![papaya noon - crybaby [Audio] @Firstwordrecords](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/y_TC0fY2PZk/maxresdefault.jpg)
Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw365
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Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #ContemporaryRampB
Album: through the moods [EP]
Track: 6 of 6
Title: crybaby
Artist: papaya noon
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW365
Formats: 12" Vinyl/Digital
Digital Release: 10th July 2026
Physical Release: 10th July 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to bring you the debut EP from papaya noon - ‘through the moods’.
papaya noon are a Cardiff-based duo comprised of vocalist Annie Mirza and multi-instrumentalist Greg Marriott.
Formed five years ago, they make jazz-infused R&B music that incorporates their mutual love of classic soul, hip hop & electronica.
The duo have already amassed an impressive fan-base online, garnering over 80,000 followers across their socials, and receiving praise from such luminaries in the US as Missy Elliot, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, 9th Wonder, Bootie Brown & the late great Fatman Scoop.
This is a result of their unique style, captivating grooves & deeply catchy hooks, encompassing a distinctive blend of soul music, from retrospective 90s vibes to alternative futuristic flavours, creating a sonic palette that’s wonderfully contemporary, yet very much their own.
All their music is written, performed & produced single-handedly by the duo themselves, who’ve managed to create a magically powerful potion from their plant-filled Cardiff studio space, and generated huge anticipation for their future output in-turn.
The future is NOW, as papaya noon are finally ready to unleash their music into the world.
‘through the moods’ is a 6-track EP of delicious alternative r&b vibes, already set to become future soul classics.
Sonically rooted in warm, textured instrumentation & layered harmonies, the duo have triumphantly built a huge soundscape that feels simultaneously nostalgic & futuristic. Smoky late-night ballads nestle alongside infectious uptempo jams, leaning into their jazzy boom-bap & neo-soul influences, whilst showcasing their phenomenal spread of talents as performers and songwriters both.
The duo explained that the EP navigates “neurodivergence, trauma & loss, with tenderness & honesty. Rather than presenting trauma as a spectacle, we’ve attempted to approach it with the softness and complexity that it merits”.
From the first single release ‘blush’, to the downtempo sweetness of ‘blindside’ or ‘morning light’, to the pacier ‘on your side’ & EP closer ‘crybaby’, each track on this project exemplifies their unbridled ability to produce deeply infectious earworms, whilst thematically encompassing unflinching lyricism that’s deeply personal.
Already hailed by some as “the Welsh Moonchild”, papaya noon were named as one of Clash Magazine’s “must-see” acts at FOCUS Wales in 2025, bringing their music to life on stage with their 5-piece live band, additionally performing at Brick Lane Jazz Festival, The Great Escape, Inglefest, Nowadaze, Swn Festival & Good Vibrations Society, as well as NXNe and BreakOut West in Canada, and supporting the likes of Hot 8 Brass Band & Reel People.
With everything already pointing to the duo swiftly becoming one of the hottest new soul acts in Britain, this is only the beginning of the journey for papaya noon…
‘through the moods’ will be released on vinyl & all digital platforms on Fri 10th July.
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw365
Subscribe: https://sb.kud.li/UC_iUEtWIfatGspcK52G3Gug
Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
More music playlists: https://pl.kud.li/UC_iUEtWIfatGspcK52G3Gug
#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #ContemporaryRampB
Album: through the moods [EP]
Track: 6 of 6
Title: crybaby
Artist: papaya noon
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW365
Formats: 12" Vinyl/Digital
Digital Release: 10th July 2026
Physical Release: 10th July 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to bring you the debut EP from papaya noon - ‘through the moods’.
papaya noon are a Cardiff-based duo comprised of vocalist Annie Mirza and multi-instrumentalist Greg Marriott.
Formed five years ago, they make jazz-infused R&B music that incorporates their mutual love of classic soul, hip hop & electronica.
The duo have already amassed an impressive fan-base online, garnering over 80,000 followers across their socials, and receiving praise from such luminaries in the US as Missy Elliot, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, 9th Wonder, Bootie Brown & the late great Fatman Scoop.
This is a result of their unique style, captivating grooves & deeply catchy hooks, encompassing a distinctive blend of soul music, from retrospective 90s vibes to alternative futuristic flavours, creating a sonic palette that’s wonderfully contemporary, yet very much their own.
All their music is written, performed & produced single-handedly by the duo themselves, who’ve managed to create a magically powerful potion from their plant-filled Cardiff studio space, and generated huge anticipation for their future output in-turn.
The future is NOW, as papaya noon are finally ready to unleash their music into the world.
