We are so delighted to announce that we have signed musician, composer, producer, engineer and remixer, Tom Excell, to the Faber Alt. roster.

Tom Excell is the composer, guitarist, percussionist and producer for Nubiyan Twist and Onipa. Excell’s productions have made a name for themselves with support from radio DJ’s such as Giles Peterson, Lauren Laverne, David Rodigan, Craig Charles and Huey Morgan, receiving plays across BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC 3, BBC 4, BBC 6 and BBC 1Xtra.

NUBIYAN TWIST

Leeds/London collective Nubiyan Twist blend hip-hop, jazz, soul and afrobeat in a fresh new way. Their album Freedom Fables was released in 2021 on Strut Records to critical acclaim, and just before the first lockdown, they sold out their entire UK tour. They’re a brilliant festival band, have gathered great crowds at Glastonbury, Wilderness, and just about every UK music festival there is.

Reviews:

“The type of record that should be blasted over a sun-drenched festival crowd.” Clash
“Nubiyan Twist take a leap out of the densely packed crowd of UK jazz with Freedom Fables, a summation of the group's talent that sees them elevated into the highest tier of their cohort” Loud And Quiet
"A free-flowing assemblage of jazz, soul, hip hop and diasporic styles." Mojo

In light of the Tapes of Utopia album release on 17th September, they spoke to NPR Music about how it is dedicated to the mix tapes sold in Africa's markets. You can read this interview by clicking here.

ONIPA

ONIPA is the collaboration between multi-instrumentalist artist and rapper K.O.G (Kweku Kackey) and Tom Excell, which fuses music from Ghana and London, alongside bandmates Finn Booth (Nubiyan Twist) and Wonky Logic (Steam Down). Since their debut at TGE festival, they’ve gone on to sell out London’s Jazz Café, had multiple headline festival slots, showcased at this year’s SXSW (where they were listed as one of the best acts by The New York Times and KCRW) and We Out Here online, and were invited by Africa Express to perform for Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday celebration as well as Damon Albarn’s ‘The Circus’ in Leyton.

Reviews:

“Highlights include London-based Ethiopian three-piece Krar Collective’s tumbling, insatiable rhythms, and the riotous beats and irresistible delirium of Onipa, whose rogue strain of griot hip-hop and charismatic front man KOG have the entire marquee beaming” The Guardian
"Tapes Of Utopia brilliantly showcases Onipa’s crossover appeal, full of danceable grooves alongside politically astute lyricism" Tinnitist, Albums of the Week
“Onipa Channel Ghanaian Highlife to Great Effect on ‘Yenimno’” Rolling Stone

We are really excited to be working with Tom Excell and we look forward to seeing what new opportunities this collaboration brings.

“I'm very excited to be working with Faber Alt., their roster and depth of experience is outstanding. I also greatly value the feeling of community and friendship in my working relationships and feel both of these things with the team there.”

Tom Excell

“We are delighted to welcome Tom to the Faber Alt. roster. To get to represent the fantastically eclectic and uplifting music of both Nubiyan Twist and Onipa, as well as having Tom on board as such a brilliant producer and remixer is an absolute privilege and adds a whole new sound world to our catalogue.”

Lucy Holliday, Head of A&R

You can read more about ONIPA on their artist’s page.

You can listen to their full catalogue here.

You can read more about Nubiyan Twist on their artist’s page.

You can listen to their full catalogue here.