The Archive

Hand picked records important to the history of Soul Strut.

A-Ko - Chicago

  • A-Ko

    Chicago 12" (2006)

    Melting Pot Music ‎– MPM022

For the better part of the 2000s, Iowa native Nash Wiley (aka A-Ko) spent most of his young adulthood combing the Soul Strut forums for obscure rock records with upbeat drum breaks and 60s lounge records a la Free Design.  Along with a crew of other Soul Struttters, A-Ko would post amazing DJ Shadow / RJ-D2 inspired b-boy hip hop instrumentals that eventually got the attention of German label MPM (Melting Pot Music) Records.  The same label that released the Soul Strut EP in 2004 and others by Soul Strutters like DJ Day

This 12” features A-Ko’s knack for marrying head-banging b-boy breaks with melodic pianos (“Chicago”), moog samples with slowed down, time-stretched funk 45s (“Fire”),  and another version of his debut 45 on MPM,  the lo-fi b-boy instrumental classic “Soul’69”.

Nash can be found today on Instagram @TrashWiley  posting his love for fixing up 70s vans and dropping the occasionall funk 45 gem. It’s a shame A-Ko never went on to more mainstream recognition, but if and when the downtempo genre makes it’s comeback, this will be a grail.


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