quête:remerge

First Word Records are very proud to present a heavyweight EP in collaboration with seminal groove collective, CoOp: 'Selectors Assemble'.

It's been almost two decades since a bunch of music makers, bored of the genre constraints of their time, began toying with time signature and syncopation to birth what is now known as broken beat. Summer 2017, the 'Selectors Assemble' EP is in our laps and we have a fitting reminder and long-overdue renaissance of one of London's most valuable musical movements.

IG Culture and Alex Phountzi were integral to this movement, the focal point being the CoOp club night, which ran predominantly on the famed floors of Plastic People, up until 2007. CoOp remerged late in 2015 as a Boiler Room session, in which the originators linked effortlessly with new school players such as K15 and Alex Nut. The following day, a session was inspired between an assortment of artists, and the seeds were planted for the 'Selectors Assemble'.

Here we have the first offering. The steady-paced roller of 'Gangz' (IG & Seiji), the dutty wine-ready getdown of Henry Wu's 'Substance', the heads-down low-end theory of '2nd Intention', the dominant soundclash call-out of the 'Spartan Riddim', riding out with the garage-flecked jam 'Can't Hold It', also featuring Sonar's Ghost (Domu). Five tracks deeply rooted in groove and as beautifully diverse as Bruk ever was.

Pressed up lovingly onto 140g vinyl, this release is accompanied with a fully-printed insert, featuring an extensive piece on the history of Bruk, written by Andwot (Touching Bass), classic photography by Sarah Ginn, and full-colour artwork by Mitchy Bwoy, a legendary artist to the original scene in his own right. This is an essential artefact for followers of the sound, new and old.

First Word prides itself on its ethos of musical diversity, and we're ecstatic to welcome aboard the CoOp foundation to the stable. A crew of British dance music pioneers, sound-system legends, and now-school heavyweights, this is but a taste of what's to come. Lead by the don IG Culture, the family spirit has quickly formed, the selectors have assembled.

The stage has been set for bruk's second wind. Be ready.

A A1 | Henry Wu - Substance (IG Culture & Alex Phountzi Remix)

Shadows aka AnD remerge after their unforgettable debut on Shifted's Avian imprint in 2012. The long awaited return finds its home on Leyla Records, in the form of four diverse yet cohesive experimental cuts that take the listener on a journey through the oppressive, the rhythmic, the funky and abrasive.

Fear Of The Imagination commences with a paranoid piece of intense, evolving noise and rhythmic splattering. A spellbinding sense of woozy psychedelia entrances the listener with deconstructed drums punctuating the piece. The improvisational feel to 'Leaves In The Wind' sets the precedence for the non-conformity that flows throughout the EP.

Track two, 'What If They Are Watching You' sits somewhere between Nine Inch Nails and The Sprawl, with rhythmic intensity greeting the listener immediately at 120 BPM. Masked and ominous vocals creep in and out as metallic sound design washes over the track.

Track three 'On A Mad Train' is possibly the groups most experimental piece to date. Droned out guitars and ascending synth lines create an progressive palette that maintains masterful musicality dowsed with menace.

The closer 'Lights Out' bursts with slapping synth lines and a distorted kick which acts as the frame for the bed of noise. An ideal closer for an EP that exudes originality on a label that continues to push the boundaries.