Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
First Word Records
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Werkha - Irregular You [Audio]
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![Werkha - Irregular You [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6TVib_yiEhE/mqdefault.jpg "Werkha - Irregular You [Audio]
Werkha - Irregular You [Audio]")
![Amanda Whiting - O Christmas Tree [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6XElTVSbVn4/mqdefault.jpg "Amanda Whiting - O Christmas Tree [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #SmoothJazz
Album: A Christmas Cwtch [ALBUM]
Track: 12 of 14
Title: O Christmas Tree
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.")
![Bastien Keb - A Ghosts Lament (feat. Malik Ameer Crumpler) [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6sDnGCemtu0/mqdefault.jpg "Bastien Keb - A Ghosts Lament (feat. Malik Ameer Crumpler) [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #CrossoverJazz
Album: Ghouls [ALBUM]
Track: 15 of 19
Title: A Ghosts Lament
Artist: Bastien Keb (feat. Malik Ameer Crumpler)
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.")
![Amanda Whiting - At Ease [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/758F345GFxQ/mqdefault.jpg "Amanda Whiting - At Ease [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw332
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Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #Fusion
Album: The Liminality of Her (Deluxe Edition) [ALBUM]
Track: 13 of 14
Title: At Ease
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.")
![Bastien Keb - West (feat. Malik Ameer Crumpler) [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7G5e8GThCvA/mqdefault.jpg "Bastien Keb - West (feat. Malik Ameer Crumpler) [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw345
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Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
More music playlists: https://pl.kud.li/UC_iUEtWIfatGspcK52G3Gug
#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #CrossoverJazz
Album: Ghouls [ALBUM]
Track: 9 of 19
Title: West
Artist: Bastien Keb (feat. Malik Ameer Crumpler)
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.")
![[ K S R ] & Konny Kon - Part of the Plan [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7I6363d-loQ/mqdefault.jpg "[ K S R ] & Konny Kon - Part of the Plan [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #Soul
Album: Part of the Plan / Faded from the Jump [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 2
Title: Part of the Plan
Artist: [ K S R ] & Konny Kon
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW313
Formats: 7 Vinyl/Digital
Digital Release: 22nd November 2024
Physical Release: 29th November 2024
About This Release:
First Word Records areproud to present a new double-AA sided collaboration from [ K S R ] and Konny Kon (Children of Zeus) - Part of the Plan / Faded from the Jump, available on 7 vinyl and digital.
Two of Manchesters finest r&b ambassadors, the duo team up for two tracks displaying very different styles of soul music.
Part of the Plan has a timeless classic feel, nodding back to the likes of Stax and Atlantic, akin to the contemporary sound of Daptone artists like Jalen Ngonda or Thee Sacred Souls. Waves crash on the dock of the bay, with [ K S R ]s soulful tones and Konnys laidback production (accompanied by Son of Zeus, Tyler Daley on the backing vox).
Faded from the Jump is another three and a half minutes of bliss, taking on a sound thats more signature to the duos previous work, individually and collectively, sitting somewhere between future r&b, neo-soul and classic Manny street soul. [ K S R ] again takes the lead on this smoothed-out cut, with Konny behind the boards on production.
[ K S R ] hails from Moss Side and has been steadily building a strong rep for himself over the past few years with a slew of releases, including an EP and several singles via First Word. He was named R&B act to watch by Complex, and hand-picked by Mahalia to perform an event she curated personally at Londons Jazz Cafe. Hes toured with artists including Pip Millet, Etta Bond, Mica Miller & The Mouse Outfit, and also collaborated with various d&b artists, such as Zero T, Lenzman, Searchlight and Makoto. Music aside, [ K S R ] has also been creative ambassador for New Balance, Foot Locker, Nike, Size? and Manchester United.
Konny Kon is best known for being one half of hip hop soul duo, Children of Zeus. With performances for Colors and Soulection, and support from peers Jazzy Jeff, Jazzie B, Loose Ends & countless others, Children of Zeus have released two highly-acclaimed albums and two EPs on Worldwide Award winning-label, First Word. Additionally to writing, performing and producing, Konny is a formidable DJ, hosting a popular monthly show on NTS Radio, and performing at numerous events; most recently supporting Mercury Award-winners Ezra Collective at every date on their European tour, culminating in a show with Children of Zeus at Wembley Arena, London.
Both artists have had wide support across the board from numerous tastemakers, including 1Xtra, BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, Rinse, Represent, Unity, Mixmag, Notion, Hypebeast and tons more. The duo have previously collaborated on All on You (from the CoZ album Travel Light) and single CGWY (from [ K S R ]s EP Peace + Harmony).
This single showcases the vocals of [ K S R ] and the production of Konny Kon to a degree that exudes pure quality and class, exemplifying the power of modern British soul music.
Part of the Plan / Faded from the Jump is released on 7 vinyl and digital, 22nd November 2024.")
![Amanda Whiting - Waiting to Go (feat. Chip Wickham) [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7dfI_0ZMDNU/mqdefault.jpg "Amanda Whiting - Waiting to Go (feat. Chip Wickham) [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw332
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Official stream from First Word Records. Distributed by Kudos Records.
