![Ruby Wood - You Can Get It (feat. Abnormal Sleepz) [Audio] @Firstwordrecords](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I-OJXgOTQGk/maxresdefault.jpg)
Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw366
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #NeoSoul
Album: No Rain, No Flowers [EP]
Track: 6 of 8
Title: You Can Get It
Artist: Ruby Wood (feat. Abnormal Sleepz)
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW366
Formats: 12" Vinyl/Digital
Digital Release: 24th July 2026
Physical Release: 24th July 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records proudly bring you the sophomore EP from Ruby Wood - ‘No Rain, No Flowers’.
Ruby is a singer / songwriter hailing from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in the UK. Her soulful yet distinctive voice has enabled her to front numerous projects over the years; perhaps best known as lead vocalist of the critically acclaimed Submotion Orchestra, since 2009.
Her first solo EP ‘Sincerely’ dropped back in 2023, and received love from the likes of Jamie Cullum, Craig Charles, Jyoty, Huey Morgan, Wordplay & saw Ruby named Mi-Soul Radio's 'One to Watch'.
The follow-up EP ‘No Rain, No Flowers’ is a personal tale of growth through adversity. Reflecting on long-term love, fleeting intimacy, grief, and the relationships that shape us. Rather than offering answers, the 8-track EP sits with life as it is. Imperfect, cyclical and shared. The title speaks to the belief that difficult experiences are not separate from growth, but essential to it.
Musically, the project encompasses contemporary flavours within the realms of r&b, soul and hip hop. It features an impressive collective of vocal collaboraters; Illa J, Devin Tracy, Abnormal Sleepz & PRIDO. Each bring their own distinct perspective, whilst complimenting the EP’s introspective tone; favouring warmth, restraint & lyrical authenticity. All are backed by a smooth sonic backdrop of beautifully rich instrumentation, produced primarily by Rob Mitchell of Abstract Orchestra.
Ruby has performed live shows with Nightmares on Wax & Abstract Orchestra as well as with r&b legend Bryson Tiller at his sell-out UK gigs, including Wembley Arena & Manchester Apollo. This is additionally to touring with Bonobo & Nubiyan Twist, and collaborating with the likes of Krept & Konan, Alfa Mist, GLXY and Roska, to name a few.
The diversity of her career, ranging from the intimate to the large-scale performances, gives Ruby a unique balance of vulnerability and musical depth, prioritising authenticity over spectacle. As a solo artist, her work is rooted in honest lived experiences, leading to a focus on songs that resonate long after first listen.
This EP offers a reflection of where Ruby is at now, informed by where she’s been before. It’s a project that embraces imperfection, recognising that those experiences that challenge us the most, shape us the deepest.
‘No Rain, No Flowers’ is released on vinyl & all digital platforms Friday July 24th.
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw366
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Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #NeoSoul
Album: No Rain, No Flowers [EP]
Track: 6 of 8
Title: You Can Get It
Artist: Ruby Wood (feat. Abnormal Sleepz)
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW366
Formats: 12" Vinyl/Digital
Digital Release: 24th July 2026
Physical Release: 24th July 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records proudly bring you the sophomore EP from Ruby Wood - ‘No Rain, No Flowers’.
Ruby is a singer / songwriter hailing from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in the UK. Her soulful yet distinctive voice has enabled her to front numerous projects over the years; perhaps best known as lead vocalist of the critically acclaimed Submotion Orchestra, since 2009.
Her first solo EP ‘Sincerely’ dropped back in 2023, and received love from the likes of Jamie Cullum, Craig Charles, Jyoty, Huey Morgan, Wordplay & saw Ruby named Mi-Soul Radio's 'One to Watch'.
The follow-up EP ‘No Rain, No Flowers’ is a personal tale of growth through adversity. Reflecting on long-term love, fleeting intimacy, grief, and the relationships that shape us. Rather than offering answers, the 8-track EP sits with life as it is. Imperfect, cyclical and shared. The title speaks to the belief that difficult experiences are not separate from growth, but essential to it.
Musically, the project encompasses contemporary flavours within the realms of r&b, soul and hip hop. It features an impressive collective of vocal collaboraters; Illa J, Devin Tracy, Abnormal Sleepz & PRIDO. Each bring their own distinct perspective, whilst complimenting the EP’s introspective tone; favouring warmth, restraint & lyrical authenticity. All are backed by a smooth sonic backdrop of beautifully rich instrumentation, produced primarily by Rob Mitchell of Abstract Orchestra.