‘through the moods’ is a 6-track EP of delicious alternative r&b vibes, already set to become future soul classics.
Sonically rooted in warm, textured instrumentation & layered harmonies, the duo have triumphantly built a huge soundscape that feels simultaneously nostalgic & futuristic. Smoky late-night ballads nestle alongside infectious uptempo jams, leaning into their jazzy boom-bap & neo-soul influences, whilst showcasing their phenomenal spread of talents as performers and songwriters both.
The duo explained that the EP navigates “neurodivergence, trauma & loss, with tenderness & honesty. Rather than presenting trauma as a spectacle, we’ve attempted to approach it with the softness and complexity that it merits”.
From the first single release ‘blush’, to the downtempo sweetness of ‘blindside’ or ‘morning light’, to the pacier ‘on your side’ & EP closer ‘crybaby’, each track on this project exemplifies their unbridled ability to produce deeply infectious earworms, whilst thematically encompassing unflinching lyricism that’s deeply personal.
Already hailed by some as “the Welsh Moonchild”, papaya noon were named as one of Clash Magazine’s “must-see” acts at FOCUS Wales in 2025, bringing their music to life on stage with their 5-piece live band, additionally performing at Brick Lane Jazz Festival, The Great Escape, Inglefest, Nowadaze, Swn Festival & Good Vibrations Society, as well as NXNe and BreakOut West in Canada, and supporting the likes of Hot 8 Brass Band & Reel People.
With everything already pointing to the duo swiftly becoming one of the hottest new soul acts in Britain, this is only the beginning of the journey for papaya noon…
‘through the moods’ will be released on vinyl & all digital platforms on Fri 10th July.
![papaya noon - crybaby [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/y_TC0fY2PZk/mqdefault.jpg "papaya noon - crybaby [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw365
Subscribe: https://sb.kud.li/UC_iUEtWIfatGspcK52G3Gug
Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
More music playlists: https://pl.kud.li/UC_iUEtWIfatGspcK52G3Gug
#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #ContemporaryRampB
Album: through the moods [EP]
Track: 6 of 6
Title: crybaby
Artist: papaya noon
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW365
Formats: 12 Vinyl/Digital
Digital Release: 10th July 2026
Physical Release: 10th July 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to bring you the debut EP from papaya noon - ‘through the moods’.
papaya noon are a Cardiff-based duo comprised of vocalist Annie Mirza and multi-instrumentalist Greg Marriott.
Formed five years ago, they make jazz-infused R&B music that incorporates their mutual love of classic soul, hip hop & electronica.
The duo have already amassed an impressive fan-base online, garnering over 80,000 followers across their socials, and receiving praise from such luminaries in the US as Missy Elliot, Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, 9th Wonder, Bootie Brown & the late great Fatman Scoop.
This is a result of their unique style, captivating grooves & deeply catchy hooks, encompassing a distinctive blend of soul music, from retrospective 90s vibes to alternative futuristic flavours, creating a sonic palette that’s wonderfully contemporary, yet very much their own.
All their music is written, performed & produced single-handedly by the duo themselves, who’ve managed to create a magically powerful potion from their plant-filled Cardiff studio space, and generated huge anticipation for their future output in-turn.
The future is NOW, as papaya noon are finally ready to unleash their music into the world.
‘through the moods’ is a 6-track EP of delicious alternative r&b vibes, already set to become future soul classics.
Sonically rooted in warm, textured instrumentation & layered harmonies, the duo have triumphantly built a huge soundscape that feels simultaneously nostalgic & futuristic. Smoky late-night ballads nestle alongside infectious uptempo jams, leaning into their jazzy boom-bap & neo-soul influences, whilst showcasing their phenomenal spread of talents as performers and songwriters both.
The duo explained that the EP navigates “neurodivergence, trauma & loss, with tenderness & honesty. Rather than presenting trauma as a spectacle, we’ve attempted to approach it with the softness and complexity that it merits”.
From the first single release ‘blush’, to the downtempo sweetness of ‘blindside’ or ‘morning light’, to the pacier ‘on your side’ & EP closer ‘crybaby’, each track on this project exemplifies their unbridled ability to produce deeply infectious earworms, whilst thematically encompassing unflinching lyricism that’s deeply personal.
Already hailed by some as “the Welsh Moonchild”, papaya noon were named as one of Clash Magazine’s “must-see” acts at FOCUS Wales in 2025, bringing their music to life on stage with their 5-piece live band, additionally performing at Brick Lane Jazz Festival, The Great Escape, Inglefest, Nowadaze, Swn Festival & Good Vibrations Society, as well as NXNe and BreakOut West in Canada, and supporting the likes of Hot 8 Brass Band & Reel People.
