Oxford songwriter Willie J Healey has announced the release of his new EP 143, arriving on 4th September, alongside the release of its effortlessly charming lead single Ditch. The five-track collection follows the success of 2023’s acclaimed Bunny and arrives ahead of a run of UK festival appearances and intimate headline dates this autumn, further cementing Healey’s reputation as one of Britain’s most distinctive and quietly brilliant songwriters.
Willie J Healy
Opening the EP is Ditch, a groove-filled slice of hazy indie rock that perfectly captures Healey’s knack for combining vintage warmth with deeply personal storytelling. Built around loose, sun-soaked instrumentation and his unmistakably laid-back vocal delivery, the track feels both nostalgic and refreshingly immediate.
Speaking about the song, Healey says: “Ditch, sent from above. I just sat there with my arms open and it fell down to me. A gift from the tape lords, Loren Humphrey at the wheel, me in the passenger seat with the windows all the way down. It’s a feeler about old fashioned brains, Romeo and Juliet type situations, being young and scared.”
The new EP brings together recordings made in very different environments. Some tracks were captured entirely at Healey’s home on his beloved four-track recorder, while others were created alongside producer Loren Humphrey in New York, continuing the creative partnership established on Bunny.
Rather than seeking sonic perfection, Healey has embraced the contrasts between those recording sessions, allowing the songs to exist exactly as they were created. Reflecting on the project, he explains: “143 is a collection of recordings pulled from different recording sessions. Some were made entirely on my four-track at home and others were made with Loren Humphrey in New York. It feels good to me to make my own kind of mixtape.”
The EP’s title also carries a quietly sentimental meaning: “I called it 143 because my friend sent me a message using that code and it took me a while to figure out that it means ‘I love you’. I thought that was a nice way of not being too soppy.”
Originally popular during the pager era, “143” translates numerically to “I Love You,” an understated sentiment that mirrors the record’s understated charm. Healey describes the songs as intentionally uncomplicated, aiming to communicate directly without unnecessary embellishment. “The songs don’t have many bells and whistles—we wanted to get the message across as directly as possible.”
That stripped-back philosophy has long been central to Healey’s songwriting. Across his career, he has developed a sound that effortlessly blends classic rock, indie pop, psychedelic textures and soulful melodies into something entirely his own. His songs often feel deceptively simple, hiding intricate craftsmanship beneath relaxed grooves and conversational lyrics.
With 143, Healey appears to be embracing that instinct more fully than ever, creating what may be his most personal release to date while continuing to blur the line between polished studio production and homemade intimacy.
Following a busy summer that includes appearances at several UK festivals, Healey will take the new material on the road this October for a series of intimate live dates, offering audiences the chance to experience the songs in the close-knit settings they seem perfectly suited for.
Upcoming UK Live Dates:
JULY
25th – Truck Festival, Oxfordshire
OCTOBER
8th – Just Dropped In, Coventry
9th – Bootleg Social, Blackpool
10th – Tenement Trail, Glasgow
22nd – Chalk, Brighton (Supporting Sea Power)
23rd – Boia Festival, St Davids
Biffy Clyro Turn Up The Heat With A Triumphant Finsbury Park Spectacular
Share Thing