WORLDWIDE FM × FUTURE BUBBLERS

Soulful, relaxed, rhythm-focused jams whatever the weather. Brewed in North London, matured in South Melbourne, spilt in Manchester – now bubbling…

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As one half of LV (Brownswood, Hyperdub, Keysound) Will has worked with some of the UK’s foremost labels and released four critically acclaimed albums as well as numerous singles and remixes. He has DJed and played live across the world and is a regular on radio. For the last two years he has also been mentoring and leading studio sessions at Raw Sounds, a music project for young people in Brixton, South London.

After years of writing and bedroom performances I took to the stage late 2013 and haven’t looked back since. Born and raised in East Ham and residing in Nottingham, I used the midlands hub of creativity to explore my craft. Just reaching my 11th gig, I’ve already had air time from BBC 1xtra & BBC introducing, supported Ego Ella May, Shelter Point, and Harleigh Blu. “Sultry tones and dynamic melodies tell her journey in a beautifully honest way, drawing on influences from female icons in music, from Jazz to funk, soul to lovers rock, folk to electronic.” is how my music has been described.

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Influenced by the artistry of Erykah Badu, the lyricism of Lauryn Hill and the vibes of Aaliyah, Victoria Port has always had her roots planted in Future soul, jazz and r’n’b. After studying music at university Victoria signed to Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood recordings as part of duo Anushka in 2013. She has since performed worldwide and received support from the likes of Annie Mac, Jamie Cullum and Marie Anne Hobbs.

I would describe my sound as minimal, bass driven dance music, tinged with dub and dancehall influences. I got into production through listening to a lot of UK hip hop in my teens, beats by Jehst and Harry Love were of particular inspiration. Early Hudson Mohawke was my introduction to more experimental electronic music, and his music had a big influence on me.

‘Noise Report’ is a night I run with a collective of audio & visual artists – we experiment with audio-reactive visuals and makeshift-installations. The night usually takes place in Deptford, an area that has played a big part in the development my music.

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“As a recording artist on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label. Max is one half of duo Anushka with over 2 million plays online, an album and world tour in 2014/15 and Radio 1 plaudits from Annie Mac, Skream and others.

Max is a musician/producer, consultant, author and youth music tutor, specialising in Rap, Urban & Electronic music, soundtracks, remixes and peer-to-peer education projects.

He has conducted thousands of workshops across the country teaching rap, beatmaking, songwriting and production to everyone from young offenders to social workers in prisons, primary schools, special needs projects and community groups. His work on lyric writing with young people has been highlighted in a peer reviewed journal by academic Luke Dickens and he is the author of VIP Studio Sessions, a major secondary school program from international education leader Charang

My names Liam van Rijn, I’m from Hull and Revenu is my musical outlet. My main influences are things sounds and musical ideas that wouldn’t normally be put together, soulful, imperfect, outside the box music. I try to immerse myself in all types of music but I’m particularly shifted towards artists like Actress, Thom Yorke, Silver Apples, Boards of Canada. Hopefully I am heading in the direction of writing a lot more music, continue to DJ and prepare to take the music I make as Revenu out with a ‘band’.

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Alex Patchwork – the “patchwork” part comes from DJing, running parties in London and generally messing about with music with two of my mates under the name Patchwork Pirates from about 2003 to 2010, when we switched things up and started a record label and regular events as Earnest Endeavours. I still do the odd remix and DJ here and there when the opportunity arises. 

On the career side of things I started out as a music journalist and went on to work for Soul Jazz Records, Brownswood Recordings / Gilles Peterson Worldwide, and I currently work at Ninja Tune as a project manager, running campaigns across our family of imprints: Ninja Tune, Brainfeeder, Werkdiscs, Counter, Big Dada and Technicolour.

I’m Medikul, a music producer from Nottingham. I make beats pulling a variety of sounds and influences from everyday life, and everything influences me. I enjoy making music which incorporates found sounds and naturally occurring rhythms, but wears styles and influences from hip-hop/downtempo, jungle and footwork. I aim to find an outlet which will allow me to confidently present my music, and the music of others like me, to audiences of like minded people so the eclectic beats scene can be enjoyed by everyone.

