![Royce Wood Junior - Clean Up [Audio] @Firstwordrecords](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Sk16bzBuCE4/maxresdefault.jpg)
Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #ContemporaryRampB
Album: Clean Up [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 1
Title: Clean Up
Artist: Royce Wood Junior
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW333
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 25th April 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records is proud to bring you 'Clean Up', a new track from Royce Wood Junior.
Following on from last Summer's 'Go Get Your Money', this is the second release on the Worldwide Award-winning independent label from this incredibly-talented artist.
Royce Wood Junior is a musician, songwriter and record producer from London, currently based in Brighton. As a multi-instrumentalist, he's collaborated with a litany of brilliant artists such as Nao, Disclosure, Jessie Ware, Olivia Dean, Joy Crookes, Jamie Lidell, Jordan Rakei, Jamie Woon and Sohn. He's released two solo albums to date ('The Ashen Tang' in 2015, and 'No Two Blue Ticks' in 2021).
'Clean Up' is a short sweet adrenaline shot of double-time future funk, sonically sitting somewhere between the Minneapolis sounds of Prince, and the alternative R&B vibes of Tommy Richman. A deeply infectious blast of soulful synth pop, with a deliciously wonky hook.
Royce elaborates "the track is about struggling to have enough humility to be happy for a wildly successful friend, while you yourself are flailing around in irrelevance and insolvency.....but still funky."
Previous support for Royce's music has included Radio 1's Future Sounds, Annie Mac, Clara Amfo, Jo Whiley (BBC Radio 2), Mary Anne Hobbs, Jamz Supernova, Tom Robinson & Huw Stephens (BBC 6 Music), Zane Lowe and MistaJam. There have been sessions previously for the likes of Red Bull and press from Huck, Line of Best Fit, Clash, Aesthetica, & DIY magazine.
'Clean Up' is taken from a forthcoming EP to be unleashed into the world later in the Summer, and another example of Royce Wood Junior's unique talents, quirky production and exceptional songwriting.
Available on all digital platforms worldwide, April 25th 2025.
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw333
Subscribe: https://sb.kud.li/UC_iUEtWIfatGspcK52G3Gug
Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #ContemporaryRampB
Album: Clean Up [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 1
Title: Clean Up
Artist: Royce Wood Junior
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW333
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 25th April 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records is proud to bring you 'Clean Up', a new track from Royce Wood Junior.
Following on from last Summer's 'Go Get Your Money', this is the second release on the Worldwide Award-winning independent label from this incredibly-talented artist.
Royce Wood Junior is a musician, songwriter and record producer from London, currently based in Brighton. As a multi-instrumentalist, he's collaborated with a litany of brilliant artists such as Nao, Disclosure, Jessie Ware, Olivia Dean, Joy Crookes, Jamie Lidell, Jordan Rakei, Jamie Woon and Sohn. He's released two solo albums to date ('The Ashen Tang' in 2015, and 'No Two Blue Ticks' in 2021).
'Clean Up' is a short sweet adrenaline shot of double-time future funk, sonically sitting somewhere between the Minneapolis sounds of Prince, and the alternative R&B vibes of Tommy Richman. A deeply infectious blast of soulful synth pop, with a deliciously wonky hook.
Royce elaborates "the track is about struggling to have enough humility to be happy for a wildly successful friend, while you yourself are flailing around in irrelevance and insolvency.....but still funky."
Previous support for Royce's music has included Radio 1's Future Sounds, Annie Mac, Clara Amfo, Jo Whiley (BBC Radio 2), Mary Anne Hobbs, Jamz Supernova, Tom Robinson & Huw Stephens (BBC 6 Music), Zane Lowe and MistaJam. There have been sessions previously for the likes of Red Bull and press from Huck, Line of Best Fit, Clash, Aesthetica, & DIY magazine.
'Clean Up' is taken from a forthcoming EP to be unleashed into the world later in the Summer, and another example of Royce Wood Junior's unique talents, quirky production and exceptional songwriting.
Available on all digital platforms worldwide, April 25th 2025.