With everything already pointing to the duo swiftly becoming one of the hottest new soul acts in Britain, this is only the beginning of the journey for papaya noon…
‘through the moods’ will be released on vinyl & all digital platforms on Fri 10th July.")
![Victoria Port - Barefoot In The Garden [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zDTrEiQWjpM/mqdefault.jpg "Victoria Port - Barefoot In The Garden [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw343
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Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
More music playlists: https://pl.kud.li/UC_iUEtWIfatGspcK52G3Gug
#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #Soul
Album: Barefoot In The Garden [EP]
Track: 5 of 5
Title: Barefoot In The Garden
Artist: Victoria Port
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW343
Formats: 12 Vinyl/Digital
Digital Release: 7th November 2025
Physical Release: 7th November 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to present the sophomore solo EP from Victoria Port.
Barefoot In The Garden is a 5-track selection merging classic soul with contemporary sounds.
Put together from sessions recorded at the world famous Abbey Road Studios in London, and Victorias home studio Candle Shop, this project exemplifies her talents as a singer-songwriter, developing upon the building blocks of her debut EP Did it Again and Victorias work as one half of electronic-soul duo, Anushka (BBE / Tru Thoughts / Brownswood).
On this EP, Victoria is accompanied by a wealth of talented artists in their own right, including frequent collaborators Hemai and JNR Williams, the highly-acclaimed drummer Moses Boyd, and vocalists such as Lea Lea, to name just a few.
The sonic tapestry stitched together on this EP epitomises the quality of British soul music of modern times; a vintage symphonic feel approach with modern-day production techniques, encompassing the Ronson-era of the late great Amy Winehouse, to the pack leaders of nowadays such as SAULT and Jungle. Its a logical progression considering Victorias lifelong influences of US luminaries like Minnie Riperton, Gladys Knight, Nina Simone and Dionne Warwick.
Her fanbase includes Gilles Peterson (BBC 6 Music / Worldwide FM) who has tipped her as an exciting emerging new artist whose sound fits alongside current successful acts like Cleo Sol, Lynda Dawn and Yazmin Lacey.
Victorias previous EP had support from a wide range of tastemakers, including Cerys Matthews, Huey Morgan, Somewhere Soul, Mo Ayoub (Selector Radio), Ronnie Herel (Mi-Soul Radios One to Watch), Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM) and across platforms like Rinse FM, NTS, Soho Radio and Global Soul, whilst her work with Anushka also received airplay from Annie Mac, Jamz Supernova, Huw Stephens and BBC Radio 1.
Victoria says this EP comes from a place of nostalgia. Its kind of reflective of parts of life up to this moment, culminating in Barefoot in the Garden. I guess its me starting to understand the things that are truly important to me. How I want to love and be loved, the way I want to spend my time, and just me starting to filter out a lot of the noise. Sonically its been such a dream to explore elements of old soul and jazz with so many incredible musicians, and to put our own unique spin on the genre.
Already a seasoned live perfomer, additionally to various live appearances solo past & forthcoming including We Out Here, Jazz Cafe, Koko and the London Jazz Festival, Victoria Port is set to be one of the leading lights in the world of British soul music. This EP provides some solid examples as to why.
Barefoot In The Garden is due to be released on vinyl and digital, November 7th 2025.")
![Werkha & Ríoghnach Connolly - Everyday [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zEAXVc6FEYI/mqdefault.jpg "Werkha & Ríoghnach Connolly - Everyday [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw339
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Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
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#FirstWordRecords #ElectronicaDance #Electronic
Album: Everyday [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 1
Title: Everyday
Artist: Werkha & Ríoghnach Connolly
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW339
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 22nd May 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records is very proud to bring you new music from Werkha, featuring the vocals of Ríoghnach Connolly on Everyday.
This is the second track taken to be taken from Werkhas third full-length solo project, to be released in late 2025, following on from instrumental cut S-Bend which received airplay from Gilles Peterson (Worldwide FM) and Don Letts (BBC 6 Music), amongst others.
——
Everyday illustrates Werkhas unique ability to build a tapestry of organic and electronic sounds. A glorious piano riff, twinkling synths, and live bass glide across an almost footwork-esque skippy percussive rhythm track, all accompanied by luscious flute, vocals and harmonies performed by the absolute powerhouse that is Ríoghnach Connolly.