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Alex Patchwork – the “patchwork” part comes from DJing, running parties in London and generally messing about with music with two of my mates under the name Patchwork Pirates from about 2003 to 2010, when we switched things up and started a record label and regular events as Earnest Endeavours. I still do the odd remix and DJ here and there when the opportunity arises. 

On the career side of things I started out as a music journalist and went on to work for Soul Jazz Records, Brownswood Recordings / Gilles Peterson Worldwide, and I currently work at Ninja Tune as a project manager, running campaigns across our family of imprints: Ninja Tune, Brainfeeder, Werkdiscs, Counter, Big Dada and Technicolour.

We are Congi, a duo from Nottingham. We are music producers and dj’s. We started making music together out of a common love of early dubstep. Hip-hop, grime, jazz and soul are other favourites of ours. We put out our first full length album in 2014 and followed that with an EP in 2015. We are currently working on our second album, the music for which feels more expansive and freer than before, a mindstate we are starting to adopt in our dj sets too.

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Swindle speaks from the heart on this, because he is a true craftsman who does things his own way, and it’s in his blood. From his very earliest memories the sounds he remembers around the house were blues, funk and jazz. But growing up around south London, other music was naturally seeping in too: pirate radio was ubiquitous at his primary school in the mid-90s, the sound was jungle. “‘Original Nuttah’, M-Beat ‘Incredible’, those ‘Junglist Massive’ CD compilations…” Then the two worlds collided. Swindle epitomises underground innovation and Musically, with his latest album “Peace Love and Music” he continues on the jazzy path that his records on Brownswood and Deep Medi put him on the map for.

I am Kid Katharsis. I am a singer-songwriter. I am influenced by lots of stuff. So I see myself heading different ways. The future is always uncertain.

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Post punk reggae funk School bands into clubs. Clubs on the mic into spoken word and Galliano . Signed to a major and experienced the music business with singles, video’s and producers, odd artwork break ups culminating in five albums . Did a lot of touring for five or six years. After that started a new group 2bo4 and a record label Red Egyptian .

At the same time started out solo as Earl Zinger. Toured extensively with both and did many collaborations with many artists. Used many names to explore other creative outlets with many assorted live experiences. Most recently made and toured William Adamson project with band and solo. Whilst Performing vocals with Gilles at Dj gigs and just putting out a new project The Diabolical Liberties

Coming from Nottingham, I have been one of the more prominent figures of the Nottingham Grime scene throughout it’s growth. Starting out in youth clubs with fellow MCs, I have gone from strength to strength and am now known as one of the scene leaders for Grime within Nottingham and as one of the best youngers in the country.

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Sway aka Derek Safo aka Del Boy aka Mustapha The Great aka Sway aka SuperSwah aka Swizzle aka Safo Dan, however you refer to him, the UK Hip Hop scene hails London rapper Sway as one of it’s real trailblzers. Doing it his way and his way only from day dot, as well as remaining an incredibly relevant artist, Sway has developed an impressive “business” side to his music, with production companies and support from industry heavyweights at Universal.

Producer, songwriter and vocalist hailing from Sheffield. Peddling a warped take on R&B, his fractured approach to making music hinges on a feeling for the unexpected.

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Emily works at as a Product Manager and Event Manager for much-lauded independent imprint XL Recordings. Emily’s role sees her as the intermediary between acts and the label, working to coordinate everyone to make projects as big a success as possible. 

With roots in the UK rave scene, the label has since emerged to become a multi-faceted trendsetter for UK music: their roster—encompassing influential sub-labels like Young Turks and Whities—includes acts like The xx, Radiohead and Powell.

Born in Johannesburg, growing up in Doncaster, Skinny Pelembe poses a quadruple threat – he produces, plays guitar, sings and MCs. Tapping into a unique, influence-weaving sound, his creativity extends to making his own videos too

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Starting out as a music journalist who then moved to the other side of the industry, he’s worked for Soul Jazz Records, Brownswood Recordings / Gilles Peterson Worldwide, and currently works at Ninja Tune as a project manager, running campaigns across their family of imprints: Ninja Tune, Brainfeeder, Werkdiscs, Counter, Big Dada and Technicolour. 

