South London based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist & producer Quinn Oulton is pleased to announce a brand new single with the arrival of ‘Sober’ out through DeepMatter Records this November.
‘Sober’, offers a personal perspective on the complex discussion surrounding sexual assault and consent. Through his direct writing style, he addresses a topic that tends to be overlooked – the repercussions of sexual assault within a friendship group. He offers a first-person narrative following the challenges faced by the victim and those supporting them.
The unexpected combination of experimental, minimalist use of sampling with heavily distorted guitars and soaring falsetto vocals results in an intensely unique twist on a modern RnB sound.
Quinn explains: “We are finally seeing more open discussion around sexual assault and violence against women in the wake of the #metoo movement. I’ve been seeing it spoken about on social media and the news more and more, and I wanted to write a song to contribute to this dialogue. In particular, I wanted to bring up one aspect of it that I feel has been largely ignored, which is when sexual assault happens within a friendship group.”
He goes on to add: “It seems to me that when sexual assault happens within a friendship group, men are given the benefit of the doubt, whereas women’s experiences are questioned or ignored. This often leads to women feeling isolated and alone. This is really frustrating, given that the majority of sexual assaults happen between people that know each other. I want to express full solidarity with women who have experienced this, and hope that this song encourages people to be receptive to those who ask them for support.”
Quinn Oulton exhibits a raw sound, melding soaring vocals and tangled acoustic textures with abstract electronics. The sound is deeply unique, which is understandable when you consider the journey that he has taken to reach this point in his career.
Quinn picked up the saxophone at a very young age. His thirst for music was nurtured by mentors Julian Joseph and Soweto Kinch – two heavyweights of the UK jazz scene. Although jazz was his focus, he was also surrounded by blues, folk and rock music at home thanks to his dad’s diverse record collection.
His first leap into the world as a solo artist was a self-produced EP in 2017, when he began exploring his own voice and how to manipulate his skills as an instrumentalist to tell a story. These releases earned him a place on the 2018 Red Bull Music Academy. The two-week course entirely changed his scope and ambitions, as his eyes were opened to the world of electronic music culture – working alongside legends such as Just Blaze and father of techno Mike Banks (Underground Resistance).
His next EP ‘Long Gone’ (2020) presented a more refined sound as he honed his production skills and pushed his vocal abilities further. ‘Show Your Face’ is Quinn’s latest EP. The project shows his strengths when working with collaborators Conor Albert and Demae (of the Touching Bass family), and a new, exciting way of blending traditional jazz and electronic soundscapes.
Quinn also tours and regularly appears on radio and TV alongside 2020 Mercury Nominee, Moses Boyd.
Links
Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/2lqAPLmP9BsHPymfa6UFO7?si=41LEK4PmRhik-4myJa1k_g
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/quinnoulton/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/quinnoulton
Website – https://quinnoulton.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/quinnoulton/