![Werkha - By Helm [Audio] @Firstwordrecords](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sUoCCUzgX4I/maxresdefault.jpg)
Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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#FirstWordRecords #ElectronicaDance #BeatsampBreaks
Album: Unsung Irregular [ALBUM]
Track: 4 of 11
Title: By Helm
Artist: Werkha
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW340
Formats: Vinyl LP/Digital
Digital Release: 10th October 2025
Physical Release: 10th October 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records is very proud to present the new album from Werkha, 'Unsung Irregular'.
This is his third full-length studio LP, and is comprised of 11 tracks showcasing Werkha's unique blend of jazzy breakbeat-tinged electronics and analogue aesthetics. It includes the singles 'S-Bend', 'Toast Rack', and two collaborations; 'Everyday (feat. Ríoghnach Connolly)' and 'Narrow In' (feat. Daudi Matsiko) - a pair of revered artists with roots in folk music, complimenting the close connection to nature found throughout Werkha's productions.
——
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.
He's 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, he's 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.
Putting community at the centre of much of what he does, Werkha worked for a mental health arts charity in Stockport, outreach in rural Cumbria and does continual collaboration with Reform Radio to curate opportunities for upcoming Mancunian artists. As Werkha says, "the music we love to listen to doesn't exist unless we water the roots from which it grows."
In recent years, he has been creating and building his side-project, Saturama - a live audio-visual experience aimed at reconnecting to our rainforests in the UK, which has received support from organisations like Plantlife, Manchester Museum and RSPB Wild Haweswater, with more exciting collaborations in the pipeline.
——
The new album 'Unsung Irregular' is a deeply considered and thematically rich project, exploring hidden disabilities and spotlighting the power of irregularities that often go unnoticed.
Werkha says "as an album title, 'Unsung Irregular' is an anchor point that brings together a lot of the meaning behind each individual track... it's a meeting of beauty and a mishap of the form – an irregularity that I hope I can give a voice to."
More than a reflection on chronic pain, 'Unsung Irregular' is a celebration of movement, and the resilient power of music to transform discomfort into rhythm. Scoliosis has shaped his life in ways both visible and invisible, and the album traces those contours with unflinching honesty.
"I don't outwardly use my own vocals on records, so I reach for different sounds and instruments to represent the stories I want to tell."
The process of healing is written into every detail: field recordings, processed vocal textures, geographical references. From the conspicuous architectural reference point of 'Toast Rack'''s title, to tracks like 'By Helm' and 'Weak Point' which are linked not just by theme, but by sound design; echoing physical locations and personal milestones in Tom's recovery.
"There's a vocoder I used on a sample of my voice on 'By Helm'… I used that same texture sidechained to kit in 'Weak Point'… Lin...
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw340
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 #ElectronicaDance #BeatsampBreaks
Album: Unsung Irregular [ALBUM]
Track: 4 of 11
Title: By Helm
Artist: Werkha
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW340
Formats: Vinyl LP/Digital
Digital Release: 10th October 2025
Physical Release: 10th October 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records is very proud to present the new album from Werkha, 'Unsung Irregular'.
This is his third full-length studio LP, and is comprised of 11 tracks showcasing Werkha's unique blend of jazzy breakbeat-tinged electronics and analogue aesthetics. It includes the singles 'S-Bend', 'Toast Rack', and two collaborations; 'Everyday (feat. Ríoghnach Connolly)' and 'Narrow In' (feat. Daudi Matsiko) - a pair of revered artists with roots in folk music, complimenting the close connection to nature found throughout Werkha's productions.
——
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.
He's 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, he's 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.
Putting community at the centre of much of what he does, Werkha worked for a mental health arts charity in Stockport, outreach in rural Cumbria and does continual collaboration with Reform Radio to curate opportunities for upcoming Mancunian artists. As Werkha says, "the music we love to listen to doesn't exist unless we water the roots from which it grows."
In recent years, he has been creating and building his side-project, Saturama - a live audio-visual experience aimed at reconnecting to our rainforests in the UK, which has received support from organisations like Plantlife, Manchester Museum and RSPB Wild Haweswater, with more exciting collaborations in the pipeline.
