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Tag Archives: First Word Records

First Word Records new Soundcrash residency at XOYO

First Word Records have a new residency at Soundcrash at XOYO in London. This kicks off on 19th Feb 2011, with Bonobo, Mr Thing, Kutmah, Lazy Habits with room 2 taken over by First Word Records.

For more info see the Soundcrash website.

Souleance – “Soupape EP”

After the successes of Le Monde EP and Le Plaisir, the French duo (producer Fulgeance and the French Funky President, DJ Soulist) release their latest EP.

Out on 6th December on First Word Records the EP features 6 tracks of funky French house tracks. Whilst these tracks are not the beat and bass heavy tracks I’d normally listen to, I have to say there is something about Souleance’s music that’s different and appeals.

The music is crisp and fresh, beatful and melodic and entrancing. Each track has a similar feel to it, but appeal in their own right. The title track “Soupape” and “Croque Madame” are probably the livelier of the tracks although the underlying tones of “Passarinho” really appeal.

Definetely something to check out if you like your dance music a little mellow and chilled and different (but not in a warped beats kind of way).

Andy H’s next track to be “A Little Jive”

Following on from “This is the Beat”, Andy H releases his next club banger on First Word Records, “A Little Jive“.

And what a banger it is. Don’t be fooled by the “jive” in the title or indeed the opening “jive” music in the first few seconds of this track, because this is far from being yet another overly commercial dance track aimed at the kiddies who like the idea of funked up jazz tracks.

Yes the original has a swing vocal hook, but the track builds from that into thumping beats and then into rave style synths guaranteed to get your arms waving in the air. Underlying the whole track though is  a reggae style bassline, which is taken to the extreme in the “Lite Mix” which gives the track a dancehall groove with bubbly synth beats, the swing sample.

In a sense these are almost two seperate tracks. I like the original’s rave chords, but I also like the warpedness of the Lite Mix.

Out on 8th November.

Lotek’s blue screen rap

Anyone who’s had to give the three single shuffle to their PC will appreciate this song. Ska revivalist, Lotek, has concocted a neat and humourous track about owning a PC which then goes wrong: “CTRL, ALT, DEL”.

It features some Window’s sound samples which may make you think that you’re computer is shutting down or just starting up. Available as a standard version or dub remix the track is pretty minimal in beats but the focus is clearly on Lotek’s rap which is fine, because their are some cool lyrical twists and you want to try and take in all the words. The Dub Remix isn’t up to much in my view – not as deep based as it could have been and missing the Windows samples, but as I say you’ll want to listen to this track for the vocals, not the music.

“CTRL, ALT, DEL” is out on 22nd March on First Word Records

Kidkanevil – Basho Basho

Basho Basho artworkTracklisting:
1. Bokusha 1
2. Lantern 1
3. Megajoy / J-POP
4. Setsuko
5. Land Of Plenty / Bokusha 2
6. Drunken Master
7. Tintinnabuli
8. Minjo
9. The Floating World
10. When Doves Bounce
10. The Whistling Of Wintry Wind / Lantern 2 / Bokusha 3
12. Yokai

Released 18th January 2010 on First Word Records

I think most would describe this album as “odd”. It’s not your run of the mill collection of dance floor flavours, but instead a collection of beeps and tweeks in a hi-tech collection of synths, Japanese film clips and what in places sound like video game samples. In places there’s a dubstep feel to it, but generally it’s a little weird.

If you’re into your minimal tune-age then this is probably for you, but only “Magajoy/J-Pop”, “The Floating World” and “When Doves Bounce” appealed to me – the rest I’m sorry to say was too experimental, and dare I say a little boring. Innovative, but not out there in terms of the beats I like to hear.

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