking Stevie Wonder, he's a wonderfully eccentric, standout artist - and you don't have to sift through a bunch of new indie bands to find him.

Listen if you like: Stevie Wonder, Hot Chip, Years & Years, Prince

Q&A with Royce Wood Junior

- Which contemporary artists have you been listening to recently?

I really like the Tirza tune 'Make It Up'. Once in a while a track comes out that seems to just effortlessly get it right - like Jai Paul's 'Jasmine' or 'To Love' by Ahu - this is one of those tracks. I’m also really enjoying Wayne Snow and Glenn Astro, and most stuff affiliated with the Tartelet label.

I've just discovered the Chicago rapper Jean Deaux too who seems only to have featured on others' records so far and is super laid back and says interesting things. I really like the weirder Kaytranada stuff and I've been enjoying Visionist and Mo Kolours too recently.

- Who do you cite as your biggest influences?

Stevie Wonder, Prince, Nirvana, Radiohead, Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Buckley, J-Dilla, The Beatles, Bill Evans, Miles Davis, DJ Shadow.

- What was your first gig?

The first gig as far as I can remember was 'Heavy Stereo' at the Tunbridge Wells forum. Although it's entirely possible I witnessed a redcoat-era Shane Ritchie at Butlins without realising...

"Honeydripper" (RWJ’s alt mix) is available now when you pre-order the The Honeydripper EP (out 6 November) from iTunes. Royce Wood Junior plays the following live shows this October:

Oct 13th Headrow House - Leeds

Oct 14th Soup Kitchen - Manchester

Oct 21st Electrowerkz - London