——
The new album 'Unsung Irregular' is a deeply considered and thematically rich project, exploring hidden disabilities and spotlighting the power of irregularities that often go unnoticed.
Werkha says "as an album title, 'Unsung Irregular' is an anchor point that brings together a lot of the meaning behind each individual track... it's a meeting of beauty and a mishap of the form – an irregularity that I hope I can give a voice to."
More than a reflection on chronic pain, 'Unsung Irregular' is a celebration of movement, and the resilient power of music to transform discomfort into rhythm. Scoliosis has shaped his life in ways both visible and invisible, and the album traces those contours with unflinching honesty.
"I don't outwardly use my own vocals on records, so I reach for different sounds and instruments to represent the stories I want to tell."
The process of healing is written into every detail: field recordings, processed vocal textures, geographical references. From the conspicuous architectural reference point of 'Toast Rack'''s title, to tracks like 'By Helm' and 'Weak Point' which are linked not just by theme, but by sound design; echoing physical locations and personal milestones in Tom's recovery.
"There's a vocoder I used on a sample of my voice on 'By Helm'… I used that same texture sidechained to kit in 'Weak Point'… Lin...
![Werkha - By Helm [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sUoCCUzgX4I/mqdefault.jpg "Werkha - By Helm [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw340
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 #ElectronicaDance #BeatsampBreaks
Album: Unsung Irregular [ALBUM]
Track: 4 of 11
Title: By Helm
Artist: Werkha
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW340
Formats: Vinyl LP/Digital
Digital Release: 10th October 2025
Physical Release: 10th October 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records is very proud to present the new album from Werkha, Unsung Irregular.
This is his third full-length studio LP, and is comprised of 11 tracks showcasing Werkhas unique blend of jazzy breakbeat-tinged electronics and analogue aesthetics. It includes the singles S-Bend, Toast Rack, and two collaborations; Everyday (feat. Ríoghnach Connolly) and Narrow In (feat. Daudi Matsiko) - a pair of revered artists with roots in folk music, complimenting the close connection to nature found throughout Werkhas productions.
——
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.
Putting community at the centre of much of what he does, Werkha worked for a mental health arts charity in Stockport, outreach in rural Cumbria and does continual collaboration with Reform Radio to curate opportunities for upcoming Mancunian artists. As Werkha says, the music we love to listen to doesnt exist unless we water the roots from which it grows.
In recent years, he has been creating and building his side-project, Saturama - a live audio-visual experience aimed at reconnecting to our rainforests in the UK, which has received support from organisations like Plantlife, Manchester Museum and RSPB Wild Haweswater, with more exciting collaborations in the pipeline.
——
The new album Unsung Irregular is a deeply considered and thematically rich project, exploring hidden disabilities and spotlighting the power of irregularities that often go unnoticed.
Werkha says as an album title, Unsung Irregular is an anchor point that brings together a lot of the meaning behind each individual track... its a meeting of beauty and a mishap of the form – an irregularity that I hope I can give a voice to.
More than a reflection on chronic pain, Unsung Irregular is a celebration of movement, and the resilient power of music to transform discomfort into rhythm. Scoliosis has shaped his life in ways both visible and invisible, and the album traces those contours with unflinching honesty.
I dont outwardly use my own vocals on records, so I reach for different sounds and instruments to represent the stories I want to tell.
The process of healing is written into every detail: field recordings, processed vocal textures, geographical references. From the conspicuous architectural reference point of Toast Racks title, to tracks like By Helm and Weak Point which are linked not just by theme, but by sound design; echoing physical locations and personal milestones in Toms recovery.
Theres a vocoder I used on a sample of my voice on By Helm… I used that same texture sidechained to kit in Weak Point… Lin...")
![Georgie Sweet - The Ones We Loved [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/snmCZIkc9ek/mqdefault.jpg "Georgie Sweet - The Ones We Loved [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw338
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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: The Ones We Loved / Bedsheets [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 2
Title: The Ones We Loved
Artist: Georgie Sweet
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW338
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 15th May 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to bring you the second two-track single from our latest signing, Georgie Sweet - The Ones We Loved / Bedsheets.