Ruby has performed live shows with Nightmares on Wax & Abstract Orchestra as well as with r&b legend Bryson Tiller at his sell-out UK gigs, including Wembley Arena & Manchester Apollo. This is additionally to touring with Bonobo & Nubiyan Twist, and collaborating with the likes of Krept & Konan, Alfa Mist, GLXY and Roska, to name a few.
The diversity of her career, ranging from the intimate to the large-scale performances, gives Ruby a unique balance of vulnerability and musical depth, prioritising authenticity over spectacle. As a solo artist, her work is rooted in honest lived experiences, leading to a focus on songs that resonate long after first listen.
This EP offers a reflection of where Ruby is at now, informed by where she’s been before. It’s a project that embraces imperfection, recognising that those experiences that challenge us the most, shape us the deepest.
‘No Rain, No Flowers’ is released on vinyl & all digital platforms Friday July 24th.
![Ruby Wood - You Can Get It (feat. Abnormal Sleepz) [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I-OJXgOTQGk/mqdefault.jpg "Ruby Wood - You Can Get It (feat. Abnormal Sleepz) [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw366
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 #NeoSoul
Album: No Rain, No Flowers [EP]
Track: 6 of 8
Title: You Can Get It
Artist: Ruby Wood (feat. Abnormal Sleepz)
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW366
Formats: 12 Vinyl/Digital
Digital Release: 24th July 2026
Physical Release: 24th July 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records proudly bring you the sophomore EP from Ruby Wood - ‘No Rain, No Flowers’.
Ruby is a singer / songwriter hailing from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in the UK. Her soulful yet distinctive voice has enabled her to front numerous projects over the years; perhaps best known as lead vocalist of the critically acclaimed Submotion Orchestra, since 2009.
Her first solo EP ‘Sincerely’ dropped back in 2023, and received love from the likes of Jamie Cullum, Craig Charles, Jyoty, Huey Morgan, Wordplay & saw Ruby named Mi-Soul Radios One to Watch.
The follow-up EP ‘No Rain, No Flowers’ is a personal tale of growth through adversity. Reflecting on long-term love, fleeting intimacy, grief, and the relationships that shape us. Rather than offering answers, the 8-track EP sits with life as it is. Imperfect, cyclical and shared. The title speaks to the belief that difficult experiences are not separate from growth, but essential to it.
Musically, the project encompasses contemporary flavours within the realms of r&b, soul and hip hop. It features an impressive collective of vocal collaboraters; Illa J, Devin Tracy, Abnormal Sleepz & PRIDO. Each bring their own distinct perspective, whilst complimenting the EP’s introspective tone; favouring warmth, restraint & lyrical authenticity. All are backed by a smooth sonic backdrop of beautifully rich instrumentation, produced primarily by Rob Mitchell of Abstract Orchestra.
Ruby has performed live shows with Nightmares on Wax & Abstract Orchestra as well as with r&b legend Bryson Tiller at his sell-out UK gigs, including Wembley Arena & Manchester Apollo. This is additionally to touring with Bonobo & Nubiyan Twist, and collaborating with the likes of Krept & Konan, Alfa Mist, GLXY and Roska, to name a few.
The diversity of her career, ranging from the intimate to the large-scale performances, gives Ruby a unique balance of vulnerability and musical depth, prioritising authenticity over spectacle. As a solo artist, her work is rooted in honest lived experiences, leading to a focus on songs that resonate long after first listen.
This EP offers a reflection of where Ruby is at now, informed by where she’s been before. It’s a project that embraces imperfection, recognising that those experiences that challenge us the most, shape us the deepest.
‘No Rain, No Flowers’ is released on vinyl & all digital platforms Friday July 24th.")
![Ships of the Pharaohs - Joys (feat. Last Nubian) [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I6y_PgNmFPE/mqdefault.jpg "Ships of the Pharaohs - Joys (feat. Last Nubian) [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw377
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #BossaNova
Album: Joys [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 1
Title: Joys
Artist: Ships of the Pharaohs (feat. Last Nubian)
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW377
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 30th July 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records is delighted to bring you the second single from Ships of the Pharaohs.
Ships of the Pharaohs are a London-based collective led by producer Last Nubian, who’s had releases in his own right on labels like CoOp Presents, Eglo Records & Touching Bass. Blending jazz, soul, bossa nova, d&b and house-influenced grooves, the band also consists of vocalist Achanté, keys player Goldbar & bassist, Dougan.
