WRONG WAY UP
Born out of a deep love for the dancefloor, Wrong Way Up channel vintage Afro disco and psychedelic boogie to bring a new kind of heat.
Paying homage to Frances Bebey, William Onyeabor and Lijadu Sisters, the Melbourne-based Afro-synth duo delivers energetic melodies, deep grooves and addictive chants – led by a less-is-more manifesto. Featuring quirky synthesizers and 1970s drum machines, the result is a sonic landscape that feels fresh and unique, yet somehow familiar.
Wrong Way Up comprises vocalists/songwriters Emmanuela Degery and Andrew Phillips.
Degery and Phillips previously collaborated on the band Broadway Sounds, performing at Glastonbury Festival (UK), Womad (UK), Vivid Festival (Sydney), Splendour in the Grass (NSW) and Let Them Eat Cake (Melbourne) while receiving international airplay on BBC Radio 1, 2 and 6 (UK); Radio X (UK), KCRW (US) and Rinse FM (France). At home, they’ve featured on Triple J, PBS, FBi Radio, 3RRR, Double J and RTRFM; while videos clips for Broadway Sounds tracks ‘Booby Trap’ and ‘Sing It Again’ won accolades from ABC TV’s cult late- night music program, Rage.
Degery (a gospel singer originally from South Sudan) showcases the power, resilience and unmistakable resonance of the female African voice, while Phillips – a seasoned performer and DJ – weaves vintage synthesizers and drum machines through energetic, pulsating grooves.
With dynamic collaborations with Tony Espie (The Avalanches, Pookie) on mixing, Steele Bonus (Efficient Space, Music From Memory) on graphics/artwork, Atong Atem on photography and Luca Schenardi (Tame Impala, John Carroll Kirby) on artwork, this heady mix of artists ensures that Wrong Way Up is the right way to get down.