First Word Records is proud to bring you 'The Making of Silk', the brand new album from Allysha Joy. Allysha Joy is a deeply-expressive singer, songwriter, producer & keys player hailing from Naarm (Melbourne), known for both her solo work and as front woman for 30/70. A uniquely-talented artist, her husky soulful voice, formidable Fender Rhodes prowess and raw poeticism has garnered legions of attentive fans the world over. As an integral performer in the modern day jazz-soul scene, previous support has included selectors Gilles Peterson & Jamz Supernova (BBC 6 Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), China Moses (Jazz FM) & Laurent Garnier (PBB France), along with stations such as NTS, Lot Radio, KEXP & KCRW, and publications including OkayPlayer, Dazed and The Vinyl Factory. Along with a recent foray into the USA market with a string of successful shows, Allysha Joy has performed alongside acts such as Snarky Puppy, PJ Morton, The Teskey Brothers, Kokoroko and Children of Zeus, to name a few. More

Following on from the three highly-acclaimed CoOp Presents 'Selectors Assemble' compilation EPs from the past year, it's now time to focus on some of the individual talents from the ever-evolving movement. As the international foundation grows, we invite aboard the extremely talented Neue Grafik into the fold. French producer, instrumentalist and DJ, Neue Grafik, has been building a strong rep for himself over the past few years, releasing records previously on labels such as Rhythm Section, 22a and Wolf Music. His sound is a hybrid of jazz, house, broken beat and hip hop, all with his unique geographical flavours of African ethnicity, Parisian roots and a love for London thrown into the mix. So to the music - two brand new tracks, 'I Miss Something' and 'Bed Stuy's Mood', complete with remixes from EVM128, Danvers, Xtra Bruk and NameBrandSound (aka label bosses IG Culture & Alex Phountzi) respectively, making this one essential package for the bruk soldiers and beyond. More

Secretsundaze are back with their first label release in 2023: the follow up to Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange’s 2021’s 'Kreuzberg Kix EP 1'. The team is very much present and correct with artist Wayne Snow once again joining the party on the deep house trip 'Take Your Time'. It comes complete with a stunning remix by Secretsundaze long time fave, NYC based producer and DJ Jenifa Mayanja, and the jazzy, uptempo, instrumental 'Bleached'. More

Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange is a collective that brings together UK jazz funk vibes with the energy of Berlin's electronic DJ music. "Sci-Fi Jazz Directions" epitomises the Zeitgeist of the time, the crucial meeting point of our organic selves with our technology. More

Tracklist:

1. Ana Frango Elétrico – Saudade
2. Pedro Fonte – Clichê
3. Bala Desejo - Lua Comanche
4. Ava Rocha - Boca do Céu
5. Exército de Bebês - Avós da Experiência
6. Thiago Nassif - Soar Estranho (feat. Arto Lindsay, Vinicius Cantuária & Gabriela Riley)
7. Negro Leo – Mulato
8. Mari Romano – Amélie
9. ROSABEGE - SIGO NUM SITE / MÁRMORE
10. Dora Morelenbaum - Vento de Beirada
11. Cadu Tenório & Juçara Marçal - Candombe - La Cacundê Iauê
12. Jonas Sa – Gigolô
13 Troá – Bandeide
14. Marcelo Callado - Simbora (feat. Silvia Machete)
15. Ovo Ou Bicho – Moços
16. Lê Almeida - Apreço Antigo
17. Vovô Bebê - Briga de Família (feat. Ana Frango)
18. Joana Queiroz - Dois Litorais
19. Raquel Dimantas - Flecha Azul
20. António Neves & Thiaguinho Silva - Das Neves
21. Letrux - Dorme Com Essa
22. Os Ritmistas - Sambolero

The popularity of Brazilian music from the 60s, 70s and 80s has experienced quite the renaissance; artists such as Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil, Arthur Verocai, Joyce et al, have become household names to an international audience passionate about global sounds. However, even for die-hard fans and collectors of Brazilian music of the past, discovering contemporary Brazilian artists is not always easy, nor accessible. But, if you know where to look, you will see that there is a resurgence well underway that can be epitomised by an exciting new wave of Brazilian artists beginning to break through and gather momentum overseas. It’s with thanks to Sound and Colours, a website devoted to promoting Latin American music and culture, that we can help shine a light on one particular collective, bursting with creativity and camaraderie.