Originally conceived to perform Last Nubian material live for a Touching Bass showcase at We Out Here festival in 2023, the project soon took on a life of its own, as the group effort unleashed a unique chemistry & sound of its own merit. Thereafter followed numerous sessions in a studio-converted bedroom of a Brixton flat, developing this new sound. The finishing touches were taken care of at the infamous Total Refreshment Centre, resulting in the formation of captivating new original material - this single being the first taste of those sessions.
Ships of the Pharaohs have additionally performed live across London at Brick Lane Jazz Festival, House of KOKO, Jazz on Wick Festival, Peckham Levels, 91 Living Room & GROW in Hackney. Developing their powerful stage presence has gone hand in hand with the creation of their own material - a hybrid sound of their various influences, ranging from the spontaneity of jazz, the warmth of bossa nova, the pulse of house and the chaos of drum & bass.
‘Joys’ is an uplifting uptempo piece of Summer-ready fusion, leaning heavily into the bossa side of the quartet’s influences. Achanté’s soulful harmonies gracefully float across a warm bed of jazz piano & Rhodes, skippy percussion, delicate guitar picks & light synth strings, with a little bass-weight to bundle it altogether.
Tre Wright (aka Last Nubian) explains “this song is about past relationships that werent always easy, yet still evoke a sense of nostalgia for the good moments they held. Its about finding joy in those memories despite the challenges. The music behind the lyrics captures how I felt during those times…”
This one follows on from the recent debut release, ’Sun is Rising’ which received praise & support from the likes of Shy One (NTS), Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM), Rohan Rakhit (Worldwide FM), Somewhere Soul & Clash Magazine, to name just a few.
With sonics somewhat reminiscent of Acid Jazz legends Incognito, merged with the class of Nuyorican Soul, and the dynamic fluidity of 4Hero, the 4-piece have cooked up a set of style & flavours uniquely their own, fresh for modern dances, incorporating organic improvisation with more-centered club sounds.
The Ships of the Pharaohs are about to set sail for what is sure to be an exciting journey ahead.
‘Joys’ will be released on all digital platforms on July 30th, with a full EP to land late Summer 2026.")
![Tall Black Guy - Rain into the Nite (Outro) [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IKgb6Am-TF4/mqdefault.jpg "Tall Black Guy - Rain into the Nite (Outro) [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw316
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#FirstWordRecords #RapHipHop #InstrumentalEastCoast
Album: 8 Miles to Moenart (10th Anniversary Edition) [ALBUM]
Track: 9 of 10
Title: Rain into the Nite (Outro)
Artist: Tall Black Guy
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.")
![Georgie Sweet - This Christmas [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JCaHz_sqRx8/mqdefault.jpg "Georgie Sweet - This Christmas [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw359
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #Soul
Album: This Christmas [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 2
Title: This Christmas
Artist: Georgie Sweet
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW359
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 1st December 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records is proud to bring you a new two-track seasonal single from Georgie Sweet.
Following the release of her brilliant sophomore album I Swear To You, Georgie takes on the seminal Donny Hathaway classic This Christmas in her own unique soulful style.
This is backed up with a brand new composition, written by Georgie and her creative partner Marc Rapson, and featuring the beautiful harp prowess of First Word family, Amanda Whiting.
On the glorious ballad Its Christmas (As Long As Youre Here) Georgie explains this was an impromptu song written in between recording This Christmas and working on new music. For me, Christmas is all about who you share it with - even without the usual traditions, it still feels like Christmas if youre with the ones you love. This song ended up being a little moment that captures that feeling.
Brighton-based singer/songwriter Georgie Sweet is one of the UKs best kept secrets, but her rep is fast-spreading. Her recent releases received an abundance of love from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Lauren Laverne (BBC 6 Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), Lefto, Patrick Forge, Bradley Zero, Tony Minvielle, Children of Zeus, Clash Magazine and various selectors on Jazz FM, Rinse FM & NTS Radio, with previous material also getting shine from DJ Jazzy Jeff & DJ Spinna to name a few from across the globe.
This Christmas drops in all digital stockings on Wednesday December 3rd.")
![Black Sumo - I Made You Up [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KlKFlcd4zso/mqdefault.jpg "Black Sumo - I Made You Up [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw368
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#FirstWordRecords #RapHipHop #InstrumentalEastCoast
Album: Clarity [ALBUM]
Track: 9 of 12
Title: I Made You Up
Artist: 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.")
