A year on since we first opened your ears to the lush, cinematic, international sounds of Italian producer and musician Isaac de Martin, and following on from the recent Clay EP, IKE returns with more re-imaginings from 2025’s highly praised On Higher Dreams LP.
Last year’s debut for Wah Wah 45s blended jazz and electronic influences into warm, evocative, global soundscapes. Having signed to the label, IKE spent much of 2025 in his new “second home” of London, connecting with musicians and creatives with a view to always expanding his global sound. It was in the capital that he had previously met harpist Rachel Kitchlew, bass player David Bardon and esteemed drummer Sholto, and it wasn’t long before this newly formed quartet were working on reinterpreting some of the highlights from the album. Isaac himself explains more:
“I met Rachel Kitchlew, SHOLTO and Dave Bardon at their concert at The Standard in late 2023, a tribute to Ennio Morricone. Later I saw them again at the London Jazz Festival, and it became clear how much I loved their music and their distinctive approach. The sound they create is tightly woven, warm, and deeply cinematic — like the soundtrack of a life where it’s easy to feel safe. A cocoon. I invited them to play three songs from On Higher Dreams, and in two days at SFJ Studio in London we captured everything. It was magic and easy, because magic is often an easy thing. Later Rachel joined me, Valerio and AHU for a concert at The Clock Tower during the On Higher Dreams release concerts in May 2025. I have to say I could not ask for better dreamers in London when it comes to music.”
Reactions & Radio Play
Radio play from Cerys Matthews (BBC 6 Music), Tina Edwards (Bandcamp Selects), Enrique Domenech (CKUT, Canada), Slow Life Sound System radio show (2SER 107.3FM Sydney, Australia)
Featured on the Jazz Scene:UK playlist https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/jazz-scene-uk/pl.2b05e1eed714457781531e4562f9897d