![Royce Wood Junior - Clean Up [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Sk16bzBuCE4/mqdefault.jpg "Royce Wood Junior - Clean Up [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw333
Subscribe: https://sb.kud.li/UC_iUEtWIfatGspcK52G3Gug
Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #ContemporaryRampB
Album: Clean Up [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 1
Title: Clean Up
Artist: Royce Wood Junior
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW333
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 25th April 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records is proud to bring you Clean Up, a new track from Royce Wood Junior.
Following on from last Summers Go Get Your Money, this is the second release on the Worldwide Award-winning independent label from this incredibly-talented artist.
Royce Wood Junior is a musician, songwriter and record producer from London, currently based in Brighton. As a multi-instrumentalist, hes collaborated with a litany of brilliant artists such as Nao, Disclosure, Jessie Ware, Olivia Dean, Joy Crookes, Jamie Lidell, Jordan Rakei, Jamie Woon and Sohn. Hes released two solo albums to date (The Ashen Tang in 2015, and No Two Blue Ticks in 2021).
Clean Up is a short sweet adrenaline shot of double-time future funk, sonically sitting somewhere between the Minneapolis sounds of Prince, and the alternative R&B vibes of Tommy Richman. A deeply infectious blast of soulful synth pop, with a deliciously wonky hook.
Royce elaborates the track is about struggling to have enough humility to be happy for a wildly successful friend, while you yourself are flailing around in irrelevance and insolvency.....but still funky.
Previous support for Royces music has included Radio 1s Future Sounds, Annie Mac, Clara Amfo, Jo Whiley (BBC Radio 2), Mary Anne Hobbs, Jamz Supernova, Tom Robinson & Huw Stephens (BBC 6 Music), Zane Lowe and MistaJam. There have been sessions previously for the likes of Red Bull and press from Huck, Line of Best Fit, Clash, Aesthetica, & DIY magazine.
Clean Up is taken from a forthcoming EP to be unleashed into the world later in the Summer, and another example of Royce Wood Juniors unique talents, quirky production and exceptional songwriting.
Available on all digital platforms worldwide, April 25th 2025.")
![Bastien Keb - Nighthawks [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/T7r1fG9CejI/mqdefault.jpg "Bastien Keb - Nighthawks [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw345
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Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #CrossoverJazz
Album: Ghouls [ALBUM]
Track: 2 of 19
Title: Nighthawks
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.")
![Kaidi Tatham - So Happy [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/T_J5ivSMplM/mqdefault.jpg "Kaidi Tatham - So Happy [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw317
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#FirstWordRecords #ElectronicaDance #BrokenBeat
Album: Miles Away [ALBUM]
Track: 3 of 10
Title: So Happy
Artist: Kaidi Tatham
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW317
Formats: Vinyl LP/Digital
Digital Release: 28th March 2025
Physical Release: 28th March 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are very proud to bring you a brand new album from the legendary Kaidi Tatham.
Miles Away is the sixth full-length solo project for the award-winning London-based independent label.
Comprised of 10 new tracks, performed entirely by the multi-instrumentalist himself once again, this is an array of forward-thinking eclectic electronic jazz. Rhodes, pianos, synths, strings, horns and flutes weave in & out atop of vibrant percussion and mind-bending drum patterns, forming a sound that is uniquely King Kaidi.
We begin with the delicate groove of Misty Garden, before the infectious synth-boogie of Sweet Cherry Punch. The almost-Quincy / EWF vibes of lead single So Happy follow, ahead of the mid-tempo stomp of Kanji. Silkie Bantam keeps the energy nice while picking up the BPM a touch, as we reach the half-time title track Miles Away, which also features Kaidi on vocals. Hipsteppin does what it says on the tin; another slice of infectious bruk-tinged jazz-boogie. Then its the return of frequent collaborator, the super-dope MC Uhmeer (aka Jazzy Jeffs son!) on the smooth soulful hip hop bounce of Wave. Hydration brings the funk; clavi keys and some weighty live bass accompany some truly knockin drums that switch in & out. The set closes with a real treat for the reggae steppers; Ku Deh is a short sweet touch of uplifting rock steady.