Georgie is a singer / songwriter currently based in Brighton, with a uniquely smooth, soulful vocal tone. One of the UKs best kept secrets, shes been a vocalist from a young age, initially working with her musical parents (a producer and professional singer respectively), she previously released an album entitled Misunderstood back in 2020 on Futuristica Music; an independent imprint run by Deborah Jordan & Simon S.
As welll as working with acclaimed producers like K15 and Mecca:83 on her debut record, it saw the start of a songwriting partnership with multi-instrumentalist Marc Rapson, who is on the boards throughout this new project. The duo began working on an abundance of beautiful new material shortly after the release of Misunderstood, with this single being another taste of whats to come.
The last single (Smaller / All That We Were) caught the ears of 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.
Georgie recently 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.
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.
An exciting new talent, her prowess as a vocalist and a songwriter is growing exponentially; this additionally to studying and working as an illustrator and animator, Georgie is an all-round creative soul.
The Ones We Loved begins with an ethereal acapella from Georgie, building to lush harmonies, before dropping into a synth-bass lead 100bpm groove.
Georgie explains This ones about staying spiritually connected to the people weve lost and grieving with hope. Its about the spiritual side of loss and how we can actually find comfort in not knowing what the afterlife holds for us, rather than being scared by it. It offers peace in the idea that separation isnt forever, even if we dont fully understand whats to come.
This release is backed with the beautiful Bedsheets; a downtempo epic, with a deeply infectious chorus hook.
For this one, Georgie says Bedsheets represents that dark before the light, mirroring the final track of the album, I Swear To You. Its the feeling of desperation and loneliness in modern life. Its the darkness, but its important because it sets the stage for the light, reflecting the tough times we all face.
The Ones We Loved / Bedsheets is out on all digital platforms on May 15th and is taken from Georgies forthcoming sophomore album I Swear To You, due for release on First Word this Summer.")
![Amanda Whiting - Still [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tBoo1OXWaYc/mqdefault.jpg "Amanda Whiting - Still [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw334d
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #Fusion
Album: Can You See Me Now? [EP]
Track: 3 of 6
Title: Still
Artist: Amanda Whiting
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW334D
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 6th June 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records is very proud to bring you a brand new EP from Amanda Whiting, entitled Can You See Me Now?
Amanda Whiting is a highly-acclaimed Welsh harpist & composer. A virtuoso in her field, this classically trained musician has established herself in recent years as an essential player in the UK jazz scene.
Over the past few years, shes had the support of radio stations & tastemakers such as BBC Radio 2 (Jamie Cullum), BBC 6 Music (Cerys Matthews). BBC Radio 3 (Soweto Kinch), Selector Radio (Sian Eleri), NTS Radio (Patrick Forge), FiP (Laurent Garnier), Soho Radio (Tina Edwards) and across Jazz FM, who also nominated her for Instrumentalist of the Year.
Amanda joined the roster of Worldwide Award-winning independent London-based label First Word Records in late 2023, initially via a collaborative project with Don Leisure on Beyond The Midnight Sun, as well as a feature on his Welsh Music Prize nominated project Shaboo Strikes Back.
She followed the Liminality of Her record late last year with a divine album of seasonal favourites, from Bill Evans to Vince Guaraldi, on A Christmas Cwtch.
Amandas 2024 album The Liminality of Her featured in Spotifys Best UK Jazz of 2024 and received glowing reviews in Jazzwise, Somewhere Soul, Bandcamp, Clash, AllMusic, Harp Column, Apple Music and HHV, to name a few, along with numerous Album of the Year nods and various other accolades, garnering praise critically and publicly.
Mojo Magazine cites Amandas compositions as cinematic, lyrical and lissom by turns.
Amanda has previously performed, toured and collaborated with a wildly eclectic set of artists, including Matthew Halsall, Rebecca Vasmant, DJ Yoda, Gizmo Varillas and Chip Wickham, whilst previously releasing three solo albums on Jazzman Records, and a remix project for the Alberts Favourites imprint.
