When we first pressed play on “This Is Not a Tango” by 12 O’Clock Club, it immediately felt different. There’s no rush to impress, it just eases you into a groove that keeps unfolding. The bass is obviously the anchor here and it’s played with such confidence that everything else naturally falls into place.
What really surprised us was how the track doesn’t rely on one single element. The guitar lines are sharp but never overbearing, the horns slide in with style and the keys add a subtle glow underneath. It all feels alive, like musicians in a room pushing each other forward. That kind of energy is hard to fake.
The title might say it’s not a tango, but it’s definitely something that pulls you in with its movement. It’s layered and a little unpredictable but always smooth. You can hear the jazz influence, but it doesn’t get stuck in tradition, it’s more about creating a mood you can get lost in.
We left the track feeling like we’d just been part of a late-night jam session we didn’t want to end. It’s exciting to see where 12 O’Clock Club goes from here, and we’re already looking forward to more.
ABOUT THE BAND:
I’m Antonio Val, a London-based session bassist and band leader of 12 O’Clock Club, my contemporary jazz project built on groove, improvisation, and the stories we carry in real life. Alongside my own work, I’ve performed with artists including The Streets and Lily Allen, and appeared on stages ranging from intimate clubs to major festivals.
After a decade-long break from the music industry to focus on family life and thrill-seeking pursuits like skydiving and motor racing, I returned with a renewed sense of purpose. 12 O’Clock Club began as a remote studio experiment during a period of creative reawakening, working with an incredible cast of musicians including celebrated multi-instrumentalist Lewis Taylor, who plays guitar on the upcoming single “This is Not a Tango” (out August 2025).
The turning point came after a conversation with my current bass mentor Max Luthert (Nubya Garcia, Moses Boyd), who encouraged me to move from remote production to in-studio collaboration. That shift reignited my love of live performance and the magic of capturing music as it happens. These compositions are built from joy, contradictions, grief, even parking tickets.
Now the focus is on taking 12 O’Clock Club from the studio to the stage, festival-ready, locked in, and unpredictable in all the right ways. The music is alive, and so am I.
Follow 12 O’Clock Club:
YouTube – SoundCloud – Instagram – Website