For those that dont know, Belfast-based Kaidi Tatham has been an innovative powerhouse in the world of British black music for decades. From his early days as one of the pioneers of the broken beat movement, to his recent prominence as a key-player for DJ Jazzy Jeffs PLAYlist project, he has inspired an array of artists and tastemakers across the globe, from Madlib to Gilles Peterson.
The list of artists hes worked and collaborated with reads like a fever dream - Amy Winehouse, Mulatu Astatke, Soul II Soul, Leroy Burgess, Nubya Garcia, Slum Village, Andrew Ashong, Marcos Valle and beyond. Additionally to a number of releases with 2000 Blacks Dego and The Herbaliser, hes also dropped records for Theo Parrishs Sound Signature and Alex Nuts Eglo Records, taking in a number of aliases along the way, including Agent K, Shokazulu, Blakai, Da One Away and Likwid Biskit - the latter two projects alongside IG Culture (New Sector Movements / LCSM). Hes also worked with fellow First Word label-mates like Children of Zeus, Allysha Joy, Darkhouse Family and Eric Lau.
As ever, this album is another truly diverse set from the Grammy-winning Kaidi Kyat, exuding quality and good vibes throughout, crossing genres and borders with intergalactic energy, taking us Miles Away.
Miles Away will be released 28th March 2025 on vinyl & digital.")
![Above The Clouds, kidkanevil & Magic Manfred - Arrow Root (feat. Mario quest Blue) [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UDax_ZULIUo/mqdefault.jpg "Above The Clouds, kidkanevil & Magic Manfred - Arrow Root (feat. Mario quest Blue) [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #RapHipHop #InstrumentalEastCoast
Album: Arrow Root [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 2
Title: Arrow Root
Artist: Above The Clouds, kidkanevil & Magic Manfred (feat. Mario quest Blue)
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW335
Formats: 7 Vinyl/Digital
Digital Release: 12th June 2025
Physical Release: 20th June 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to present the debut single from Above The Clouds (aka kidkanevil & Magic Manfred) with their instrumental take on an MF DOOM classic, Arrow Root
One of the original First Word roster, UK Producer/DJ and all-round laptop music geek kidkanevil has developed a distinctive and progressive sound over the years, gleefully exploring the beats and bleeps of the electronic music universe to international recognition. Leeds born, sound system bred and raised on a (un)healthy diet of video games and anime, his solo work inhabits the curious space between bass frequencies and otaku culture. But as a devoted teenage backpack rap nerd, somewhere in the back of kids mind was a lingering desire to reconnect with his first love, hip hop.
Not long after moving to Berlin he joined a studio space in graffiti plastered Kreuzberg, where he met multi instrumentalist wizard Magic Manfred; a disciple of all things boogie, disco, funk and soul. Born and raised in Berlin, and currently a touring musician for many an act, Manfreds musical map joins the dots from piano lessons at four, to starting a band with his teenage friends, leading him to his true calling - the bass - via the club vibrations of his hometown, which introduced him to the world of DJing and production, and a stint studying in the explosive London jazz scene to finalise his Jedi training.
Bonding over their mutual love of 90s hip hop, a friendship and musical kinship developed, coupled with a desire to honour past eras but push things forward, Above The Clouds was born; named after their joint favourite DJ Premier beat, with a touch of irony regarding their basement based studio of a windowless variety.
kidkanevil explains We did a number of covers to sort of get warmed up and in the pocket, of which Arrow Root was one. I actually interviewed DOOM once, mask and all, and I always regretted I forgot to ask him about the original sample. Its been one of my favourite DOOM beats forever and it came up in conversation one day, then manifested pretty quickly into a session. It came together with relative ease and quickness, which is usually a good sign. Manfred worked out the chords and I remade the drums in about the same time frame. Mario is an exceptional saxophone player based in Berlin, so a few text messages later she came by the studio and nailed the entire thing on her first take. And that was that, our humble tribute to the supervillain!
This one is backed up on the flip side with Tram Delay Beat; a low slung neck-snapper teasing more of whats to come.
This is the first single from the duo, with a long player now in the works…
Above the crowds, above the clouds, where the sounds are original, infinite skills create miracles…
Arrow Root is available on digital & 7 vinyl worldwide on June 12th 2025.")