He also previously ran his own label / club night Earnest Endeavours for a few years, DJed a bit as Patchwork Pirates with two friends (that’s where the “patchwork” tag comes from); and still enjoy messing about producing, remixing and making dodgy club edits.

Colliding a balearic sensibility with globe-stretching inspirations, Ratomagoson feeds far-flung sounds into his trusty sampler. Building beats through the MPC, previous projects have seen Colombian field recordings figure as his starting point

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As one half of LV, who’ve had releases on labels like Brownswood, Hyperdub, Keysound, Will has worked with some of the UK’s foremost labels and released four critically acclaimed albums as well as numerous singles and remixes. He has DJd and played live across the world and is a regular on radio. For the last two years he has also been mentoring and leading studio sessions at Raw Sounds, a music project for young people in Brixton, South London.

With a music-making career that only stretches back as far as February 2016, R.Lyle offers a world of potential. Based in Sheffield, he spends part of his time focused on a Biomedical Sciences degree. A producer who also plays a clutch of instruments, they’ve fed into a string of productions following an eye-opening listen of a Bonobo record.

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London-based migrant, Ross Tones, makes music under the ever so pertinent moniker, Throwing Snow. Releasing on labels like Local Action, Ho Tep, Sneaker Social Club and his own Snowfall imprint, Tones has since signed an exclusive album deal with Houndstooth. He also recently attended the Red Bull Music Academy in New York, sharing studio time with Four Tet and Flying Lotus, in addition to playing two Boiler Room sets, supporting Bonobo on his European tour and playing alongside Atoms For Peace and Jon Hopkins in 2013.

Not one to be content with merely making his own music, Tones is also co-owner of the Left Blank and A Future Without record labels, using his accrued industry knowledge to help launch the careers of now established artists Vessel, Wife, Visionist, Lorca, Memotone and Young Echo, as well as running his own imprint, Snowfall.

20-year-old female producer out of Nottingham. She revolves around beats and hip hop culture – from go-to producer Knxwledge to underground institutions like Soulection and Stones Throw, crate-digging for obscure vinyl samples is where she’s at home. She DJs too.

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Eric Lau is a world renowned producer and DJ. He’s worked with legends like DJ Jazzy Jeff, De La Soul, James Poyser and Dego and performed with the likes of Robert Glasper, Erykah Badu, ?uestlove.

His debut album, ‘New Territories’ was released to critical acclaim and nominated as one of Gilles Peterson’s Top Albums of the Year in 2008. 

His sophomore album, ‘One of Many’ won him universal praise and was rated as one of 2013’s best releases by iTunes. With a highly anticipated third album in the works, he continues his journey in contributing as a ambassador for timeless music.

A jazz and neo soul-influenced singer songwriter from Manchester, her music channels Erykah Badu and Jill Scott. With soft, understated vocals, she holds aspirations to nail down a characteristic production sound.

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Claudio is a booking agent at CAA in London, representing artists such as Madlib, NAO, Jordan Rakei, ABRA, Palms Trax and Galcher Lustwerk. He also runs independent record label Five Easy Pieces with his good friend, Tom Lilley. They have put out records by Flako, Reginald Omas IV, Call Super & many more. He used to promote nights & run music/design blog Bridging the Gap with other good friends for quite a while. They’ve now turned their eyes to a monthly wine club called Chateauneuf du Brap.

A child of the UK garage scene, you can hear its 2-step swing filter through his productions. Based in Manchester, the smoothed out house and beatdown-style production comes supplemented by the vocal hooks sung by Lewis himself.

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From a misspent youth skateboarding through the small-towns of Northeast England to running a successful independent record label, in-between producing and remixing for a wealth of talent around the world, Martin “Atjazz” Iveson has become synonymous with the highest levels of style, production and innovation in the independent music scene.

A prolific remixer throughout his 20-year career—for Nitin Sawhney, Jazzanova, The RAH Osunlade, Zed Bias and Omar—he continues to maintain a globe-hopping DJ presence too. Appearing in the DJ booths from London to Paris, Tokyo and Johannesburg, he’s not afraid to clock up those air-miles so he can play to the people he loves.

