Bleep

South London’s Joe Armon-Jones teams up with East London’s Hak Baker on conscious new single ‘Wrong Side Of Town’ - an upbeat alternative bop with syncopated reggae rhythm. The song is about being priced out of London, and the accompanying music video sees Hak cycling around the parts of East London he grew up in, observing the effects of gentrification, but also the surviving parts of a working class community that continue to define the city.

Giving more context, Hak shares: “All our lives people have been looking down their noses at us but we used to have the safe haven of the estate, blocks and high roads to commune and be human. Now, we hardly have that, the wealthy come to our area to take over and not take part, shoving us outwardly looking down their biased beaks. Nah mate, not round here. I think it’s time to scream and shout that we’re here to stay and if you don’t like it, you must be on the wrong side of the town.”

Wrong Side Of Town is the first single from an upcoming release of the same name, also featuring UK Jazz saxophonist Nubya Garcia, and the first in a series of releases on Joe Armon-Jones’ own Aquarii label dedicated to ‘dub’ music.

Both Joe and Hak will be performing live to celebrate the EPs release, with Hak playing BBC 6Music festival in Manchester on 7th March, whilst Joe Armon-Jones plays a headline show at The Roundhouse in London on 21st April alongside surprise guests throughout his set still to be announced, as well as a host of shows in the UK and Europe in March and April.

Joe Armon-Jones is a member of the Mercury Prize 2023 winners Ezra Collective, and has worked with Jorja Smith, Nubya Garcia, JME, Greentea Peng and Mick Jenkins. Hak Baker has previously collaborated with The Streets & Rudimental, and released his debut album Worlds End FM to fan and critical acclaim.