Wah Wah 45s are excited to present a brand new signing for 2025.The music of Isaac de Martin, otherwise known as IKE, blends jazz and electronic influences into warm, smooth, and often cinematic soundscapes. A certain eclecticism is not surprising considering that the composer, producer and guitarist was born in Italy into a musical family with British roots, studied classical guitar, graduated in jazz and went on to develop his personal style through creative experimentation, live touring and collaborative work with artists from a variety of disciplines and countries.
Under the shadow of the pandemic, IKE headed to Egypt, a country that has always held a deep fascination for him. Finding sanctuary between teaching at Cairo's Heliopolis University and observing the progress of an ecological development community, the creative foundation of IKE's forthcoming LP, entitled On Higher Dreams began to take form.
The first single to be taken from the album is the gorgeous SIDDA. Named (backwards) in honour of Addis (Abeba), the capital of Ethiopia, and the country where the Blue Nile starts. The track, which also opens the forthcoming album, follows the river from its source, through Egypt and up to its mouth in the Mediterranean sea.
The song's introduction is inspired by the Ethiopian Mahmoud Ahmed's song Ashweyna, meaning "child of the star" in Hindu. Siddha itself, in Sanskrit, means "one who is accomplished", and refers to the masters who have achieved a high degree of intellectual perfection, as well as liberation or enlightenment. This state of being is a good first step to Higher Dreams.
The album On Higher Dreams will be released 30th May 2025 on Wah Wah 45s