![Georgie Sweet - Maybe In A Different Life [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UcpTABOdtHI/mqdefault.jpg "Georgie Sweet - Maybe In A Different Life [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #Soul
Album: I Swear To You [ALBUM]
Track: 6 of 12
Title: Maybe In A Different Life
Artist: Georgie Sweet
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW328
Formats: Vinyl LP/Digital
Digital Release: 20th June 2025
Physical Release: 27th June 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are incredibly proud to bring you I Swear To You; the stunning sophomore album from Georgie Sweet.
Georgie is a singer / songwriter currently based in Brighton, with a uniquely smooth, soulful vocal tone.
Whilst working on her debut record (Misunderstood), Georgie began a songwriting partnership with multi-instrumentalist Marc Rapson, who is on the boards throughout this project. The duo discovered a natural musical connection instantly, and began working on an abundance of beautiful new material shortly after the release of the first album; writing and creating at Rapsons home in Hertfordshire at various sessions from 2021 onwards, culminating in this new 12-track album, I Swear To You.
Despite being one of the UKs best kept secrets, Georgies already been pricking the ears of some highly-respected selectors. The first single from this record (Smaller / All That We Were) received love from tastemakers such as BBC 6 Musics Gilles Peterson (this one melts), Jazz FMs Tony Minvielle (supremely talented) and Clash Magazine (exudes soulful grace), whilst previous material found itself in the crates of legendary luminaries like DJ Jazzy Jeff & DJ Spinna amongst others.
At the end of 2024, Georgie signed to Worldwide Award-winning independent London-based label, First Word Records; although she previously featured before on the label, via the title track of the highly-acclaimed 2021 sophomore album by Children of Zeus, Balance, along with Akemi Fox. Prior to this her debut album Misunderstood dropped back in 2020 on Futuristica Music; an independent imprint run by Deborah Jordan & Simon S, on which Georgie also collaborated with acclaimed producers like K15 and Mecca:83.
An all-round creative soul, away from creating music, Georgie also works as an illustrator and animator. However, her lifelong love of music is unquestionable. Shes been a vocalist from a young age, initially working with her musical parents (a producer and professional singer respectively).
With a hugely diverse set of inspirations ranging from Stevie Wonder to Michael McDonald, Hiatus Kaiyote to Chappell Roan, Mac Miller to Sampha, and George Duke to EW&F, Georgies respect, love and admiration for a wide range of music is clear; from jazz to soul to pop to hip hop.
Her own sound sits within the realm of glo-fi alternative r&b. From powerful piano-led ballads, to head-nod boom bap backdrops, this album exemplifies Georgies eclectic influences and unique talents as a writer and a vocalist, which are growing exponentially. A tapestry of sound that developed whilst Sweet and Rapson moved from the beat-driven vibes of Georgies earlier work, to finding themselves gravitating more and more to the simplicity of the piano and the voice.
Its this shift in styles that encapsulates the sonic and spiritual feel of the entire project, born out of a warm, creative environment, and full to the brim with heart and soul. I Swear To You is a deeply personal reflection on youth, grief and self-acceptance. An homage to childhood, and the transition into adulthood, exploring the range of experiences and emotions that come with that.
The album cover mirrors the essence of the record; a photo of a hopeful, younger version of Georgie, filled with optimism and joy. Despite the emotional highs and lows expressed throughout the songs, the overarching message remains one of hope; encouraging listeners to keep looking toward the future, to never give up, and to hold onto that youthful sense of possibility.
From the ethereal acapella opening of The Ones We Loved, through to the irresistible jazz-hop bounce of tracks like As I Am, Smaller and In My Stride, to the midtempo soulful bop of Equal Measure and previously-released Energy, to epic ballads like Bedsheets and first single All That We Were, to the more melancholy tones of Patricia and Maybe in a Different Life, to the almost-gospel flavoured closing title track, this is a truly accomplished and timeless piece of work from edge to edge.
I Swear To You is released on vinyl and digital worldwide, Friday June 20th 2025.")
![Bastien Keb - Moonlight [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VQSp6hONv6c/mqdefault.jpg "Bastien Keb - Moonlight [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #CrossoverJazz
Album: Ghouls [ALBUM]
Track: 17 of 19
Title: Moonlight
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.")
