Bawo has released “Shelloff”, a collaboration with Scorcher and JME, and announced new EP, Surf’s Up – out 25th September via his own Say Nothing Records label.
“Shelloff” is built around swirling samples, stuttering drums and heavy bass, with Bawo, Scorcher and JME each delivering verses in the spirit of a classic grime record. The track comes with a music video in which Bawo and Scorcher appear as talent show judges, scoring an array of hopeful contestants.
Speaking on the video, the director, Javon, explained: “For this music video, we collaborated because we wanted to see different people shelloff honestly. I tend to root my ideas in community, keep them simple, and generally push towards surrealism where I can. Produced by Maya Kotecha, Casted by Mia Gibson-Reed, Shot by Will Gething—the entire crew had one objective! Have fun and make it look good! The song is quite poignant, promoting self confidence and individuality, which is also at the core of talent shows.”
Upcoming EP Surf’s Up marks a shift in Bawo’s sound, incorporating live instrumentation and a stronger focus on melody. The EP grew out of a late 2024 session with Ken Samson that produced “Wrestlemania”, with further contributions from Max Beecher and Midnight Phunk shaping tracks including “And Still” and “Shelloff”. Mac Wetha features on “Up And Away”, while Jam City worked on “Surfboard Club” and closer “Moon and Back”, the latter largely produced by Bawo himself. “Clueless” was made with Swedish producer boerd during a writing trip in Stockholm.
Listen to and watch “Shelloff” below.