Willow (Birch Community Mix)
Bryony Jarman-Pinto

Bryony Jarman-Pinto teams up with longtime collaborator, musician, and producer Werkha (Tom A. Leah) for a new remix. Titled in homage to the memorable moments spent at Birch Community Centre, the track reimagines a piece from Bryony’s second studio album, ‘Below Dawn’. The original song serves as a protest against the political landscape at the time of writing, with Bryony voicing her frustrations and calling for resistance against “ignorance and rumours”. Werkha infuses the remix with his distinctive soulful, electronic flair, featuring off-kilter, breakbeat-inspired rhythms and playful, quirky synths.

Tom explains the remix’s name, “Birch Community Centre is next door to where I was born and raised in Manchester. I used to eat my jam sandwiches there at after-school club as a kid. It now plays host to vinyl dance nights (bruk, Latin, deep house & beyond) organised by Do One / Community here in Manchester. It’s a night for the real dancers in this city and exactly the lights-down-low, sound system space I had in mind when cooking up this remix.”

Bryony and Tom’s creative partnership began at BlueJam Arts, playing in bands together. While Bryony was studying at the Glasgow School of Art, Tom encouraged her back into music, sparking an exploration of electronic sounds and soft vocal improvisation. This collaboration led to Bryony’s vocals on Werkha’s “Sidesteppin”, which gained attention from tastemakers like Gilles Peterson and was featured on his Brownswood Bubblers compilation and Werkha’s “Beacons” EP. Another co-written track, “Dust”, received notable airplay by BBC 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne. This period laid the foundation for Bryony’s debut album, ‘Cage and Aviary’, crafted with Werkha, blending harmonious vocals with jazz, soul, and folk elements, earning praise from major tastemakers and critics.

“Tom and I have been friends since we were kids, he produced my debut album ‘Cage and Aviary’, and now he performs in my live band. It’s lovely to have a remix that links ‘Below Dawn’ to our upbringing and musical history”, Bryony adds.

Bryony Jarman-Pinto’s second studio album, ‘Below Dawn’, produced by Nostalgia 77’s Ben Lamdin, delves into themes of societal change, emotions, and motherhood, enriched by her distinctive vocals and jazz influences.