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #Fusion
Album: The Liminality of Her (Deluxe Edition) [ALBUM]
Track: 7 of 14
Title: Waiting to Go
Artist: Amanda Whiting (feat. Chip Wickham)
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.")
![Royce Wood Junior - Rolling [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7fZJhrrNzsw/mqdefault.jpg "Royce Wood Junior - Rolling [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #Soul
Album: Penny Ballads [EP]
Track: 5 of 5
Title: Rolling
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.")
![Above The Clouds, Kidkanevil & Magic Manfred - Urgh [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/7nl1moD9EBs/mqdefault.jpg "Above The Clouds, Kidkanevil & Magic Manfred - Urgh [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #RapHipHop #InstrumentalEastCoast
Album: Change [SINGLE]
Track: 2 of 2
Title: Urgh
Artist: Above The Clouds, Kidkanevil & Magic Manfred
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW349
Formats: 7 Vinyl/Digital
Digital Release: 24th April 2026
Physical Release: 24th April 2026
About This Release:
First Word Records proudly present the second single from Above The Clouds (aka kidkanevil & Magic Manfred), taking on another underground hip hop classic, Change.
Change was originally performed by Shadez of Brooklyn, produced by Da Beatminerz and most notably appeared on DJ Premiers legendary New York Reality Check 101 mix compilation back in 1997.
This 7 vinyl release follows on from last Summers MF DOOM cover Arrow Root, which received strong support from the likes of Japans DJ Koco and Philadelphias DJ Jazzy Jeff.
This new instrumental reinterpretation also features cuts by Leicester-based turntablist, Jon1st - a DMC World Online Champion, as well as being a producer & musician in his own right, collaborating on music with a number of hip hop, D&B and electronic artists.
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 further We started the project with a few covers, just as a way to get warmed up and in a certain creative headspace, of which Change by Shadez Of Brooklyn was one. We both loved DJ Premiers New York Reality Check 101 mix when we were teenagers and this track was a favourite. The elements really lent themselves to live interpretation, and as an instrumental there was space to bring some nice movement with the bass and stuff. Hopefully we found the balance between paying tribute and finding our own pocket. For the final seasoning we hit up the homie and turntable wizard Jon1st to recreate the cuts, of which he did an immaculate job of course.
The b-side Urgh is one of our favourite beats weve made so far; the title is just how it makes us feel! We actually recorded the piano with two iphones as left and right and it sounded kinda cool so we went with it...
Change / Urgh is released on limited 7 vinyl & digital platforms, April 24th 2026.")
![Victoria Port - Haunting [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8sZAIJkTdO0/mqdefault.jpg "Victoria Port - Haunting [Audio]
Download & Stream: https://kud.li/fw325
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#FirstWordRecords #SoulRampB #Soul
Album: Haunting [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 1
Title: Haunting
Artist: Victoria Port
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW325
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 15th January 2025
About This Release:
First Word Records are delighted to present Haunting, the second single 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.
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!.
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 is the second track taken from her forthcoming debut solo EP, Did It Again, which is set to place her where she firmly belongs; as an exciting new talent in the vibrant, eclectic UK r&b/soul scene.
With production from Shevlane and Hemai, Victoria says Haunting is a funky bass led groove 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…
Haunting is released on all digital platforms, January 15th 2025, with the EP Did It Again set to follow on vinyl and digitally worldwide in February 2025.")
![Amanda Whiting - Skating [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/97Qu2WeQCQY/mqdefault.jpg "Amanda Whiting - Skating [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #Jazz #SmoothJazz
Album: Skating [SINGLE]
Track: 1 of 1
Title: Skating
Artist: Amanda Whiting
Label: First Word Records
Cat#: FW324
Formats: Digital
Digital Release: 20th November 2024
About This Release:
Following on from the critically-acclaimed album The Liminality of Her, more brand new music on First Word Records from formidable Welsh jazz-harpist, Amanda Whiting.
Skating is the second track taken from Amandas forthcoming Christmas album. Expertly crafted with love, care and dedication, Amanda reinterprets the Vince Guaraldi Trios 1965 Christmas classic into a three-minute piece of feel-good seasonal jazz-harp magic.
This track is taken from the forthcoming album A Christmas Cwtch, which takes on assorted classics from the likes of Bill Evans, Holst and Tchaikovsky, and re-presents them with original arrangements from Amanda and her accomplished trio.
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!
Skating will be released on all digital formats, November 20th 2024 ahead of the full album, A Christmas Cwtch, scheduled for December 2nd release on digital, vinyl and CD.")
![Tall Black Guy - The Motor Is Running [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/A7_CyDOpI1I/mqdefault.jpg "Tall Black Guy - The Motor Is Running [Audio]
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#FirstWordRecords #RapHipHop #InstrumentalEastCoast
Album: 8 Miles to Moenart (10th Anniversary Edition) [ALBUM]
Track: 7 of 10
Title: The Motor Is Running
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.")
![Werkha - Irregular You [Audio] @Firstwordrecords](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6TVib_yiEhE/maxresdefault.jpg)