![Ships of the Pharaohs - Sun Is Rising (feat. Last Nubian & Red Bird) [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LRH9otvFLtk/mqdefault.jpg "Ships of the Pharaohs - Sun Is Rising (feat. Last Nubian & Red Bird) [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw373
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #Fusion
Album: Sun Is Rising [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 1
Title: Sun Is Rising
Artist: Ships of the Pharaohs (feat. Last Nubian & Red Bird)
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW373
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 18th June 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records is delighted to bring you the debut single from Ships of the Pharaohs.
Ships of the Pharaohs are a London-based collective led by producer Last Nubian, who’s had releases in his own right on labels like CoOp Presents, Eglo Records & Touching Bass. Blending jazz, soul, bossa nova, d&b and house-influenced grooves, the band also consists of vocalist Achanté, keys player Goldbar & bassist, Dougan.
Originally conceived to perform Last Nubian material live for a Touching Bass showcase at We Out Here festival in 2023, the project soon took on a life of its own, as the group effort unleased a unique chemistry & sound of its own merit. Thereafter followed numerous sessions in a studio-converted bedroom of a Brixton flat, developing this new sound. The finishing touches were taken care of at the infamous Total Refreshment Centre, resulting in the formation of captivating new original material - this single being the first taste of those sessions.
Ships of the Pharaohs have additionally performed live across London at Brick Lane Jazz Festival, House of KOKO, Jazz on Wick Festival, Peckham Levels, 91 Living Room & GROW in Hackney. Developing their powerful stage presence has gone hand in hand with the creation of their own material - a hybrid sound of their various influences, ranging from the spontaneity of jazz, the warmth of bossa nova, the pulse of house and the chaos of drum & bass.
We kick things off with ‘Sun is Rising’ - an uplifting energetic introduction to the quartet’s sound, this one additionally featuring a spellbinding vocal performance from Red Bird. A set of resplendently catchy vocal hooks ride over a pulsating 140bpm rhythm, with sun-drenched synths, piano and bassline completing an infectious vibe, set to soundtrack the Summer ahead. A 4-minute piece designed to saturate the ears with Vitamin D, as the title would suggest.
With sonics somewhat reminiscent of Acid Jazz legends Incognito, merged with the class of Nuyorican Soul, the dynamism of Azymuth, and the fluidity of Reprazent, the 4-piece have cooked up a set of style & flavours uniquely their own, fresh for modern dances, incorporating organic improvisation with more-centered club sounds.
The Ships of the Pharaohs are about to set sail for what is sure to be an exciting journey ahead.
‘Sun is Rising’ will be released on all digital platforms on June 18th, with a full EP to land late Summer 2026.")
![Werkha - Sastrugi [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LTJihQSwuMg/mqdefault.jpg "Werkha - Sastrugi [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw342
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#FirstWordRecords #ElectronicaDance #BalearicDowntempo
Album: Sastrugi [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 1
Title: Sastrugi
Artist: Werkha
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW342
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 7th August 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to bring you Sastrugi by Werkha; the 4th single taken from his forthcoming album, Unsung Irregular.
Satrugi is a gloriously calming two-minute instrumental piece, comprised of rhodes, strings and sax, with an under-stated rhythm track and ethereal vocals to guide it along.
In Werkhas words Sastrugi are beautiful, abstract shapes caused by the erosion of snow by the wind. This arctic-like scene is commonplace on my favourite fell.
This sanctuary of mine transforms in these conditions, creating a dreamscape-like world, with ice crystals navigating the air around me. Its a place of healing, enhanced by seasonal changes. In the summer this fell is filled with the songs of skylarks, which seems such a distant scene in short subzero winter days like these.
Sastrugi is the first song I made for this album. Its the first song directly confronting my bodys ability to freeze, disabling me from movement.
This was the tipping point that inspired this project. So it holds an incredibly important place for me.
Musically, it started its life as improvisations on a theme, the idea being that this could be spread between musicians with them taking the prerogative on exactly when phrases might fall.
I shared the music with up to 30 young musicians from the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Hearing the themes scaled up and improvised around gave exactly the sense I was hoping for. Later that day, I performed the piece with Myra Brownbridge & Matthew Holmes amongst others.
The true drifting nature of these shapes stood strong. This was the support I was looking for from this music.
In that place, in that moment, everything seems so distant; that feeling of being immobile, frozen, filled with pain, melts away.
A beautiful soundscape, transforming a personal moment of pain into bliss, and a track that hits arguably even more poignantly over this hot Summer, giving you another flavour of the depth & diversity displayed in Werkhas new full-length project; a contrast to the more uptempo dance-orientated tracks released previously.
