Wilma Archer's music is an ambitious, exquisitely arranged fusion of orchestral jazz, alternative R&B, and underground hip-hop, among other genres. The British producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist has collaborated extensively with artists including
Sudan Archives,
Nilüfer Yanya, and
George Maple, in addition to forming the left-field rap duo Wilma Vritra with producer/emcee
Vritra. Initially making more beat-oriented music under the moniker Slime, the artist released the more organic full-length
A Western Circular as
Wilma Archer in 2020.
Will Archer was born in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England, in 1991. He attended the London College of Communication, studying sound art and design.
Archer began making music under the name Slime around 2010, and additionally played live drums for the band
Vondelpark. His debut EP, Increases, appeared in 2011, followed by a second volume in 2012.
Archer co-wrote and co-produced the song "Something Inside" on
Jessie Ware's acclaimed 2012 debut,
Devotion, and remixed
Lianne La Havas' "Lost & Found." In 2014, he produced
George Maple's "Began to Say" and released the Slime mixtape In the Brick House. His full-length debut,
Company, which included appearances by
Maple as well as
Selah Sue and
Jeremiah Jae, was released by Domino's Weird World imprint in 2015.
In 2017,
Archer discontinued the name Slime and began working as
Wilma Archer. "Like a Hunger," a bubbling pop tune featuring
Amber Mark, was issued in 2017. Switching to an evocative, primarily acoustic jazz sound, he released the single "Scarecrow" in 2018. The following year,
Archer and Los Angeles-based experimental rapper and producer
Vritra (formerly known as
Pyramid Vritra, and an original member of
Odd Future) released Burd, the debut album by their Wilma Vritra project.
Archer also produced several songs on
Nilüfer Yanya's debut album,
Miss Universe, two tracks on
Sudan Archives'
Athena, and "Ugly Thoughts" from
Celeste's EP Lately.
Wilma Archer's full-length debut,
A Western Circular, arrived on Domino in 2020, featuring guest vocals by
Sudan Archives as well as
MF DOOM,
Future Islands'
Samuel T. Herring, and
Laura Groves. ~ Paul Simpson