Welsh DJ/producer Douvelle19 is back on the scene, shaking things up with his latest track, Shook, featuring grime sensation Manga Saint Hilare from Roll Deep fame. Lifted from the forthcoming EP, When I Dream, set to drop early in 2024, this bouncy tune follows the recent hit Green Light featuring Southeast London R&B producer and singer Harve.
Shook represents Douvelle19’s musical evolution, blending elements of house, garage, soul, grime, and R&B. Manga Saint Hilare’s distinct flow and delivery add an extra layer of dynamism to the track. Douvelle19 shares the backstory, revealing, “Manga and I have worked together on many projects together over the past ten years. We’ve toured all over Europe and played so many shows together. Shook is the result of me pulling out some of my favourite lines from all of his previous tracks and writing around them whilst living in Madrid. We’ve always had a lot of fun bringing our worlds together and this is just one example of how it sounds.”
The EP’s cover art, exclusively created by rising Australian artist Jack Cormack, reflects the surreal and dynamic nature of Douvelle19’s sonic landscape.
Beyond his music, Douvelle19 is a driving force behind the genre-bending and inclusive club night, ‘Locally Sauced,’ in Cardiff. The event has become a local sensation, showcasing not only Douvelle19’s talent but also highlighting the vibrant art and music scene in South Wales.
As he prepares to independently release his second EP, ‘When I Dream,’ Douvelle19 embraces a fusion of pop, R&B, garage, grime, and electronic sounds. The EP, written during lockdown and crafted across locations like Madrid, Japan, and London, explores themes of human connection, isolation, and love. Collaborations with Harve, Catching Cairo, Manga Saint Hilare, and Kaisha showcase Douvelle19’s commitment to diverse influences.
“Amalgamating your flavors is key,” says Douvelle19, emphasizing his artistic ethos. “It’s like cooking, but with sounds.” Authentically weaving personal experiences and emotions into his music, Douvelle19 invites listeners to embark on a journey through the moments and emotions that have shaped his last three years. The result is an EP that transcends boundaries, proving that there’s always a route in, no matter where you come from.
He says: “there’s always a route in – no matter where you come from. This EP has been born from the places I’ve found myself in during the last three years, it’s about harnessing the state of dreaming without sleep walking. Each track is a moment I’ve lived, an emotion I’ve felt and is threaded together by the people in my life.”
Douvelle19’s musical journey spans diverse sonic worlds, influenced by genres from 1930s jazz to early electronic pioneers like New Order and Leftfield. His eclectic taste, nurtured since childhood, paved the way for his entry into the industry. From forming the group Astroid Boys at 15 to solo projects like ‘D19’ and the acclaimed Edits series, Douvelle19’s evolution is marked by experimentation and a commitment to musical exploration.