Shes performed with her own trio at numerous festivals across Europe, including We Out Here, and had headline shows at The Jazz Cafe and Hootananny in London, with an upcoming show at the legendary Ronnie Scotts in June 2025.
Can You See Me Now? is another triumphant opus from Whiting; laidback, deliciously jazzy and thematically inquisitive, featuring some exceptional production and accompaniment from Adam Scrimshire (Alberts Favourite). The EP begins with the crackling Old Ways intro (inspired by Naderman No.6 for Harp) leading into opening track Contented; an epic ethereal piece of tranquil spiritual jazz, complete with the gloriously powerful vocal harmonies of Faye Houston. This sets the mood perfectly for this project, as we head into a short solo for Whiting on Still which appears as it says on the tin. A moment of calm. Lead single What Is It We Need? commences with dusty upright bass from Whiting Trio member Aidan Thorne, ahead of a beautiful goosebump-enducing lead-vocal from the national treasure that is Alice Russell (Tru Thoughts); an absolute powerhouse in her own right. Intent picks up the pace a touch with some delightfully skippy jungle-esque drums from Jon Reynolds. It Could Be follows; a soulful string-laden stepper, again featuring Faye Houston, and hits like the delicate breath of a Summer breeze. We close the set with the appropriately-named Moving On, which takes us out with a slightly-warped phasing dreamlike ambience.
In Amandas words thematically, the EP is about the journey as a woman and the stages of life. Standing up and being seen. An important and profound message in the world today!
We must stand tall, dont self abase or dim your light
The past has gone. Now step up, be intent, move forward, move on
Dont be silenced. Feminine energy is our might.
Lift your veil, show your worth. We are women, we are strong.
Can you see me now?
Can you hear my dreams?
Can you feel my intentions?
Im here to be seen.
Can You See Me Now? is due for release on vinyl & digital, June 6th 2025.")
![Ruby Wood - Dominos [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/toNEec0PMEM/mqdefault.jpg "Ruby Wood - Dominos [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw366
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #NeoSoul
Album: No Rain, No Flowers [EP]
Track: 4 of 8
Title: Dominos
Artist: Ruby Wood
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.")
![Above The Clouds, kidkanevil & Magic Manfred - Tram Delay Beat [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uJFyDjxXR6M/mqdefault.jpg "Above The Clouds, kidkanevil & Magic Manfred - Tram Delay Beat [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw335
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#FirstWordRecords #RapHipHop #InstrumentalEastCoast
Album: Arrow Root [SINGLE]
Track: 2 of 2
Title: Tram Delay Beat
Artist: Above The Clouds, kidkanevil & Magic Manfred
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.")
![Amanda Whiting - Feels so Far Away [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uLQ6qyus67s/mqdefault.jpg "Amanda Whiting - Feels so Far Away [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw332
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #Fusion
Album: The Liminality of Her (Deluxe Edition) [ALBUM]
Track: 10 of 14
Title: Feels so Far Away
Artist: Amanda Whiting
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW332
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 11th April 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records is very proud to present a deluxe edition of Amanda Whitings The Liminality of Her album, featuring three brand new tracks along with a remix from label-mate, Quiet Dawn.
Amanda Whiting is a highly-acclaimed Welsh harpist & composer. A virtuoso in her field, this classically trained musician quickly established herself as an essential player in the UK jazz scene, carving her own unique sound, following on from the paths forged by Ashby and Coltrane.
Following the release of The Liminality of Her a year ago, the album featured in Spotifys Best UK Jazz of 2024 and received glowing reviews in Mojo, Jazzwise, Somewhere Soul, Bandcamp, Clash, AllMusic, Harp Column, Apple Music and HHV, to name a few, along with numerous Album of the Year nods and various other accolades, garnering praise critically and publicly.
Over the past few years, shes had the support of radio stations & tastemakers such as BBC Radio 2 (Jamie Cullum), BBC 6 Music (Cerys Matthews, New Music Fix). BBC Radio 3 (Soweto Kinch, Breakfast Show), BBC Wales (Adam Walton), Selector Radio (Sian Eleri), NTS Radio (Patrick Forge), FiP (Laurent Garnier), Soho Radio (Tina Edwards) and Jazz FM (Tony Minvielle, Chris Phillips, Robbie Vincent, Dom Servini), who also nominated her for Instrumentalist of the Year.