Vocalist / lyricist / flautist Ríognach was named BBC Radio 2s Folk Singer of the year twice, and RTÉs Best Folk Singer in 2025. Based in Manchester, she is also a member of several bands, including Honeyfeet (Wah Wah 45s) and folk duo The Breath, signed to Peter Gabriels Real World Records. With a wildly eclectic palette, her style weaves between traditional Irish influences to jazz and soul, which has seen her grace stages across the globe.
——
Werkha explains that Everyday started as an idea quite a few years ago. I was curiously trying to catch a mood of melancholy in the original piano part.
I love sitting down with an instrument and an image in my mind. This particular one was about the idea of suspended movement. It was the image of hair in the wind being the only still thing, which prompted this idea.
Fast forward a few years and that theme of movement became relevant to this particular body of work. I explored the idea of a feature vocal on this track, not discounting my own vocal efforts (which will stay safely in my own mind and hardrive for now!)
Reaching out to Ríoghnach was something that felt like it made sense. Weve worked together in the context of music outreach here in Manchester, and Ive also remixed Honeyfeets cover of You Go To My Head.
The joy of working with Ríoghnach on this was in the way the mood of the song quite suddenly developed into one of hope...
——
Werkha (real name Tom Leah) is a multi-instrumentalist born in Rusholme, Manchester. Additionally to his own material, hes worked on releases with Quantic, A Certain Ratio, Marcos Valle, Eska, Chunky, Andrew Ashong and extensively with Keisha Thompson and Bryony Jarman-Pinto, to cite a few.
Hes played shows across the UK & Europe, touring with the likes of Bonobo, Chet Faker, Rebecca Vasmant and Mr Scruff, and gigs with Crazy P, GoGo Penguin, Todd Terje, Lefto and MCDE, as well as performing at legendary venues like The Roundhouse, The Jazz Café and Manchester Cathedral, and various festivals including Glastonbury, We Out Here, A Love Supreme and Latitude.
Previous support has come from a wide range of tastemakers such as Zakia, Jamz Supernova, Scratcha DVA, Mo Ayoub and Julie Adenuga.
Additionally to music making, Werkha has been working with a mental health arts charity in Stockport, as well as collaborating with Reform Radio to curate opportunites for upcoming Mancunian artists. As Werkha says, a commercial music entity doesnt exist without a grassroots industry to propagate it.
Hes also been creating and building another side-project, Saturama - a live audio-visual experience aimed at reconnecting to our rainforests in the UK, which has received support from organisations like Earth Percent, Plantlife, Manchester Museum, RSPB Haweswater and Kendal Mountain Festival.
Currently on a hiatus travelling South America, Werkha has an abundance of new material set to be unleashed into the ether; this single being the second drop from a deeply personal project exploring his own vulnerabilites, and his story of working though those.
Following on from previous releases on First Word (The Rigour EP from 2020, and the All Werk Is Play LP from 2022), this track is taken from Werkhas forthcoming album Unsung Irregular, which is scheduled for release in Autumn 2025.
Werkha is a thoughtful, conscientious artist, whose approach to creating is innovative, unique, ever-evolving and deeply groovy. Were very excited to present th...")
![Tall Black Guy - Mon Amie Detroit (7 Version) [feat. Ozay Moore] [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zZt1XY8Whk0/mqdefault.jpg "Tall Black Guy - Mon Amie Detroit (7 Version) [feat. Ozay Moore] [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw316
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Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
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#FirstWordRecords #RapHipHop #InstrumentalEastCoast
Album: 8 Miles to Moenart (10th Anniversary Edition) [ALBUM]
Track: 5 of 10
Title: Mon Amie Detroit (7 Version)
Artist: Tall Black Guy (feat. Ozay Moore)
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW316
Formats: Vinyl LP/Digital
Digital Release: 18th October 2024
Physical Release: 25th October 2024
About This Release:
First Word Records is very proud to bring you the 10th anniversary edition of Tall Black Guys debut LP 8 Miles to Moenart!
It includes two brand new jazz interpretations (From Home To Work, And Back and Running The Motor), recorded with a live band, as well as a new intro cut (Black Detroit), and an alternative mix of the single Mon Amie Detroit, previously only available on 7 vinyl.
The original vinyl LP release was a one-time limited edition pressing; this being the first time this project has been available on wax since then, and also includes entirely new artwork and photography.
From humble origins in Detroit, raised on a healthy diet of Motown, jazz and hip hop, Terrel Wallace (aka Tall Black Guy) has become a standard bearer for the hip hop beats scene. Through a steady stream of soulful productions filled with incredibly clever sample flips and deft production chops, he has won fans across the world, including Gilles Peterson, Benji B, Don Letts, Lefto, Tom Ravenscroft, Lord Finesse, Huey Morgan, Anthony Valadez and countless others, along with sessions for Boiler Room and more.