![papaya noon - on your side [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VeMpsrssqf8/mqdefault.jpg "papaya noon - on your side [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #ContemporaryRampB
Album: through the moods [EP]
Track: 2 of 6
Title: on your side
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.")
![Royce Wood Junior - Things [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vg8QGwz8bZc/mqdefault.jpg "Royce Wood Junior - Things [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #Soul
Album: Penny Ballads [EP]
Track: 4 of 5
Title: Things
Artist: Royce Wood Junior
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW344DD
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 21st November 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to bring you Penny Ballads, a 5-track EP from Royce Wood Junior.
Royce Wood Junior is a Grammy & Mercury Award-nominated musician, songwriter and record producer from London, currently based in Brighton. As a multi-instrumentalist, hes collaborated with a litany of brilliant artists over the years, such as Jamie Woon, Nao, Disclosure, Jessie Ware, Olivia Dean, Joy Crookes, Jamie Lidell and Jordan Rakei, additionally to touring with the likes of the legendary Thomas Dolby. Hes released two acclaimed solo albums to date (The Ashen Tang in 2015, and No Two Blue Ticks in 2021).
Penny Ballads demonstrates RWJs varied talents, with a collection of alternative soul compositions, each one as unique as the next. It includes the first two singles, the Poplife-Prince era flavoured Go Get Your Money, and the double-time future funk adrenaline shot, Clean Up, along with three previously-unreleased tracks. Beretta is low-slung soul funk, beginning with quirky squelchy synths, before the soulful lead vocal of feature artist Lucey Way breezes in to melt everyones hearts. Things sweeps in next, an infectiously soulful midtempo heavy soul bop, with an instant earwork of a hook, like a modern-day Steely Dan / Doobie Brothers, complete with a head-nodding string section to end the track. The collection concludes on a more melancholy downtempo tip with Rolling; an almost-folktronic anthem, with a key refrain that wouldnt be out of place on a 70s Stevie piece.
RWJ (aka Jim Wood) says of this project… Back in the 17 and 1800s Troubadours and minstrels would go from Tavern to Tavern selling Penny Ballads, single sheets of music and lyrics written quickly and frivolously to make a quick buck.. It strikes me that were in a similar phase in the way we value music in 2025. An old Penny Ballad was cheap and dog-eared, ink-smudged, sung aloud by firelight, Now songs live in the digital ether, dissolved in the air, a ghostly breath paid in micro cents. The new era of Penny Balladry is here, and weird.
This EP is a snapshot of my writing over a two year period. Focussed on minimal recording styles, one mic on the drums, generally first or second takes on parts and vocals, I wanted the music to feel like small moments with lyrics that talk about the weird nuances of being alive as a latter stage human on the cusp of the Ai revolution. Culturally so evolved, but physiologically still just a bunch of mammals walking about with primitive fears and needs. Just trying to reconcile it all moment to moment…
Previous support for Royces music has included Radio 1s Future Sounds, BBC 6 Musics New Music Fix, Annie Mac, Clara Amfo, Jo Whiley (BBC Radio 2), Mary Anne Hobbs, Jamz Supernova, Tom Robinson, Huw Stephens (BBC 6 Music), Zane Lowe and MistaJam. There have been sessions previously for the likes of Red Bull and press from Huck, Line of Best Fit, Clash, Aesthetica & DIY magazine.
Entirely self-written and self-produced, this EP gives a solid taste of RWJs talents. A deeply funky diverse set of music from an immensely talented individual.
Penny Ballads is due to be released on vinyl & digital, 24th October 2025.
The vinyl version also includes an exclusive additional mix of the first single Go Get Your Money.")
![Black Sumo & Black Sumo - Rehearsal [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WabrIt-ExII/mqdefault.jpg "Black Sumo & Black Sumo - Rehearsal [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #RapHipHop #InstrumentalEastCoast
Album: Clarity [ALBUM]
Track: 2 of 12
Title: Rehearsal
Artist: Black Sumo & Black Sumo
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW368
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 8th May 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records is proud to bring you Clarity, a new 12-track beat-tape from Black Sumo.