Hailing from Brighton, her main musical activity happens in Leeds. A producer and songwriter, her delicate songwriting and vocals feed into a melodic current carrying her lyrics and her production.

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Anna Jaskiewicz is a Sync Manager and A&R at Warp, where she is responsible for creative exploitation of the label’s catalogue, overseeing commissioned projects and A&R for a few different artists. She’s previously worked as an A&R for Manners McDade Publishing—an agency representing contemporary and electronic music composers including Nils Frahm, Matthew Herbert and Max Richter. 

Warp is an international label bringing leftfield art to a global audience. For over 25 years, Warp has been synonymous with the avant-garde, and from groundbreaking electronic music to new mutations of jazz, classical, pop and hip-hop it has defied being pigeonholed within any genre. The Warp roster includes innovators from across generations—Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus, Autechre, Danny Brown, Boards of Canada, Clark, Lorenzo Senni—and the list goes on.

A classically trained organist and keys player, his musical dabblings have stretched to trumpet and bass too. Based in Nottingham, his productions are rooted in jazz influences; there are soft, inviting melodies counterposed with glitchy interjections.

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Starting out as a music journalist who then moved to the other side of the industry, he’s worked for Soul Jazz Records, Brownswood Recordings / Gilles Peterson Worldwide, and currently works at Ninja Tune as a project manager, running campaigns across their family of imprints: Ninja Tune, Brainfeeder, Werkdiscs, Counter, Big Dada and Technicolour. 

He also previously ran his own label / club night Earnest Endeavours for a few years, DJed a bit as Patchwork Pirates with two friends (that’s where the “patchwork” tag comes from); and still enjoy messing about producing, remixing and making dodgy club edits.

Born in London but moving to Sheffield, the 17-year-old has long since ingrained himself in the music scene of the city he calls home. Having collaborated with Sticky Blood – a bass-heavy collective affiliated with Sheff talisman Toddla T – he’s an MC making promising moves into vocals and songwriting.

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A multi-disciplinary artist and producer based in London, Abdullah also works as a licensed labels manager at Warp where he works closely with partner labels and artists, assisting them with creative, marketing, retail and digital. 

Setting up the rap, grime and club music imprint Bad Taste in 2009—which has received from support from the likes of Radio 1, SBTV FACT, Mixmag—he continues to run the imprint which is a home to artists like Slick Don, Walter Ego, Itoa and Lenkemz. Originally from Sheffield, Abdullah still regularly hosts events in his hometown, including the annual arts festival Connect The Dots.

Ayy is a rapper and MC who draws inspiration from ‘90s hip-hop and neo-soul. Based in Wolverhampton, Ayy spends time in the studio surrounded by a close circle of like-minded creatives drawn from that West Midlands locale. A slow-paced introvert, it’s an attitude that’s reflected in the delivery: the vocals are off hand and effortless, in no rush to make the point.

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Eddie Smith is a manager and A&R. He currently manages Award-Winning Hip Hop artist Little Simz and oversaw her latest and biggest release to date, Stillness In Wonderland. He also looks after other artists such as DJ and producer OTG”

Observing the mainstream rap game with a cynical eye, Shredy doesn’t take himself too seriously. But that’s not to say he doesn’t take his music seriously – his stripped back sound is no joke. Making beats with a MIDI keyboard and his own vocals, his music proffers a woozy, luridly-inviting charm.

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Max is a writer and producer and as one half of Anushka his most recent releases on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label have earned over a million plays on Soundcloud and over 4 million plays on Spotify, the group has received Radio 1 plaudits from Annie Mac, Skream and Mary Anne Hobbs. Wheeler has remixed a range of artists, from Gorgon City to pop tracks featuring Snoop Dogg, and he recently used Ableton & Push to perform his debut orchestral composition, Grown a Grime Opera with the artist Eyez and Essex Youth Orchestra.

As an educator Max recently spoke at Loop 2017 for Ableton and co-runs the UK’s first Electronic Youth Ensemble with Brighton youth project pioneers Audioactive. With a specialism in music technology and electronic performance, Wheeler has contributed resources and reviewed qualifications for exam boards Edexcel and OCR. He is also the author of the VIP Studio Sessions online learning platform for Charanga, currently in use by 25,000 secondary school students in the UK and around the world, and the author of the multimedia Hip Hop Coach resource used in schools nationwide.

