Peer through the windows of the sun-dappled homes in Sicily and you will be faced with a small, strange ceramic object adorning each hallway. It is a glistening pine cone standing upright – a pigna – the longstanding symbol of Sicilian openness and welcome hospitality. Learn More
The new Robohands LP showcases the brilliant producer and multi-instrumentalist through his most thought-out and compelling songwriting, yet.
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Renowned Italian spiritual jazz master, DJ, producer, guitarist, and bandleader Nicola Conte proudly presents his new album Umoja via London based label Far Out Recordings. Learn More
The devil is in the details. And Yosi Horikawa understands this perhaps better than most musicians from his generation, crafting compositions with broad appeal that also withstand the most intricate scrutiny. Originality has always been a rare currency in the creative arts, and having honed his voice over the years Yosi has plenty of it to give those willing to listen. Learn More
Candido Cameron was a Cuban percussion maestro who had played with luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich and Count Basie throughout his illustrious musical career which started in 1952. Fast forward to 1979 and Candido finds himself caught up in the Disco boom that had engulfed his adopted New York City. Feeling he could add his trademark quick-fire Conga and Bongo playing Learn More
First Word Records in collaboration with Heavenly Sweetness proudly bring you a ‘Beautiful’ new album from the formidably funky French duo, Souleance.
So the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder (or perhaps in this case, the ear!). How we define beauty varies from person to person. Be it a meal, a landscape, a picture, a record…
Appreciating and admiring beauty could be considered an art in itself, and one that Souleance have made a rule of life. This ethic is transposed into their own craft, used as fuel to turn beautiful moments into music. This 15-track album seeks to convey this through an assortment of sun-saturated grooves of different shapes and sizes. Learn More
First Word Records is very proud to welcome the return of the inimitable Kaidi Tatham, with his 5th album for us, entitled 'The Only Way'.
Kaidi Tatham is a legendary multi-instrumentalist born in the Midlands and based in Belfast. Established as one of the original creators of the Broken Beat sound, he is a virtuoso on the keys and a true innovator in sound production. Learn More
First Word Records are very proud to bring you a new album from Don Leisure with Amanda Whiting.
'Beyond The Midnight Sun' expands upon ground first explored on Don Leisure's track 'All Praises Due', which also featured Amanda (with Angel Bat Dawid), and featured on his previous album 'Shaboo Strikes Back'. This is a full-length project that these two formidable Welsh artists have collaborated on together.
To bring you up to speed, Cardiff DJ and beat-maker Don Leisure has been twice nominated for the Welsh Music Prize, with the afore-mentioned album 'Shaboo Strikes Back', and a previous project, 'Steel Zakusi'. As well as being 50% of Darkhouse Family with Earl Jeffers, he's released music under various monikers on labels such as Metalheadz, International Anthem, Fat City, Earnest Endeavours, Group BraCil and on Rough Trade with another regular collaborator, Gruff Rhys. Other collabs have included Charlotte Church, Om'Mas Keith, DJ Spinna and First Word label-mate Tyler Daley (Children of Zeus). Learn More
T Funk Collective teams up with Atomphunk for his debut track for Regulate Recordings on the labels fifth release. Atomphunk has deep house roots and productions on labels such as Toko Records, 3AM Recordings, Urban Torque Records and Deepfunk Records (USA) and he brings his A game to the flip side for this release. Learn More
'Atlantis' is a smouldering jazz-funk, cinematic excursion courtesy of the Brazilian maestro, Daniel Salinas. A conductor, pianist, arranger, and producer, he has worked across several genres within Brazil’s rich musical tapestry, including the Beatles-inspired Jovem Guarda movement, jazz-funk, and MPB to name just a few. He featured on records by Franco, Célia, Perfume Azul Do Sol, Wilson Simonal, Juca Chaves and a whole host of Brazilian greats. Learn More
Back to Black is the second and final studio album by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, released on 27 October 2006 by Island Records. Learn More
With his debut release for Rhythm Section International, Hackney-raised Jerome Thomas is declaring the dawning of a new age for British soul music. Jerome’s school was a home filled with non-stop music; whether that was bootleg CDs of Rare Groove from East London’s Sunday markets to late 90s R&B on The Box or family favourites; Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Chico DeBarge, Jill Scott. He learnt his prodigious vocal craft of ad-libs and harmonies by listening to Brandy’s ‘98 LP ‘Never Say Never’ on repeat. Learn More
Continuing Mr Bongo’s series exploring the wealth of material released through the record labels of Sonny Lester, 1977’s Funk Reaction finds Hammond B3 organ virtuoso Lonnie Smith at his most dancefloor-friendly. Dripping with groove and swagger, this album skates between jazz-funk, cosmic disco radiance, beat-laden slow-jams and conscious psychedelic soul. Learn More
Mike Maurro is back at it. Taking the keys to the Philadelphia International Records vault and plucking out two certified classics The O'Jays - I Love Music and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes feat. Teddy Pendergrass - Wake Up Everybody to give them a little Maurro re-edit magic. Learn More
Originally conceived as a tour only exclusive, Bright Sparkling Light was recorded alongside, 2023's expansive beguiling long-player An Ever Changing View and draws on the same trademark blend of jazz, electronica, global and spiritual jazz influences. The original pressing sold-out on Matthew’s EU and UK tour last October and November and so many people got in touch with us here at Gondwana asking how they could get a copy that we decided to make a further 2000 copies available. Learn More
Dutch multi-instrumentalist Felbm returns with the conceptual album ‘cycli infini’ : a 38-minute composition of metamorphosing tape loops, musical patterns and instrumental sketches. Further exploring the concept is the vinyl release which features the track spread over both sides and cut to the end of each locked groove - creating an essentially never-ending piece that challenges the idea of the traditional listening process. Learn More
First Word Records is very proud to bring you a brand new 11-track album from Quiet Dawn, one called 'Celebrate'.French multi-instrumentalist Quiet Dawn has been an integral part of the First Word family for a full decade now. Learn More
Strut Records were there first, well before DFA recorded The Rapture’s Sub Pop debut. ‘Disco Not Disco’ preceded the punk funk revolution by two years.”- Resident Advisor.