This album exemplifies Amandas talents as a performer and composer, taking in an array of hypnotising sonics from the worlds of jazz; from fusion to spiritual and beyond. A confident display of purposefully blissful compositions that saunter as much as they soothe, whilst being unafraid to lean into some deep uptempo grooves.
Amanda describes the theme of this project as liminality... that place in between, the transition from one place to another. No longer what it was, yet not what its going to be.
The harp always presents itself at these moments. Its a sound that causes an emotion. My instrument chose me. Its been with me through every chapter of life. Its how I speak, especially when there are no words.
This album is a rite of passage for her. A feeling of alchemy, a feeling of liberation. Moments of inner searching, intertwined, waiting but moving forward. Never looking back.
The Liminality of Her encompasses the highs and the lows. The nomadic love of freedom and spirituality. Its all so much bigger than you or I…
For this special deluxe edition, Amanda takes on Hammerstein & Rodgerss classic My Favorite Things, presents two new compositions (Mary Over There and At Ease) and French multi-instrumentalist Quiet Dawn provides a dancefloor friendly remix of the single Intertwined, featuring the vocals of Brighton-based singer PEACH.
Amanda joined the First Word label roster via a collaborative project with Don Leisure, Beyond The Midnight Sun, as well as a feature on his Welsh Music Prize nominated project Shaboo Strikes Back.
Shes previously performed, toured and collaborated with a wildly eclectic set of artists, including Matthew Halsall, Rebecca Vasmant, DJ Yoda, Gizmo Varillas and Chip Wickham (who also features on this project), whilst previously releasing three solo albums on Jazzman Records, and a remix project for Scrimshires Alberts Favourites imprint, ending 2024 with a divine seasonal album A Christmas Cwtch, also on First Word.
Shes performed with her own trio at numerous festivals across Europe, including We Out Here, and had headline shows at The Jazz Cafe and Hootananny in London, with an upcoming show at the legendary Ronnie Scotts in June 2025.
The Liminality of Her (Deluxe Edition) is released digitally on April 11th 2025.")
![Amanda Whiting - We Three Kings [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ucianmDbzBA/mqdefault.jpg "Amanda Whiting - We Three Kings [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #SmoothJazz
Album: A Christmas Cwtch [ALBUM]
Track: 13 of 14
Title: We Three Kings
Artist: Amanda Whiting
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW322
Formats: Vinyl LP/CD Album/Digital
Digital Release: 2nd December 2024
Physical Release: 12th December 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are very proud to bring you A Christmas Cwtch, the brand new album from highly-acclaimed Welsh jazz-harpist, Amanda Whiting.
Expertly crafted with love, care and dedication, A Christmas Cwtch takes on assorted classics from the likes of Vince Guaraldi, Bill Evans, Holst and Tchaikovsky, and re-presents them with original arrangements by Amanda and her accomplished trio. The end result is a 14-track selection pack of feel-good seasonal jazz-harp magic, including recent singles Peace Piece and Skating.
Amanda says just mention Christmas and you hear Guaraldi, Bill Evans and the sound of sleigh bells and harps. Its my favourite time of year and the music evokes everything warm and cwtchy. Sparkling lights, mince pies, mulled wine and nostalgia around the tree.
On the word cwtch, Amanda explains that a cwtch is the most important word to Welsh folk. Its a hug, with a little squeeze. Its a feeling. Its cosy, loving and safe. I wanted this album to hold you, cwtch you and allow you to indulge.
Inspired by artists like Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane, Amanda is a classically trained virtuoso, well established in the UK jazz scene, with releases on Jazzman and Alberts Favourites.
Her most recent projects were released on Worldwide Award-winning UK label, First Word; Beyond the Midnight Sun (with label-mate and Welsh Music Prize nominee, Don Leisure) and the hugely popular 2024 album The Liminality of Her, which received widespread praise in outlets such as Jazzwise, Mojo, Clash, Bandcamp, AllMusic, Somewhere Soul, HHV, Apple Music and Harp Column.