NuTribe & Butcha B are a group from Liverpool. Free-spirited improvisation is their way. The music is rooted in classic-sounding hip-hop production and MCing, but their interests run much further and deeper. They’re united in a community-minded way-of-working. They make music in a free way. No rules, no guides, no aims. Whatever flows becomes concrete. Freeness.

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Aaliyah Esprit is a singer who’s versed in soul-jazz legends as much as the hip-hop beatmakers who’ve flipped their records. Her music finds a sweet spot between those two worlds. Working with producers melding hard-edged production with a melodic hue, her vocals add a timeless, soulful quality. Based in Bristol, she’s part of the Cosmic Soul Collective.

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Emily is a Global Product and Events Manager for much-lauded independent imprints XL Recordings and Young Turks. Emily’s role sees her co-ordinating projects for these labels on acts including Arca, The xx, Radiohead, Everything Is Recorded and Ibeyi. Responsible for overseeing the international strategy on campaigns, she works holistically with creative, press, radio, marketing, digital, production, social and promotional teams to help releases become as big as possible.

With roots in the UK rave scene, XL Recordings has since emerged to become a multi-faceted trendsetter for UK music: their diverse roster includes acts like Smerz, Radiohead and Powell. Young Turks grew from an imprint on XL, to its own fully formed management and label representing artists such as The xx, FKA twigs, Sampha and Kamasi Washington.

Channelling myriad influences into loosely-strung, softly-spoken beats, Sydney is based in the South West of England. He takes rhythmic cues from the likes of highlife legend Bola Johnson, and spends his downtime leafing through disco rarities. He makes hip-hop in a looser sense of the word: music organised around chopped and spliced rhythms, fitted together in new ways.

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Hailing from Peckham via Leeds, Bradley Zero is quickly becoming the tastemaker of his generation. As founder of Rhythm Section, Bradley has carved out a unique role for himself within the vibrant London scene as Resident Club DJ, broadcaster and Label Boss of one of the most exciting new imprints today – Rhythm Section International.

Having started the Rhythm Section radio show back in 2009, the broadcast naturally translated into a fortnightly dance at Canavan’s Peckham Pool Club, which quickly became a firm fixture in the London Clubbing scene.

As the label garners new fans everyday, Bradley is quickly becoming a familiar face on the international circuit, with his global approach to music bringing him not just around the UK and Europe but to Australia, Cairo, Beirut, Istanbul, Tel Aviv, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Russia, Indonesia, Korea and Japan. At the core of it all is an infectious love for music, a passion for dancing, an urge to discover and a need to share which add together to make the man known as Bradley Zero (his real name!), one of the most vital selectors in the game, both behind the scenes and under the spotlight.

Informed by over 5 years MCing in Manchester nightclubs, Blind MIC approaches jazz-influenced music with a single-minded dedication. Guided by a fiercely independent ethos in everything he does, he takes on writing as a strictly solo pursuit. He sketches out a singular vision for the cabal of killer musicians which he’s collected around him.

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Fawaz began working for Gilles Peterson and Brownswood Recordings in 2009 where he cut his teeth working as label co-ordinator and assistant to Gilles.

He later moved into the role of Marketing Manager at Polydor Records where he managed album projects for the likes of Jamie Woon, Shura, M.I.A and Wretch 32. Here, Fawaz gained a wealth of experience in both the DIY indie label circuit as well as the major label world.

Fawaz now works as an artist manager under Rocket Music, managing and developing his roster of exciting new artists and producers. Fawaz also runs the label Push & Run, releasing records from the likes of Ifan Dafydd, Pedestrian, Otik, Hagan, Bodhi, Benjamin Munoz and many more.

Kayla Painter is a solo producer who makes atmospheric, sub-aquatic dance music. She’s influenced by music that, in her words, “is challenging to listen to: walls of sound, electronic wonky beats or unusual production.” Based in Bristol, her current approach is informed by her studies of creative sound at university in Newport. She has entranced audiences with her immersive Audio Visual show at the infamous Glastonbury festival, Simple Things, and The Future is Female.

