wing! - MISSED IT JUST THE ONCE

wing!’s debut EP MISSED IT JUST THE ONCE is a ghostly instrumental hip hop project shaped by instinct, collaboration, and the constraints of a work lunch break - combining sample-based beat-making with live instrumentation. 

Emerging from a period of creative exploration and personal transformation, MISSED IT JUST THE ONCE marks a pivotal moment for wing!, the moniker of Bexleyheath born-and-raised producer Adam Swan. “This EP was a breath of fresh air for me,” he shares. “It was the first time I had multiple tracks I was proud of. The idea of having an EP to listen back to and be excited about was completely new to me.”

Each track on the EP tells its own story, both in sound and in the moments of its creation. The first single "Out From Outer" was the first track written for the EP, and its original skeleton was conceived during wing!’s lunch break from working in a coffee shop - a habit that has been the basis of all of the tracks on the EP. “I was listening to a lot of Brazilian funk and thinking about how J Dilla layered samples on Geek Down,” he recalls. “I wanted it to feel like a live DJ endlessly flipping samples over a drum loop.” 

The track served as the catalyst for the formation of wing!’s live band: after sending it to drummer Joe Killick, they had their first rehearsal and began transforming the music into a live experience, soon joined by bassist Kai Charlton. They made their debut at The Windmill Brixton in April 2024. As a trio playing live, they bridge the gap between beat-driven electronic & hip hop music and live jazz-inflected improvisation. Their blend of trip-hop textures with post-rock dynamics contributed to the EP’s final completion, with all three performing on the closing track.

Closing track In A Second I Will Need A Second’s post-rock inspired sound blends seamlessly with wing!’s more native hip-hop beatmaking. Drawing influence from the likes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Butch Kassidy, the track's energy is built around a drum crescendo of epic proportions. Initially hesitant to incorporate live drums over the usual sampling, wing! ultimately embraced the organic energy it brought to their live and recorded sound. The track’s momentum is driven by drummer Joe Killick’s subtle dynamic shifts. Kai Charlton brings deeply melodic bass, resulting in a piece that feels immense while remaining introspective.

The EP came hot off the back of opening Green Man Festival’s iconic Mountain Stage after winning the Green Man Rising competition.