She has had wide support on the airwaves from tastemakers such as Cerys Matthews (BBC 6 Music), Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM), Deb Grant (BBC 6 Music), Patrick Forge (NTS), Soweto Kinch (BBC Radio 3), Kev Beadle (Totally Wired), Tina Edwards (Soho Radio), Laurent Garnier (FiP) and Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2).
A Christmas Cwtch exemplifies Amandas talent and personality simultaneously, celebrating an array of her favourite things; the harp, her Welshness, her love of jazz, her love of classical music and her love of Christmas. This album is an absolute delight, and the perfect soundtrack for the season. An essential stocking filler!
A Christmas Cwtch is scheduled for December 2nd 2024 release on digital, vinyl and CD.")
![Black Sumo - Rehearsal [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ug4BYh7F7JE/mqdefault.jpg "Black Sumo - Rehearsal [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #RapHipHop #InstrumentalEastCoast
Album: Silent Stones [SINGLE]
Track: 2 of 2
Title: Rehearsal
Artist: Black Sumo
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW369
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 10th April 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records is proud to present Black Sumo, and his first full single release for the label, Silent Stones / Rehearsal .
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.
Here we have two tracks taken from a forthcoming 12-track beat tape entitled Clarity, scheduled to drop April 2026.
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. Sonically 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.
Silent Stones epitomises that conglomerate of aural textures and represents a full flavour of the forthcoming project. Ethereal filtered ambience gives way to reveal an infectious dose of headnod hip hop, sharp kicks & snares, and a hook that the more discerning heads will no doubt recognise.
Meanwhile Rehearsal appropriately sets up the sonic footing as we intend to proceed.Crisp crunchy drums reflect the season, like footsteps through frozen snow. Light-shuffling jazz percussion accompanies twinkling glacier-like bells and ethereal harp strums, which filter in and out breezily throughout the track.
This one is available April 10th on all digital platforms, with full Clarity to come in late Spring, also on limited cassette.")
![Victoria Port - Haunting [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/v6N8NPhHF-k/mqdefault.jpg "Victoria Port - Haunting [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #ElectronicaDance #Garage
Album: Haunting (Murder He Wrote Remix) [SINGLE]
Track: 2 of 2
Title: Haunting
Artist: Victoria Port
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW336
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 2nd May 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records is proud to bring you the Murder He Wrote remix of Victoria Ports Haunting.
Murder He Wrote provides a classic UK garage rub of the second single taken from Victorias debut solo EP Did it Again, released early in the year on the Worldwide Award-winning independent label.
Victoria is a British singer/songwriter thats previously released two albums as half of electronic soul outfit Anushka (on Brownswood and Tru Thoughts respectively), with third album Ancestry scheduled for release June 27th 2025 on BBE.
In recent months, Victoria has had love for her debut solo EP from tastemakers such as Gilles Peterson (BBC 6 Music / Worldwide FM), Cerys Matthews (BBC 6 Music), Huey Morgan (BBC 6 Music), Somewhere Soul, Mo Ayoub (Selector Radio), Mafalda (NTS), Ronnie Herel (Mi-Souls One to Watch), Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM) and across platforms like Soho Radio and Global Soul, to cite a few.
Originally produced by Shevlane and Hemai, Victoria says Haunting is about an inability for someone to let go. When they cant read the messages and continue to try, to keep echoes of the past alive in the present….
Murder He Wrote is based in Manchester and has built a rep for blending elements of garage, UK funky and bruk into his sound, originally breaking out on Roskas label. Hes had an array of sets on Rinse FM, BBC Radio 1, 6 Music, Boiler Room & NTS, and support from the likes of Ben UFO, Skream and Jamz Supernova.
This mix is aimed squarely at the dancefloor, as we hurtle ever closer towards Summer.
Haunting (Murder He Wrote Remix) is available on all digital platforms, May 2nd 2025.")
![Victoria Port - Did It Again [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vFNqFc0aWAk/mqdefault.jpg "Victoria Port - Did It Again [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #Soul
Album: Did It Again [EP]
Track: 3 of 4
Title: Did It Again
Artist: Victoria Port
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW320
Formats: 12 Vinyl/Digital
Digital Release: 7th February 2025
Physical Release: 7th February 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are delighted to present Did It Again, the debut EP from Victoria Port.