——
Werkha (aka Tom Leah) is a multi-instrumentalist born in Rusholme, Manchester. His previous releases on Worldwide Award-winning independent London-based label First Word Records include The Rigour EP (2020), and the All Werk Is Play LP (2022), carrying on from his initial output on the Brighton-based Tru Thoughts label.
Hes had previous support from a wide range of tastemakers such as Gilles Peterson, Nemone, Don Letts, Jamz Supernova and Zakia (BBC 6 Music), Mo Ayoub (BBC Radio 1), Julie Adenuga, Scratcha DVA, BBC Manchester, Worldwide FM and Rinse FM.
Alongside his own releases, hes collaborated and remixed with Quantic, A Certain Ratio, Marcos Valle, Eska, Chunky, Andrew Ashong and extensively with Keisha Thompson and Bryony Jarman-Pinto, to cite a few.
Werkha has done full band and solo performances across the UK and Europe, touring with the likes of Bonobo, Chet Faker, Rebecca Vasmant and Mr Scruff, and sharing billing with Crazy P, GoGo Penguin, Todd Terje, Lefto and MCDE, gracing stages at legendary venues like The Roundhouse, The Jazz Café and Manchester Cathedral, and various festivals including Glastonbury, SXSW, We Out Here, A Love Supreme and Latitude.
Additionally to playing live, Werkha is a formidable DJ, recently doing a mix for Selector Radio (British Council) and previously for the likes of Tom Ravenscroft & Afrodeutsche (BBC 6 Music), NTS, Primavera Sound and Reform Radio.
——
Werkha is a thoughtful, conscientious artist, whose approach to creating is innovative, unique, ever evolving and deeply groovy.
Unsung Irregular is Werkhas third full-length studio LP, and is comprised of 11 tracks showcasing his unique blend of jazzy breakbeat-tinged electronics and analogue aesthetics. It includes previous singles S-Bend, Toast Rack, and Everyday (feat. Ríoghnach Connolly).
Sastrugi is available on all digital platforms on August 7th, with the album dropping on vinyl & digital on October 10th.")
![Tall Black Guy - Funeral Biz / Welcome to Detroit (Interlude) [feat. Malice & Mario Sweet]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LdiEXRgtH_0/mqdefault.jpg "Tall Black Guy - Funeral Biz / Welcome to Detroit (Interlude) [feat. Malice & Mario Sweet]
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: 3 of 10
Title: Funeral Biz / Welcome to Detroit (Interlude)
Artist: Tall Black Guy (feat. Malice & Mario Sweet)
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.")
![Victoria Port - Barefoot In The Garden [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Lf3jpv1_Obk/mqdefault.jpg "Victoria Port - Barefoot In The Garden [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #Soul
Album: Barefoot In The Garden [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 1
Title: Barefoot In The Garden
Artist: Victoria Port
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW347
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 18th September 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to present Barefoot In The Garden; the first single taken from the sophomore solo EP by Victoria Port.
Forming part of a forthcoming 5-track set merging classic soul with contemporary sounds. this was put together from sessions recorded at the world famous Abbey Road Studios in London, and Victorias home studio Candle Shop. This project exemplifies Victorias 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).
Barefoot in the Garden is a smooth slice of mid-tempo alternative soul music, complete with an infectious hook, dreamy synths and strutting guitar licks. Victoria is accompanied on this track by frequent collaborators Hemai and JNR Williams, whilst the EP also includes contributions from highly-acclaimed drummer Moses Boyd, and vocalists such as Lea Lea.
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 I remember writing this song last summer. I sat in the conservatory with Jnr, Lou (Hemai), and an acoustic guitar. The birds sang, and my little boy laughed and played outside. Its a reminder of the real things of value in our lives – not material possessions or accolades, but the simple things that humble us and connect us to our common humanity. Sometimes, I stop and slow down, feeling so much joy for the beautiful people and moments that enrich my life, soul, and heart.
Already a seasoned live perfomer, additionally to various live appearances solo past & forthcoming including We Out Here, Jazz Cafe and Koko, Victoria Port is set to be one of the leading lights in the world of British soul music.
Barefoot In The Garden is released on digital platforms September 18th, with the EP of the same name to follow in November on vinyl & digital.")
![Black Sumo - Gray Bikes Grey Skies [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/M0xMXB0pWhU/mqdefault.jpg "Black Sumo - Gray Bikes Grey Skies [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #RapHipHop #InstrumentalEastCoast
Album: Clarity [ALBUM]
Track: 3 of 12
Title: Gray Bikes Grey Skies
Artist: 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.")
