V.A.

Celebrating their 20th year in the game, award-winning imprint First Word Records continue their impressive run of releases, unveiling their brand new compilation album ‘Love & Purpose’. Lovingly crafted by label founder Aly Giliani (AKA Gilla), the album is a celebration of British soul music, past and present. Inspired by the vinyl compilations that shaped his early years as a DJ, Gilla has curated a set of 12 tracks that tell the story of underground British soul music over the last 40 years, taking in street soul, alternative R&B, neo-soul and lovers rock.

Keen to ensure that this was more than an exercise in nostalgia, the album is split into two halves: Disc One (Love) is focussed on artists who were active pre-2000, whilst Disc Two (Purpose) shines a light on newer artists who are carrying the torch for the previous generation. So the Carl McIntosh produced ‘Feel’ by Ruth Joy sits alongside the throwback street-soul sounds of Lynda Dawn, and Children Of Zeus’ modern lovers rock classic ‘Hard Work’ rubs shoulders with Omar’s evergreen ‘Ghana Emotion’. With music from artists in Manchester, London, Leeds, Cardiff and Sheffield, ‘Love & Purpose’ is the soundtrack to summers from 1985 to the present day. Highlights include the Nick Martinelli (Loose Ends) produced ‘Tell Me’ by 52nd Street, Lynda Dawn’s Roses and cover-star Dazzle’s ‘Dazzle You’.