Victoria is a British singer/songwriter thats previously released two albums as half of electronic soul outfit Anushka (on Brownswood and Tru Thoughts respectively), with a third album from the duo scheduled for release later in 2025 on BBE. Now Victoria is finally making the move to showcase her music, in her own unique way, as a solo artist.
Her first solo single Cigarette saw support from Cerys Matthews & Huey Morgan on BBC 6 Music, Gilles Peterson (Worldwide FM), Mi-Soul Radio (One To Watch), Dan Digs (NPR Music), Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM), Somewhere Soul, Soho Radio, Totally Wired, Global Soul (also as part of their live showcase at Koko, London) and many more, while her last Anushka project also received extensive support from tastemakers such as Annie Mac, Huw Stephens and Jamz Supernova, and saw her wowing crowds as a regular player on the UK and international festival circuit.
This debut 4-track EP is set to place her where she firmly belongs; as an exciting new talent in the vibrant, eclectic UK r&b/soul scene.
As well as the single Cigarette, the EP includes the beautiful follow-up single Haunting, and two more soulful tracks; the slow jam Keep Love For Me, and the title track Did It Again. Production comes courtesy of Hemai and Shevlane, with all tracks written by Victoria herself, along with her trusted team of accomplices; JNR Williams, Dominic Martin & Louie Hemus.
Did It Again is largely inspired by the legacy of her Dominican grandmother, and the tales of all the powerful women she has known, and is yet to know, encompassing their vulnerability and their truth. This in turn with her own journey as a mother. I found the journey into motherhood transformative, she says. I felt lost and broken at times, but simultaneously the most capable and powerful Ive ever been. Ive had to do the work and face my own shortcomings, in order to be the person I want to be, for my child, and ultimately for myself.
Sonically, Victoria takes her influences from a lifelong appreciation of soul music, drawing inspiration from artists like Gladys Knight, Minnie Riperton, Diana Ross, Nine Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Dionne Warwick, to contemporaries such as Cleo Sol and Jorja Smith. She adds Im particularly obsessed with the girl bands from the 60s. I love the stories and the harmonies. Motown was the soundtrack to my childhood. Songs that make you want to dance in your kitchen!.
This debut solo EP is a beautiful example of Victorias prowess as a vocalist and composer alike.
Did It Again is to be released on vinyl and digitally worldwide in February 2025.")
![Georgie Sweet - Energy (Children of Zeus Remix) [feat. Children of Zeus] [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vUdQSs-eLGM/mqdefault.jpg "Georgie Sweet - Energy (Children of Zeus Remix) [feat. Children of Zeus] [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #ContemporaryRampB
Album: Energy (Children of Zeus Remix) [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 2
Title: Energy (Children of Zeus Remix)
Artist: Georgie Sweet (feat. Children of Zeus)
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW363
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 19th February 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records are proud to present the Children of Zeus remix of Georgie Sweets Energy.
This is the first in a set of new versions of tracks that originally appeared on the Brighton-based singer-songwriters soulful sophomore album I Swear To You, released Summer 2025, produced & co-written by Marc Rapson.
This record received an abundance of love & praise from the likes of Gilles Peterson (including a live Worldwide FM session), Lauren Laverne (BBC 6 Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM), Patrick Forge (NTS), Clash Magazine, Somewhere Soul, Assorted Tapes (USA), Bandcamp (Albums of the Year) and many more, across Rinse FM, Soho Radio and beyond.
The remix of Energy comes courtesy of label-mates and Mancunian hip hop-soul kings, Children of Zeus. This follows on from a previous collaboration between the artists, as Georgies first appearance on the First Word label was her feature on the title track of the duos 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.
More mixes to follow in the coming months from a varied selection of producers at the top of their game right now, including Nu:Tone, Kaidi Tatham, Don Leisure & Last Nubian.
For now, soak up this SWEET soulful Springtime Energy…
Released on all digital platforms, February 19th 2026.")
