WOLFGANG VON VANDERGHAST could be the kind of name you’d expect to be attributed to a swashbuckling bohemian terrorizing the high seas maybe? A Germanian dictator hungry for blood, breasts and taxes? In fact, WOLFGANG VON VANDERGHAST is the carefully curated pseudonym of Cardiff born Hip Hop producer Dale Lewis but of course in this alter-reality, WVV is a mercenary and saviour of all poets, bards and street performers of the Holbergan cobbles of the League.

When quizzed about the underlying ethos behind ‘Oh, What a Carry On’ WVV says “I wanted to reignite that old British sounding stuff that initially started with FLEAPIT and I recall that was laden with alter egos throughout, there was something incredibly satisfying about hearing something that sounded like it was from around here, and not the east or west coast of America.”

With that, I guess you don’t get more British than the old Carry On films that this track blatantly used for its core foundations. A bit of the inspiring Sid James cackle, the mischief abound in the choice and intricate chopping of the carefully sought samples. FARMA G of London’s TASK FORCE would prove to be the perfect choice for the track with Lewis claiming that “FARMA G is a really adaptable and animated MC, he can switch around his style at the drop of a hat and really bring a natural, theatrical side to his varied vocal characters. I felt when I first heard the sample on a half battered old LP, as soon as it fired into the MPC, FARMA G was the only MC I was going to try get on this, and lucky for me he loved it.”

Fast forward 600 or so years from where we imagine WOLFGANG VON VANDERGHAST ruled his day, his music finds itself at home on the very same label that released those early turn of the century FLEAPIT records. On becoming part of a tight knit, two decade team, Lewis couldn’t be more at home. Having the freedom and ability to carve up old vinyl into brand new aural sculptures where the clay goes back almost 60 years. “Digging vinyl and finding these sounds that are lost amongst racks and stacks of dusty old cardboard sleeves and ageing wax is where the excitement lies for me. The particular LP I found that made up the bulk of this tune might not have even been played for over 40 years, and that to me is the beauty of this artform, to re-interpret and re-invent some old forgotten sound, and make it of the now and sound modern.”

‘Oh What a Carry On’ is an incredible benchmark to make for a debut single, to have one of the most well regarded UK Hip Hop MCs in FARMA G gloss and varnish over your track in this day an age is surely deemed an honour. And to do that with your very first outing as a producer, on a label with the clout of SFDB, you must be doing something worth sharing with the world.

Be it from the old 14th Century streets of Holberg, modern day Highbury Estate or the Welsh capital Cardiff, WOLFGANG VON VANDERGHAST has surely blasted onto the scene with the all encompassing frenzy of a blunderbuss and the absolute surgical precision of a bone slicing sword.

When his next record is ready, be sure to take cover.

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