Black Sumo is the instrumental-hip hop alias of KRTS aka Kurtis Hairston; an artist raised in Pittsburgh, USA, traversing to Brooklyn, NY, and currently residing in Berlin, Germany.
In the early period of the pandemic, during a walk & talk with a Covid-meter of distance between each other, KRTS strolled the empty streets of Berlin with a friend. The details of the discussion are a blur, but the statement yo, that is as rare as a black sumo wrestler is recalled. They laughed & continued their walk. KRTS began reflecting on those words. Black Sumo… That could be an artist name… But, what kind of music?…. His friend agreed & quickly confidently replied definitely hip hop beats.
So was born the moniker & the concept. It began as a homage to the instrumental beat tapes hed make in his dark & musty basement in Pennsylvania at the turn of the century. Raw & gritty, they combined jazzy lo-fi boom bap, reminiscent of early 90s East Coast & Bay Area sounds, with added flares of dramatic layered melodies, and a hint of Shoegaze-esque walls of reverb.
Sonically Clarity embodies a conglomerate of those aural textures across its 12 tracks; from filtered ethereal ambience, to headnod hip hop. It includes the recent singles Silent Stones and Rehearsal.
2020 saw the first fruits of this project enter the world, on the self-released beat tape The Defeatist, or as Kurtis put it at the time the journey of becoming whole again.
He further explains what I did find as far as Clarity during the making of these tracks is how much of an immigrant I really am. I think it really became clear during the BLM marches in Berlin….
A number of tracks were created during the bleak Berlin Winter all the way into Spring; the clarity here being what appears in Spring that Winter was hiding.
The Black Sumo project was effectively put to bed at this point, only to have tracks revisited very recently, five years on, as a new form of Clarity for the feeling of these compositions came to light. A better understanding of the period, and an acceptance & embrace of the art that was created.
And so, it was felt the time was now right to release this material, now revised & revisited with a clearer state of mind. With Clarity…
Clarity is available May 8th on all digital platforms, with a limited cassette version available exclusively on Bandcamp.")
![Bastien Keb - The City Is Beautiful (feat. Malik Ameer Crumpler & Mark Millington) [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Wp_2hn_i94M/mqdefault.jpg "Bastien Keb - The City Is Beautiful (feat. Malik Ameer Crumpler & Mark Millington) [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #CrossoverJazz
Album: Nighthawks / The City Is Beautiful [SINGLE]
Track: 2 of 2
Title: The City Is Beautiful
Artist: Bastien Keb (feat. Malik Ameer Crumpler & Mark Millington)
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW352
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 1st October 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to bring you the first double AA side single taken from Ghouls; the forthcoming 6th album by Bastien Keb.
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 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 explains that Nighthawks is the post-prologue to this new album. Its like a late-night bus ride through the city. The fluorescent lights bouncing off the sparsely-populated streets, all cosy and magical. Sonically its like a re-imagining of the opening credits of The Warriors.
This single is backed with another album track, The City is Beautiful featuring Malik Ameer Crumpler on vocals and Kebs cousin Mark Millington on sax. This one is an epic slice of jazzy-spoken word, reminiscent of Bernard Herrmanns Taxi Driver score, giving another flavour of the diversity and mood of the full forthcoming project.
Malik Ameer Crumpler appears extensively across the album; Malik is a poet, composer, editor and professor whos been involved in numerous albums while writing for various forms of experimental media. Originally hailing from Oakland, California, Crumpler relocated to Harlem, NYC then Paris, France where hes been based for the last decade, publishing, performing poetry, teaching and lecturing at several Universities.
Through the reflective and introspective multi-mood journey of its 19-tracks, Ghouls spanspsychedelic-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 and La Haine. There there are whispers of sounds in the air from jazz clubs, street preachers & Turkish restaurants.
Keb describes the sonic experience of this forthcoming album simply as this… Youre half awake, and half asleep, but youre warm…
Cover photo by Jonathan Finlayson.
Nighthawks / The City is Beautiful will be released digitally worldwide on Weds Oct 1st, with the album Ghouls due to drop on vinyl & digital, November 14th 2025.")