‘Disco Not Disco’ preceded the punk funk revolution by two years.”- Resident Advisor. Learn More
Elevating, uplifting and beautifully arranged. Jasmine Myra's sophomore album Rising builds on the success of her breakthrough album Horizons to deliver a major statement from one of UK Jazz's rising stars. Produced by Matthew Halsall and mixed by Greg Freeman (Hania Rani, Matthew Halsall, Portico Quartet), Rising delivers a confident and vibrant follow up that joins the musical dots between Myra’s influences Kenny Wheeler, Bonobo and Shabaka Hutchings while delivering something unique, beautiful and profound. Learn More
To celebrate 3 years since the release of Andrew Ashong & Kaidi Tatham’s now classic Sankofa Season, Kitto Records invite some of their favourite artists to remix and reimagine the music. The result is an all-star line up that crosses genre and generations to produce a truly cracking EP, one that is clearly rooted in the original music while also moving into new, unexpected territories. Whether it is dubstep pioneer Mala bringing a heavy and sophisticated twist to ‘Low Ceilings’, or breakthrough post-punk artist Wu-Lu flipping ‘Washed in You’ into a completely new realm, complete with a captivating feature from the one and only Lex Learn More
The next album release on Goldie's fast-rising, boutique label Fallen Tree 1Hundred, The Day Out of Time by The Degrees is the Acid Jazz/Soul and Trip Hop long-player from drum and bass man of the moment Break, alongside singer songwriter Isha Campbell, heavily inspired by their home town of Bristol. Learn More
É Soul Cultura captain, originator of Manchester’s legendary Electric Chair and definitive people’s champion, Luke Una taps into a lifetime’s worth of musical discovery for the second volume in our Mr Bongo Edits series. A cosmic coming together that sees two of Luke’s secret weapons, re-edited and re-contextualised by the man himself to provide optimal dancefloor euphoria. Learn More
After reuniting the Cosmic Renaissance project and releasing the album “Universal Language” (SCLP/CD513) in 2022, Gianluca Petrella returns to the future jazz scene 2023 as a protagonist with a new five-track EP, “Universal Message”, again on Schema Records label, keeping the wind section of the original record unchanged. Learn More
More than once Jay Richford and Gary Stevan’s Feelings has been described as the greatest library record ever released. Of course Be With can’t be seen to be playing favourites, but we have to admit, it’s pretty good. Insanely rare and immensely sought-after, it’s a tough funk, street jazz masterpiece coveted for many years by collectors of all musical genres. Groove-laden bass, irrepressible horns, sweet flute lines, warm Rhodes, lush string arrangements, blaxploitation-styled wah-wah guitars and so, so much more make this one of the finest instrumental soul LPs of the 70s, if not of all time. Learn More
Protection is the second studio album by English electronic music group Massive Attack, released on 26 September 1994 by Wild Bunch Records and Circa. DJ Mad Professor remixed the album in 1995 under the name No Protection. Learn More
New Zealand’s jazz luminaries have assembled to form an all-star cluster: The Circling Sun.
Channeling spiritual/modal jazz and Latin rhythms, they simultaneously reference the greats such as Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane, while maintaining a fresh perspective on ensemble dynamics. Learn More
Gloria Scott’s ‘What Am I Gonna Do’ is one of the greatest soul records ever. Produced by Barry White, that oozes class, lush instrumentation and the remarkle vocal talent and emotive delivery of Ms Scott. From the impecable opener ‘What Am I Gonna Do’ through to the Modern Soul scenes favourite, ‘(A Case Of) Too Much Love Makin’, nearly every cut on the LP is a classic. An extremely rare LP since it’s release in 1974, with original copies changing hands for over £100. Now 50 years on it has been officially licenced & lovingly reissued by the Selector Series label and arguably an LP every Soul fan needs in their collection.
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Colin Curtis is back! with another finely curated selection of the best Jazz Dance Fusion records he could find. Volume 4 reflects a combination of new music, unreleased music, and tracks that have never been on vinyl before or have not attained the recognition they deserve. Packed with great Jazz Dance music from the UK and all around the world. The whole purpose of these compilations is to introduce you to fantastic talent and allow you to then go and explore all their works and keep this movement moving! With brand new & exclusive releases, extremely rare tracks, and many only available on Vinyl for the first time from Brazil, Cuba, Japan, Italy, USA, UK, and beyond. Showcasing another insight into Colin Curtis's world of Jazz Dance Fusion and highlighting the sheer diversity & talent on offer from Vocal Jazz, Salsa, and Latin Spoken Word to Sambas & Fusion, It’s All Here! Learn More