‘Hidden Waters: Strange and Sublime Sounds of Rio de Janeiro’ is compiled by Joe Osborne (founder of specialist Brazilian music platform Brazilian Wax) and Russ Slater (editor at large of Sounds and Colours). Focusing solely on the 'Rio Scene', rather than taking on the mammoth task of tackling Brazil as a whole, this collection presents 20-plus ground-breaking artists selected from Rio’s resurgent music scene. By presenting a snapshot into the pulse of the city and the vibrant musicians that live in it, ‘Hidden Waters’ collates tracks from a wide spectrum of musical genres from the avant-garde edge to bossa nova, samba, Candomblé, lo-fi rock, jazz and funk.

‘Hidden Waters’ showcases musicians such as iconic Rio mainstays Negro Leo & Ava Rocha, Brazilian jazz upstart Antônio Neves, critically lauded Avant-pop trailblazer Thiago Nassif, breakthrough artists Ana Frango Elétrico and Letrux, lo-fi psych rocker Lê Almeida, plus the Latin Grammy-winning Bala Desejo who are set to explode onto the world stage.

The music featured on ‘Hidden Waters’ is unequivocally Brazilian, swelling with samba, bossa nova, funk, and jazz. But it’s within the album's blend; from sunny psychedelia to dusky synth-pop via experimental electronics, that marks the compilation as the sound of modern, multicultural Rio. Fans of Brazil’s fertile 60s and 70s will spot the antecedents in Tropicália. Not only in the experimentation but also through the similar political context: back in the late 60s there was Brazil’s military dictatorship, and up until the end of 2022 it was Bolsonaro’s censorious premiership. Here are a group of musicians writing and reflecting on another colourful chapter within Brazil’s musical history.

This comprehensive compilation comes with album artwork designed by Rio music’s leading album artwork designer, Caio Paiva. It features essays by professor and music critic Bernardo Oliveira and music journalist Leonardo Lichote, plus extensive notes on each track by the artists themselves. More

The follow up to his 2017 album, Produced With Love II is a collection of brand new songs from one of the UK’s most longstanding, respected and fiercely independent artists.

Record One
A1 Dave & Omar – Starlight
A2 Jayenne feat. Gina Carey - Love Walked In The Room
B1 Foreal People feat. Xan Blacq - Raise A Blaze.
B2 Mistura feat. Jemini - Want Me Back
Record Two
C1 Dave Lee feat. Billy Valentine - Taste My Love
C2 Mistura feat. Tiffany T'Zelle - If You Ever Need Somebody
C3 The Sunburst Band feat. Angela Johnson - Face The Love.
D1 Raw Essence feat. Lifford - Do It Again
D2 Dave Lee feat. Billy Valentine - Power Of The Mind (Power Trip Mix)
D3 The Sunburst Band - Let's Do It In Style
Bonus 12” Record
E1 Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes - Don't Leave Me This Way (Dave Lee Philly World Mix)
F1 Kokomo - Use Your Imagination (Dave Lee Re-Imagined Mix) More

Tracklisting:
A1 Interplanetary Criminal - Who On Da Mic
A2 Interplanetary Criminal - Supreme Level
B1 Interplanetary Criminal - Darkside
B2 Interplanetary Criminal - The Way

Release Note:
Interplanetary Criminal returns to Time Is Now with four killer UKG cuts. More

2023 Repress

Tracklisting:
A1 Coco Bryce - You Care Because They Do
B1 Tommy The Cat - Power Station

Sales Note
Rare and limited Jungle Picturedisk release from Coco & The Cat. More

You’re The Man is the first-ever planned “lost” Tamla/Motown album from Marvin Gaye. Fifteen (15) of the album’s 17 tracks are on vinyl for the first time and three tracks are newly mixed by SaLaAM ReMi. The album also includes the rare long LP version of Marvin Gaye’s cancelled Christmas single from ’72, as well as an unreleased vault mix of its instrumental B-side, and new essay by Marvin’s biographer, David Ritz. The release will coincide with the 60th anniversary of Motown as a label and also Marvin Gaye’s 80th Birthday (April 2).
While the tracks have been issued on various collections and deluxe editions, this is the first time they have been placed in their proper context. In addition to context, You’re The Man was the album that was proposed to follow-up the monumental What’s Going On, and it contains all of Marvin’s solo and non-soundtrack recordings from 1972 (his next two albums in quick succession: Trouble Man and Let’s Get It On).
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