Rob Mac is a man with musical tentacles galore. As a founding member of the legendary hip hop night Scratch, this North London producer, DJ and musician was responsible for bringing some of the U.S.’s most highly regarded rap talent over to the U.K., as well as playing a part in the rise of the domestic scene.

Since leaving the Scratch world behind him, Mac (alongside partner Matt Smooth) has performed under a number of guises. Whether it’s the soulful beats of Jumbonics, the twisted sounds of Imperial or the more dance floor biased Gum Drop project, Mac has always set his standards incredibly high. It was Rob’s first project, though, that caught the ears of us at Wah Wah towers. After some experimental offerings in the late 90s (including a cover version of The Clash’s ‘London Calling’!) Speeka seemed to drop off the radar, that was until last year when our very own A&R department coaxed the project out of retirement.

‘Bend’ features the beautiful, yet dark, vocals of Ben Parker and is a string laiden masterpiece; ‘Free At Last’ sees the very quirky Polly Paulusma telling tales of a misspent youth over yet more soulful strings and delicate percussion. Two brilliantly written songs; two top notch vocalists; one essential package. Wallop!

"Hitting somewhat of a gold rush at the moment, Wah Wah drop a 7†gem from erstwhile Ultimate Dilemma artist Speeka (aka Rob Mac and Matt Smooth). Featuring Ben Parker, ‘Bend’ sounds like something Radiohead could have made before they discovered Aphex Twin, but the real beauty here is ‘Free At Last’ featuring the distinctive vocals of Polly Paulusma. An enigmatic little number that will worm it’s way into your life and stay there for some time. Not what you’d expect from this label, but great nonetheless." - Shepdog (I-DJ)