Watermelon Boy drops brand new album

Watermelon Boy is a semi-fictional character and moniker of Australian producer and self-proclaimed Ambassador to the Space Tropics who’s always been known for his innovative approach to electronic music. With a penchant for blending tropical flavours and complex rhythms from the global south, he’s earned a reputation as a talented and unique producer in the electronic music sphere.

Emerging in 2016 with his aptly titled debut EP, Debut – EP, Watermelon Boy has steadily built an impressive catalogue of original tracks, remixes and collaborations. His sound, often described as a mix of ‘banana lounge pina-colada’ and ‘flat out carnival rave,’ is a vibrant fusion of influences from Latin America, Africa and the Pacific, all filtered through the lens of Australian electronica.

Imagine the sonic sophistication of artists like Flume, Alison Wonderland and Hermitude, but infused with the infectious rhythms of afrobeats, reggaeton, amapiano, and dancehall. His latest release, the brand new sophomore record titled The Wow Signal, further builds on his reputation as a genre-breaking artist with an ear for slick and danceable beats.

The Wow Signal perfectly captures Watermelon Boy’s vision of uniting the southern continents through music. Spanning fifteen tracks, the album is a joyous celebration of global sounds, featuring collaborations with musicians from Ghana, Fiji, Chile, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Jamaica. These international contributors add thrilling performances to a project that feels both expansive and intimate, presenting an international musical journey.

Kicked off by “Outside,” Watermelon Boy links with Magajie to craft a smooth and sultry sax-infused groover. Building with the rattle of the beat, the collision of musical worlds results in a vibrant dance-focused jam that develops with thumping drums and punchy vocals to deliver an immersive and energising sound.

“Memories” sees the producer serve up a bouncy cut full of grooving beats, vibrant synths and dashes of brass accenting the rhythms as processed vocals hover above. The perfect display of the latest chapter in the Watermelon Boy story, it’s an infectious track that’s sure to light up airwaves and ignite dancefloors with its superb rhythms and memorable arrangement.

Other highlights on the record include collaborations with artists such as Green Baker on “Gbona” where Afrobeat vibes are reframed by Watermelon Boy’s own sonic vision. With catchy vocal leads fluttering above the hop of the beat and colourful instrumentation, it’s another moment of pure musical joy and irresistible pop-focused dance music euphoria.

Watch the music video for Gbona below

On “Mereba,” Bogo Blay takes the mic to spin slick rapped bars above the soft rattle of shaker and rising swell of synth tones. Launching with another stellar beat, the track delivers another sensational example of Watermelon Boy’s genre-blending sound, wrapped up in exquisite sound design and delivered via another excellent collaboration.

Watch the music video for Mereba below

Closing the album with “Cheap Drinks & Bad Decisions,” the artist serves up one final outing of beat-driven groove. Above the patter of drums and spacey sweeps of synth textures, spliced vocal samples add a transportive quality to the sound, providing the perfect finale to the artist’s incredible second record.

Commenting on the album, Watermelon Boy shares, “I really wanted to make a record that sounded like it was from the southern hemisphere. In electronic music, so much of our influences are from the north but I’ve always found great intrigue in the sounds of Africa, South America and The Pacific.”

Listen to The Wow Signal below