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Mita started out on reception at legendary NYC label Strictly Rhythm, mailing out vinyl promos of Full Intention edits to Danny Rampling. Working through the ranks at major labels for the next 10 years she managed countless high profile international artist campaigns. In 2011, Mita joined Brownswood Recordings as acting Label Manager, then set up her own consultancy working with artists including Gotye, CHVRCHES, Moby and Floating Points. Mita is a marketing and artist development specialist and also recently graduated with a Masters degree in Entertainment Law. She currently manages leftfield pop/RnB artist and producer Kindness.

Raised in Edmonton, Canada, Wilroy takes R&B as his musical starting point. He’s now based in Liverpool, and cites influences ranging from hip-hop to electronic music and jazz. His music paints grand, maximalist sonics: tracks change shape and mutate as they go, akin to the evolution of a dream. He name-checks D’Angelo’s Voodoo as his holy book.

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Aly Gillani (aka DJ Gilla) is the founder / A&R for First Word Records, home to Children Of Zeus, Tall Black Guy, Eric Lau, Kaidi Tatham, Darkhouse Family and many more. Originally a club promoter he ran seminal clubnights Funky Mule and New Bohemia in his adopted city of Leeds for many years, putting on shows for a host of acts, including Roots Manuva, Bonobo, Nightmares On Wax, 4Hero, Benji B and Gilles Peterson.

Starting out doing warm-up slots at his own nights he gradually built a reputation for his eclectic and floor-filling sets, holding down a residency at famed Leeds venue The Hifi Club for several years. With regular spots at The Bussey Building, Ace Hotel as well as Soundwave Festival his sets take in beats, soul, hip hop, jazz, disco and beyond. As well as his monthly radio show ‘Excursions’ on Balamii he is a semi-regular host on Worldwide FM.

In addition to his work at First Word, Aly is the European Label Rep for Bandcamp, a thriving, global music community where fans discover new artists, intimately connect with them, and directly compensate them for their work. Aly’s role involves expanding and managing the growing network of labels using the site to connect with their fans.

Born in Lagos, raised in Rome and now based in London, Shunaji boasts that most rare, vital quality in an MC: a distinctive, ear-pricking sense of flow. Her influences range from hip-hop to folk and ambient. For her, this means working to build up a style that draws on a wider spectrum of sounds. Taking cues from the likes of Andre 3000 and Missy Elliott, she looks to strike the elusive balance between lyricism, rhythmicality and character.

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Eric Lau is a world renowned producer and DJ. He’s worked with legends like DJ Jazzy Jeff, De La Soul, James Poyser and Dego and performed with the likes of Robert Glasper, Erykah Badu, ?uestlove.

His debut album, ‘New Territories’ was released to critical acclaim and nominated as one of Gilles Peterson’s Top Albums of the Year in 2008. it established him as a fresh talent. His sophomore album, ‘One of Many’ won him universal praise and was rated as one of 2013’s best releases by iTunes. With a highly anticipated third album in the works, he continues his journey in contributing as a ambassador for timeless music.

Slash Three is a solo producer who hails from York. He found his musical feet in Hull, becoming a key member of the city’s Squarewaves collective. They’re a DIY, open-minded network whose output spans from noise experiments to proper club bangers. For the most part, Slash Three has honed a no-frills house and techno sensibility: his tracks are driving, to-the-point and aimed at the dancefloor.

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As one half of LV, who’ve had releases on labels like Brownswood, Hyperdub, Keysound, Will has worked with some of the UK’s foremost labels and released four critically acclaimed albums as well as numerous singles and remixes. He has DJed and played live across the world and is a regular on radio. For the last two years he has also been mentoring and leading studio sessions at Raw Sounds, a music project for young people in Brixton, South London.

A producer and multi-instrumentalist, Iman Houssein makes experimental, soulfully-realised music. Born in Iran, he first found hip-hop through basketball, as he learned about its place in New York street culture, and its close ties to music. He immersed himself in studying culture, philosophy and history, laying the ground for his shapeshifting music, exploring the fertile ground between different musical disciplines

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Kay works as Artist Relations manager at Warp Publishing, sister company to the Warp Records label. Kay’s main role is to develop creative relationships for the Warp Publishing artists – this includes collaborations, songwriting, and more generally sourcing potential projects.