![Georgie Sweet - As I Am [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/X-ph_ReHl4Y/mqdefault.jpg "Georgie Sweet - As I Am [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #Soul
Album: I Swear To You [ALBUM]
Track: 7 of 12
Title: As I Am
Artist: Georgie Sweet
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW328
Formats: Vinyl LP/Digital
Digital Release: 20th June 2025
Physical Release: 27th June 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are incredibly proud to bring you I Swear To You; the stunning sophomore album from Georgie Sweet.
Georgie is a singer / songwriter currently based in Brighton, with a uniquely smooth, soulful vocal tone.
Whilst working on her debut record (Misunderstood), Georgie began a songwriting partnership with multi-instrumentalist Marc Rapson, who is on the boards throughout this project. The duo discovered a natural musical connection instantly, and began working on an abundance of beautiful new material shortly after the release of the first album; writing and creating at Rapsons home in Hertfordshire at various sessions from 2021 onwards, culminating in this new 12-track album, I Swear To You.
Despite being one of the UKs best kept secrets, Georgies already been pricking the ears of some highly-respected selectors. The first single from this record (Smaller / All That We Were) received love from tastemakers such as BBC 6 Musics Gilles Peterson (this one melts), Jazz FMs Tony Minvielle (supremely talented) and Clash Magazine (exudes soulful grace), whilst previous material found itself in the crates of legendary luminaries like DJ Jazzy Jeff & DJ Spinna amongst others.
At the end of 2024, Georgie signed to Worldwide Award-winning independent London-based label, First Word Records; although she previously featured before on the label, via the title track of the highly-acclaimed 2021 sophomore album by Children of Zeus, Balance, along with Akemi Fox. Prior to this her debut album Misunderstood dropped back in 2020 on Futuristica Music; an independent imprint run by Deborah Jordan & Simon S, on which Georgie also collaborated with acclaimed producers like K15 and Mecca:83.
An all-round creative soul, away from creating music, Georgie also works as an illustrator and animator. However, her lifelong love of music is unquestionable. Shes been a vocalist from a young age, initially working with her musical parents (a producer and professional singer respectively).
With a hugely diverse set of inspirations ranging from Stevie Wonder to Michael McDonald, Hiatus Kaiyote to Chappell Roan, Mac Miller to Sampha, and George Duke to EW&F, Georgies respect, love and admiration for a wide range of music is clear; from jazz to soul to pop to hip hop.
Her own sound sits within the realm of glo-fi alternative r&b. From powerful piano-led ballads, to head-nod boom bap backdrops, this album exemplifies Georgies eclectic influences and unique talents as a writer and a vocalist, which are growing exponentially. A tapestry of sound that developed whilst Sweet and Rapson moved from the beat-driven vibes of Georgies earlier work, to finding themselves gravitating more and more to the simplicity of the piano and the voice.
Its this shift in styles that encapsulates the sonic and spiritual feel of the entire project, born out of a warm, creative environment, and full to the brim with heart and soul. I Swear To You is a deeply personal reflection on youth, grief and self-acceptance. An homage to childhood, and the transition into adulthood, exploring the range of experiences and emotions that come with that.
The album cover mirrors the essence of the record; a photo of a hopeful, younger version of Georgie, filled with optimism and joy. Despite the emotional highs and lows expressed throughout the songs, the overarching message remains one of hope; encouraging listeners to keep looking toward the future, to never give up, and to hold onto that youthful sense of possibility.
From the ethereal acapella opening of The Ones We Loved, through to the irresistible jazz-hop bounce of tracks like As I Am, Smaller and In My Stride, to the midtempo soulful bop of Equal Measure and previously-released Energy, to epic ballads like Bedsheets and first single All That We Were, to the more melancholy tones of Patricia and Maybe in a Different Life, to the almost-gospel flavoured closing title track, this is a truly accomplished and timeless piece of work from edge to edge.
I Swear To You is released on vinyl and digital worldwide, Friday June 20th 2025.")
