Willie J Healey returns with his new EP 143, released today alongside a video for its title track, bringing together a collection of intimate recordings that showcase the singer-songwriter’s knack for combining warmth, groove and sharp-eyed lyricism.
The four-track EP draws from a number of recording sessions, with some songs recorded entirely by Healey at home on a four-track machine, while others were made in New York with producer Loren Humphrey, who previously worked with Healey on his acclaimed 2023 album Bunny.
Willie J Healy
Rather than overloading the songs with elaborate production, 143 embraces a more direct approach. Vintage textures and understated arrangements leave room for Healey’s distinctive songwriting, where observational details and romantic sentiment sit comfortably alongside his playful, offbeat worldview.
The EP’s title track takes its name from an old messaging code. Healey explains that a friend sent him “143” in a message, prompting him to discover that the numbers translate as “I love you” – a less overtly sentimental way of expressing affection that also carries a nostalgic connection to the pager era.
The song provides a fitting centrepiece for an EP that feels deliberately personal and unvarnished. Healey describes 143 as his own kind of mixtape, bringing together recordings from different periods and sessions and selecting the songs that feel like favourites rather than attempting to force them into a conventional studio album framework.
The approach also allows the character of the recordings to remain intact. The songs are largely free of unnecessary embellishment, with the emphasis placed firmly on the performances, melodies and lyrics. For Healey, that simplicity is part of the appeal, describing the collection as his “most Neil yet”.
The 143 EP follows Bunny, Healey’s 2023 album created with Humphrey in New York, and continues the singer-songwriter’s ability to move effortlessly between breezy, groove-led instrumentation and more reflective songwriting.
Across the four tracks, Healey’s distinctive voice and conversational writing remain at the forefront, capturing the sense of spontaneity that comes from bringing together home recordings and studio work. The result is a compact collection that feels more like a snapshot of the artist’s creative world than a meticulously polished statement.
With 143 now available, Healey also heads into a run of UK live dates throughout October, including shows in Coventry and Blackpool, an appearance at Glasgow’s Tenement Trail and a support date with Sea Power at Brighton’s Chalk, before appearing at Boia Festival in St Davids.
Upcoming UK Live Dates:
OCTOBER
8th – Coventry, Just Dropped In
9th – Blackpool, Bootleg Social
10th – Glasgow, Tenement Trail
22nd – Brighton, Chalk – supporting Sea Power
23rd – St Davids, Boia Festival
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