8 Miles To Moenart literally brought Tall Black Guy full circle, and proceeds to do so once again. Detroit was where he started making music, and its to his hometown he took inspiration for this debut album. Taking in low-slung hip hop, downtempo house and jazz-tinged street soul, its a record of rare focus. It encapsulated the musical heritage of Detroit, through the looking glass of Tall Black Guys own signature sound.
Follow up releases included his sophomore First Word album Lets Take A Trip (which also featured the likes of Masego, Daniel Crawford, Miles Bonny and Moonchild), and records on Ubiquity, Bastard Jazz and Street Corner Music, to name a few, along with a steady slew of limited self-released edits amd productions, most recently with his #7DayVaults series.
Hes worked with a number of formidable artists worldwide, including recent extensive work with Zo! (Little Brother), Ozay Moore, Deborah Bond and Dee Jackson (80s Babies), as well as collaborations with 14KT and First Word label-mate Allysha Joy, to name just a few. He is also an integral player for DJ Jazzy Jeffs infamous PLAYlist Retreat sessions, along with more First Word family, Kaidi Tatham and Eric Lau, as well as artists like James Poyser, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Questlove, and he was a core contributor to First Words Nothing Leaves The House series, along with Eric, Mr Thing and kidkanevil.
Tall Black Guy has firmly established himself to be one of the most influential producers working today.
Terrel says I made the bulk of this album back in Detroit around 2012/2013, before I relocated to the UK. Ive been back living and working in the States for a while now, and its great to look back on this project. But while its nice to reminisce, its important to look forwards, so I wanted to include something new here to represent my progression as an artist, so theres some new versions included, that I created with the help of some jazz musician friends of mine.
8 Miles to Moenart (10th Anniversary Edition) will be released on digital & vinyl on October 18th 2024.")
![Bastien Keb - Nightbus 3AM [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/za0RZn7UlUA/mqdefault.jpg "Bastien Keb - Nightbus 3AM [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw345
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #CrossoverJazz
Album: Ghouls [ALBUM]
Track: 6 of 19
Title: Nightbus 3AM
Artist: Bastien Keb
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW345
Formats: Vinyl LP/Digital
Digital Release: 14th November 2025
Physical Release: 14th November 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are very proud to bring you Ghouls, the 6th studio album from Bastien Keb.
Through the reflective and introspective multi-mood journey of its 19-tracks, this album spans psychedelic-chamber-funk, warped anti-ballads, cinematic instrumentals, Ethio-jazz & ethereal ambience.
Part soundtrack, part beat-tape, part memoir, this is a dreamlike soundscape sewn together from half-forgotten memories & late night breakdowns.
Entirely sample-free, this album is full to the brim with musical experimentation, with Kebs compulsion to make all the individual pieces of music independently; combining strings, harps, saxophones, theremins, clarinets, flutes and trumpets.
He signals to the fuzzy, nostalgic nebulous of mid 90s skate videos, as well as harking back to the scores & moods of movies like The French Connection, Taxi Driver, The Warriors and La Haine. There are whispers of sounds in the air from jazz clubs, street preachers & Turkish restaurants.
Keb describes the sonic experience of this album simply as this… Youre half awake, and half asleep, but youre warm…
For this 19-track opus, Keb is joined extensively by Malik Ameer Crumpler; a poet, composer, editor and professor based in Paris, whos been involved in numerous albums while writing for various forms of experimental media.
A multi-instrumentalist originally from the Midlands, Bastien Keb (aka Sebastian Jones) previously released his highly-acclaimed album 22.02.85 on First Word back in 2017; this new album being a very welcome return to the Worldwide Award-winning UK independent label.
His music has been widely supported across BBC Radio in the past by DJs including Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, Huw Stephens, Jamie Cullum, Lauren Laverne, Mary Anne Hobbs, Nemone and Tom Ravenscroft. This is in addition to glowing press reviews from the likes of Pitchfork, The Guardian and The Line Of Best Fit.
Hes built up a steady fanbase through his extensive catalogue over the years, with material for labels like Def Pressé, Gearbox, One-Handed Music and most recently for Shabaka Hutchings Native Rebel Recordings imprint, on a collaborative project with South Londons Confucius MC (Speakers Corner Quartet).
Keb concludes this record is for anyone feeling lost in a world that seems to have lost itself without knowing it. Its for the people who know that the world is missing the beauty of the lights in the distance, whilst being distracted by new shoes and flashy phones...
Ghouls is due to be released on vinyl & digital worldwide, November 14th 2025.")