Warp Publishing look after a diverse roster of artists, producers and writers which includes Anna Meredith, Kwes, Khruangbin and Mount Kimbie

Born and raised in London, PSwuave is a rapper whose unorthodox style and no filter on what she says mark her out from her peers. Music started as a way to vent her problems, and her lyrics are still shaped by her personal life

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Passionate about helping to breed the new wave of artists through the British underground, Caroline SM’s first breakthrough in music came when she was appointed Editor of the UK’s biggest urban music site and channel GRM Daily in 2013 when she was just 18. Alongside her work at GRM, she created and developed a brand called ‘New Gen’ which spanned through radio, live shows and records. After playing her part in the early management of UK star J Hus, Caroline was hired by prestigious UK indie label XL Recordings as their A&R Manager. Here she brought her critically acclaimed multi-artist rap album ‘New Gen’ to life and swiftly signed legendary underground British rapper Nines, releasing his debut and sophomore albums which both charted in the top 5 selling over 100,000 albums. New Gen now exists as an imprint under XL Recordings, as Caroline continues to lead the curve as a modern-day creative amongst the new generation of music executives

Kiddus is a producer and vocalist with a distinctive brand of raw, slo-mo R&B. He embraces a DIY spirit in every aspect of what he does, producing his own artwork and videos. His songs chart a dreamy course through a shifting tide of influences, blending vocals, the guitar and a deep pool of manipulated samples

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Ben Allen is a Musical Director, Music Producer, FOH Engineer, Programmer and Musician. He brings something unique to the Z Management roster, priding himself on developing and bringing studio creations to the stage. Ben has gained many album credits as a session musician during his career and also works as a studio engineer and remixer. Ben has been heavily involved with Brit-Award nominated Izzy Bizu (Sony/Epic) helping develop her live performances across the globe. Ben has also been working with artist and producer Tom Misch and young urban sensation J Hus (Black Butter Records). Ben is also producing and mixing Amber Run’s next release. Ben has worked on a range of successful artists including the multi-platinum selling Sugababes (aka Mutya Keisha Siobhan), (MD/Musician), All Saints (MD/Programmer), Fyfe (FOH) Charlene Soraia (MD/Musician) and Zara Larsson (FOH, Live Production). Alongside this, Ben has also played an integral role in the development of up and coming artists’ careers, recently working with Emma Blackery (MD,FOH), Dusky Grey (FOH) & Lily Ahlberg(FOH). Ben has toured internationally for a number of acts including Mattafix (Marlon Roudette) (MD/Musician), Siobhan Donaghy(MD/Musican), Hitomi Yaida (MD/Musician) and One EskimO (Musician). Throughout his career as an MD, Ben has also received endorsements from many high profile music companies including Ableton, Gibson Guitars, Eventide Effects, RME and Audix

A free-flowing, multi-disciplined musician, Lazy H embraces improvisation and the new ideas which emerge from letting go. A producer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who draws an expansive range of styles into his music, he rolls dice and builds algorithms to inject random chance into the way he composes music. Born in the Netherlands, and raised in Aberdeen, he brings an open mind to everything he does

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As one half of LV (Brownswood, Hyperdub, Keysound) Will has worked with some of the UK’s foremost labels and released four critically acclaimed albums as well as numerous singles and remixes. He has DJed and played live across the world and is a regular on radio. For the last two years he has also been mentoring and leading studio sessions at Raw Sounds, a music project for young people in Brixton, South London

Hamdi makes thoughtful music, influenced by hip-hop, R&B, and his family heritage. Moving to Manchester as a child, he went to school in Denmark, where he started learning the drums and made his first steps into music. He hails from a long line of orators and poets, drawing energy from his roots in Somalia where he was born

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Emily works at as a Product Manager and Event Manager for much-lauded independent imprint XL Recordings. Emily’s role sees her as the intermediary between acts and the label, working to coordinate everyone to make projects as big a success as possible.

