2xLP

First Word Records is very proud to present a brand new full-length album from Kaidi Tatham. 'It's A World Before You'.Following on from two EPs released on First Word last year ('Changing Times' and 'Hard Times'), Kaidi has delivered us thirteen tracks that deftly illustrate his various talents as a multi-instrumentalist.Kaidi is probably best known for his work with Bugz In The Attic, though his musical contributions over the years have also included Amy Winehouse, Slum Village, Mulatu Astatke, Soul II Soul, Moonchild, Leroy Burgess, Amp Fiddler, Chris Dave, Macy Gray, King Britt, DJ Spinna, Mr Scruff and IG Culture to name but a few! In recent times, he's worked with DJ Jazzy Jeff on a variety of projects, including his most recent album 'M3', touring Europe for Jeff and Will Smith's reunion shows, and on the PLAYlist album 'Chasing Goosebumps', with Glenn Lewis, Stro Elliot (The Roots), Masego, Maimouna Youssef, Rich Medina, Daniel Crawford and more.All this in addition to heating up dances around Europe with his inimitable DJ sets, and working heavily with First Word label-mate, Eric Lau (who also mixed this album) on a variety of projects, and adding releases to his already impressive catalogue on 2000 Black, Eglo and Theo Parrish's Sound Signature, with regular compadre, Dego (who features on the album's title track).This album personifies Kaidi's diverse palette of sounds – bar Eric & Dego's features, every piece of music is played by himself. Largely flowing on a broken beat rhythm section, Kaidi effortlessly incorporates washes of afro, latin and funk throughout. From the harmonics of 'Your Dream Don't Mean A Thing', to the breakneck funk of 'Outta Audah', each and every riddim exudes energy. But this isn't simply a bruk record. The album is laced together with downtempo beats and future jazz interludes throughout, and some sweet synth boogie is never very far away, especially on the weighty vibes of 'It's About Who You Know'. To top it all off, there's two delightful nuggets of hip hop soul - Mancunian label-mates, Children of Zeus, feature on the neo-soul vibes of 'Out Here On My Own', and there's a feature from Amir Townes, better known as Uhmeer - an upcoming MC from Philadelphia, and son of one Jazzy Jeff Townes - who rides a sub-heavy, piano-led slice of boom bap, voicing an assortment of characters to tell the tale of 'Cupid'.'It's A World Before You' is set to cause serious damage to sound-systems over the Summer, and show and prove once again the skills of one of the UK's best unsung musical talents, Kaidi Tatham.

Jazz, funk, disco and boogie from the unlikely city of Houston, Texas: the definitive issue, with bonus tracks, mastered from the original tapes.Drummer, bandleader and activist Bubbha Thomas had toured America with R&B revues, served as a session musician for Peacock and Back Beat Records, and played straight ahead jazz with legends before the political and social upheaval of the late 1960s led him to a path first charted by Coltrane. Country Fried Chicken, his fourth LP with his Lightmen band is his most accessible, a mixture of funk and spiritual jazz.Contains second disc with bonus tracks: alternate, synth-lead mixes of songs from his first two LPs as well as rare and unreleased disco and boogie tracks. Extensive booklet, download card for WAV files and footage of live performances included.

Limited gatefold 2xLP 500 Copies

Julien Dyne’s new project is an 11-track album with a synth-heavy sonic palette of future-soul and percussive afro-house. This double vinyl album is cut loud at DJ-friendly 45RPM .New Zealander Julien Dyne is a multi-instrumentalist with a long and impressive history of collaborative, live and solo musicianship. Best known for his solo work as BBE and having worked with the likes of Theo Parrish, Steve Spacek, Andreya Triana and Lord Echo - one of Soundway’s most successful artists.Dyne has also accumulated a number of accolades over the course of a 10-year career including but not exclusive to being hotly tipped by both Moodymann and Gilles Peterson.Dyne’s new project for 2018 is an 11-track LP on Miles Cleret’s extolled Soundway label. Demonstrating a shift in gears and movement toward a more uptempo, Afro inspired sound ‘Teal’ melds instrumental flair with astute production and a persistent grain of impassioned, effortless soul. The album features fellow New Zealanders Lord Echo and Mara TK, long term band-mate Ladi6, Fat Freddy’s Drop trumpeter Toby Laing, plus Australian vocalist Tim Guy and jazz luminaries Jonathan Crayford and John Bell. This is a body of work for the listener and the dancer alike with a mood as fitting for headphones as it is for the floor, with the double vinyl album cut loud at 45 RPM.