Neon Drizzle (Hotel Shaboo)

First Word Records is very proud to bring you a very special collaboration between Don Leisure and Gruff Rhys.

'Neon Drizzle (Hotel Shaboo)' is the lead single from Don Leisure's forthcoming album 'Shaboo Strikes Back'.

Don Leisure is a DJ and producer based in Cardiff, Wales. He's been a prolific beat-maker for many years, releasing under a variety of monikers for labels such as Metalheadz, International Anthem, Fat City, Izwid, Earnest Endeavours and Group BraCil, and is sometimes known as one half of Darkhouse Family, along with Earl Jeffers.

In 2020, Don was nominated for the Welsh Music Prize for his 'Steel Zakuski' project, and has dropped several releases for First Word, including the acclaimed 2019 'Halal Cool J' album and various Darkhouse Family projects. This has included collabs with artists as diverse as Charlotte Church, Om'Mas Keith and Children of Zeus's Tyler Daley, additionally to remixes from DJ Spinna and label-mate, Kaidi Tatham. As a DJ he's provided mixes for BBC 6 Music, NTS, Rinse FM, Solid Steel and Boxout FM in India, as well as performing at The Jazz Cafe, Fabric and on Boiler Room.

Gruff Rhys should need no introduction, but for the uninitiated, he is a legend in the alternative music world. A multi-talented artist, he's built a highly prolific back-catalogue since the early nineties, solo and as a part of groups such as Super Furry Animals and Neon Neon. Along with a Mercury Music Prize nomination, he was the winner of the 2011 Welsh Music Prize for his album 'Hotel Shampoo' . And so to an unofficial sequel of sorts, 'Hotel Shaboo'…

'Neon Drizzle (Hotel Shaboo') combines Don's baleful beat stew with Gruff's psychedelic crooning, gently acting as tour guide and inviting you into the sights and sounds of the mysterious Hotel Shaboo… Epic but stark, this is a far out soundscape for a celestial dimension.

This track follows the duo's first collaboration; a remix of Gruff's track 'Loan Your Loneliness', released late 2021 on Rough Trade Records. This new single is accompanied by a short animated video and artwork from acclaimed illustrator Lewis Heriz.

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Five years have passed since the first 'Shaboo' album was released. A collection of beats and pieces that documented the road trip of Don's youth - hip hop music interspersed with Asian radio station jingles of old, dedicated to Bollywood actor, Nasser 'Shaboo' Bharwani - Don Leisure's late uncle.

This album was heralded as "the best album of its kind since J Dilla's 'Donuts'" and deemed "unmissable" by the folks at Piccadilly Records. It also had strong support from BBC 6 Music's Tom Ravenscroft ("very, very good this indeed"), Huey Morgan ("my beat of the week"), Worldwide FM's Lefto ("defo down with this"), Rob Da Bank ("this is wicked") and the likes of Mathieu Schreyer (KCRW, LA), Alex Ruder (KEXP, Seattle), Kid Fonque (5FM, South Africa), Om Unit, Jon1st, Mr Thing, Rob Luis (Tru Thoughts), Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s), Tim Parker (NTS), Huw Stephens and tons more from across the globe.

'Shaboo Strikes Back' is a much-awaited sequel to the 2017 smash, and again features a modest 25 tracks. Psychedelic fuzzy samples and phat beats aplenty, Don Leisure once again takes us on a far-out trip across soundscapes. A real tapestry of flavours, from jazz to reggae, and from the soulful to the spiritual, this time round he's invited a few special guests to join him on his travels - as well as Gruff Rhys, there's acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Angel Bat Dawid and Jazzman-signed harpist Amanda Whiting lending their talents to 'All Praises Due'. There's even a special cameo appearance from his young daughter, (aka Shaboo's great-niece!), Naima, on 'Naima's Dream'.

Once again, this is a journey into sound…

'Neon Drizzle (Hotel Shaboo)' is on all digital platforms on March 18th 2022.

'Shaboo Strikes Back' is released on vinyl & digital by First Word Records, March 25th 2022.

Dedicated to Nasser 'Shaboo' Bharwani.