![Georgie Sweet - The Ones We Loved (Last Nubian Remix) [feat. Last Nubian] [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XSmLHh3Z-H8/mqdefault.jpg "Georgie Sweet - The Ones We Loved (Last Nubian Remix) [feat. Last Nubian] [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #ContemporaryRampB
Album: I Swear To You: The Remixes [EP]
Track: 4 of 5
Title: The Ones We Loved (Last Nubian Remix)
Artist: Georgie Sweet (feat. Last Nubian)
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW362
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 1st May 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to present ‘I Swear To You: The Remixes’ by Georgie Sweet.
This is a 5-track EP consisting of new versions of tracks that originally appeared on the Brighton-based singer-songwriter’s soulful sophomore album ‘I Swear To You’, released Summer 2025, produced & co-written by Marc Rapson.
Covering a wide spread of genres, these mixes include versions from a varied selection of producers at the top of their game right now; Children of Zeus, Kaidi Tatham, Don Leisure, Last Nubian & Nu:Tone.
The original album received an abundance of love & praise from the likes of the legendary Jimmy Jam, Gilles Peterson (including a live Worldwide FM session), Lauren Laverne (BBC 6 Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), Tony Minvielle & Simon Phillips (Jazz FM), Patrick Forge (NTS), Kev Beadle (Totally Wired), Clash Magazine, Somewhere Soul, Assorted Tapes (USA), Bandcamp (‘Albums of the Year’) and many more, across Rinse FM, Soho Radio and beyond.
The EP kicks off with the remix of ‘Energy’, courtesy of label-mates and Mancunian hip hop-soul kings, Children of Zeus. This follows on from a previous collaboration between the artists, as Georgie’s first appearance on the First Word label was her feature on the title track of the duo’s last album ‘Balance’, back in 2021. For this new version, Konny Kon and Tyler Daley flip the track in their trademark bass-weighted style of alternative R&B, with Tyler also providing additional vocals to the piece.
Next up, Cardiff beatmaker Don Leisure steps up with his flip of ‘Equal Measure’. Long-time First Word family, both with his solo projects (the acclaimed ‘Shaboo’ series and the ‘Halal Cool J’ beat tape), and as half of Darkhouse Family with Earl Jeffers. Last year, Don Leisure won the Welsh Music Prize with his album ‘Tyrchu Sain’ for the Welsh indie-label Sain Records. On this one, he lays down a grimey chopped-up hip hop beat in his uniquely heavy style.
Belfast-based broken-beat pioneer Kaidi Tatham is next with a version of ‘Become New’. King Kaidi is an absolute pioneer in the realms of British black music, working with Amy Winehouse, Soul II Soul, Nubya Garcia, regular collaborator Dego and global luminaries like Leroy Burgess, Slum Village, Marcos Valle & extensively with DJ Jazzy Jeff and his PLAYlist project. With past releases for Theo Parrish, and fans including Madlib, he’s a true legend in the game, and here drops a piece of electronic jazz-bruk fusion in his inimitable style & fashion.
Taking things up a step for the club dancefloors, we welcome Last Nubian aka Tre Wright, who delivers a tough vibey 4/4 house mix of ‘The Ones We Loved’. Tre has been carving out a space for himself past few years in a multitude of places, releasing for Eglo Records, Touching Bass & CoOp Presents, with support from the likes of Mixmag & BBC Radio 1’s Pete Tong. This as well as working with his soulful new band project, Ships of the Pharoahs. Definitely one to watch..
Finally, another remix of ‘Equal Measure’ comes courtesy of legendary D&B producer, Nu:Tone, who’s been active in the scene for over two decades, primarily for the Hospital Records label, working with the likes of 4hero, Ben Westbeech, Flava D, Shy FX, Zed Bias, Roni Size and his brother Logistics, as well as previously remixing artists such as Adele, Ms Dynamite, Emeli Sandé, Lenny Fontana, Quantic & Professor Green, to name a few. For this mix, Nu:Tone turns the original track into a soulful drum & bass roller - a delectably crispy slice of uptempo liquid funk.
This EP exemplifies Georgie’s prowess as a vocalist and songwriter, with each track proving to work across a multitude of genres, and cementing her place as one of the most exciting young talents in the game.
‘I Swear To You: The Remixes’ is released on all digital platforms, May 1st 2026.")
