WAKE UP! MUSIC USA-UK-NU-HOUSE: THE START OF SOMETHING SPECIAL.

dereksmusicblog ♦ December 24, 2018 ♦ Leave a comment

Wake Up! Music USA-UK-Nu-House: The Start Of Something Special.

Label: Wake Up! Music Group.

In early 2018, I was asked by Maddy Gomez, who runs Wake Up! Music Group to write the liner notes to Music Is My Life, the comeback album from Chicago-based DJ and producer Matt Warren. Mostly, when writing liner notes, it’s case of writing and submitting them, before moving onto the next project. Not this time, as this was the start of a new adventure in many ways.

By July, Music Is My Life was completed, and I had become much more involved in the project and was arranging for the album to be mastered and had coined the term Nu-House, which described the music on Music Is My Life. The other thing I was organising was PR for the UK and EU release.

That was a long way away, as Music Is My Life was scheduled for release in North America on the ‘19th’ of October 2018. In America, it was all systems go for Music Is My Life and everyone at Wake Up! Music Group.

Meanwhile, the CDs and limited edition vinyl were being produced by two American companies. One company, SunPress, which was based not far from Wake Up! Music’s South Florida headquarters was producing the limited edition splatter vinyl.

It was a similar case in Britain, where preparation began for the UK and EU release of Music Is My Life on the ‘15th’ of February 2018. The packaging and booklet for the CD was redesigned, although the track listing to this future Nu-House classic remained the same. The other change was the design of the limited edition special relationship splatter vinyl.

As design and production of Music Is My Life was taking place in Britain, the staff at Wake Up! Music watched as Music Is My Life was released to widespread critical acclaim. Music Is My Life featured a starring role from legendary house diva Pepper Gomez and marked the debut of the soulful sounding Janis McGee and features flamenco singer Elena Andujar.  This triumvirate of divas played their part in the sound and success of Music Is My Life which received plaudits and praise from critics, and was hailed as a future Nu-House classic.

During the next two months, Music Is My Life started climbing the various American charts. Soon, they were both riding high on chill, electronic, hip hop and Latin. Meanwhile, the video to Get On Up which features two of Wake Up! Music’s YASI stars Izzy D and J Rock was becoming a viral hit.  Surely, things couldn’t get any better for the Wake Up! Music Team?

It could, and Music Is My Life and Get On Up weren’t just riding high in the various American charts but topped the DRT Indie charts for two weeks. This was the perfect Christmas present for the  team Wake Up! Music Group. Then glad tidings arrived in the form of something very special and Maddy Gomez takes up the story.

Ho, Ho, Ho – Merry Christmas to all as we prepare to countdown the days left to 2019.  And, to the UK release of Matt Warren’s disc, “Music Is My Life.”  The US vinyl is in!  You can find it at https://www.wakeupmusicgroup.com/streaming-downloads This is a very special splatter pressing by SunPress in Sunny South Florida.  Sounds great and would look super as art, too.  Very nice.  As we’ve pressed a very small number, there’s no doubt that in the future collector’s market this vinyl may rival the crazy prices that the original “Pushin’ Too Hard” by Master Plan has held.  So, for all the House Heads, Nu-House Lovers and collectors, hope you really enjoy the fruits of our labors.  I admit I still get a thrill when I hold the physical copies and the vinyl is extra exciting.  Can’t wait to see the UK pressing which will be its own work of art.  It is sure to be totally gorgeous and will make a beautiful sounding disc as it celebrates the special relationship that the US has always had with the UK as well as the EU historically and with music specifically.  Extremely exciting – yes, these things excite me.  Our UK Director, Derek Anderson, has made the whole UK/EU preparation for launch an unforgettable experience.  With airplay already happening there ahead of the release, we’re just keeping our surfboards waxed and pretty as we keep riding the wave that started on October 19, 2018 with the US release of “Music Is My Life”.

You’d think the Ho-ho-holidays would give us some down time but you’d be wrong.  We were #1 for two weeks in a row on the Digital Radio Indie Charts!  We’ve had Matt busy with radio interviews and getting ready for his TV appearances.  We’re still elated about making it to MTV and BET video programming.  On New Year’s Day, 2019, the first single from “Music Is My Life” – “Get On Up” will air on VH1.  We’re prepping our second single, “How Do I Love Thee” for the same and more.  Now that’s the way to ring in the New Year! We’ll be toasting to everyone who have made it such a great 2018!  So, here’s to you!  Let’s do it again – 2019!  Here we come!  Peace and love y’all – as always!  

Wake Up! Music USA-UK-Nu-House: The Start Of Something Special.

US CD