With roots in the UK rave scene, the label has since emerged to become a multi-faceted trendsetter for UK music: their roster—encompassing influential sub-labels like Young Turks and Whities—includes acts like The xx, Radiohead and Powell

KinKai is an MC and musician who draws influence from jazz and electronic music. Based in Manchester, where he grew up, his music is inspired by his childhood and his day to day experiences. Loose, soulful and personal, he nods to his heroes while carving out his own idiosyncratic style

Mentor

Aly Gillani (aka DJ Gilla) is the founder / A&R for First Word Records, home to Children Of Zeus, Tall Black Guy, Eric Lau, Kaidi Tatham, Darkhouse Family and many more. Originally a club promoter he ran seminal clubnights Funky Mule and New Bohemia in his adopted city of Leeds for many years, putting on shows for a host of acts, including Roots Manuva, Bonobo, Nightmares On Wax, 4Hero, Benji B and Gilles Peterson.

Starting out doing warm-up slots at his own nights he gradually built a reputation for his eclectic and floor-filling sets, holding down a residency at famed Leeds venue The Hifi Club for several years. With regular spots at The Bussey Building, Ace Hotel as well as Soundwave Festival his sets take in beats, soul, hip hop, jazz, disco and beyond. As well as his monthly radio show ‘Excursions’ on Balamii he is a semi-regular host on Worldwide FM.

In addition to his work at First Word, Aly is the European Label Rep for Bandcamp, a thriving, global music community where fans discover new artists, intimately connect with them, and directly compensate them for their work. Aly’s role involves expanding and managing the growing network of labels using the site to connect with their fans

A bright, Brazilian-tinted sensibility runs through every track which Forest Law creates. From Hornchurch, Essex, and now based in London, he makes warm, eclectic compositions in his garden shed. He takes groove as his driving force, building outwards in kaleidoscopic directions

Mentor

Charismatic and energy-filled as a DJ, gifted as a producer, and driven as an educator, Cape Town born Esa Williams, has sculpted his own unique and expansive musical identity. As an ambassador for the South African music scene within the crowded landscape of European nightlife, he draws upon his cultural roots, his global travels, and the people he meets, to embody a sound without limitations.

Esa’s move to UK catalysed his impressive and evolving musical output. After proving his natural ability behind the decks, Esa joined Scottish legendary DJ’s Harri & Domenic at the Sub-Club, and subsequently produced his own Rememory Music Label.

Esa’s global outlook has continued to expand. He has a strong following throughout Europe, only enhanced by his creative musical direction and releases, and has carved out a niche curating electronic music-focused educational programmes in Cuba, Brazil, East & South Africa. By sharing his skills and inspiring enthusiastic DJ’s and producers around the world, he too furthers his own knowledge.

Esa can be heard weaving together the tales of such meetings, and the resulting musical outcomes, on his monthly slot on Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide FM. Committed to the concept of delivering a musical journey, Esa sparks intrigue in his listeners, asking them to accompany him as he creates something special  both in-studio and on the dance floor.

Esa has now in the midst of his weekly residency at Phonox, where he embarks on a weekly musical expedition, channelling his upbeat energy into each set, building to new celestial heights. The platform presents the opportunity to experiment, share incredible music, and to cultivate a safe space for release and euphoria

MettaShiba is a musician and composer whose background centres around the drum kit. It lends an agile, rhythmic sensibility to her music. Born in the UK, where she’s now based, she grew up between Japan and California, an upbringing which has nurtured a broad perspective

Mentor

Born in Malawi and raised in Manchester, Sabre is a singer-songwriter whose music is saturated with feeling. Using the limited resources at his disposal, his sound is unashamedly DIY, underscoring the raw emotion at the core of each of his songs. He’s guided by a myopic focus, endlessly honing his style and sound, a dedication that’s audible through his music

Mentor

Based in Manchester and active in the music scene, Simon has remixed, produced and co–written with members of Inspiral Carpets, Julie Gordon (Happy Mondays) and MC Tonn Piper (Andy C, Roni Size) as well as contestants from The Voice and The X Factor.

He has been instrumental in helping many bands and artists take the studio to the stage including Jon Hopkins, Leon Vynehall, Rudimental and Bipolar Sunshine.

Recently he has worked closely with beatboxer SK Shlomo and rising Welsh star Rachel K Collier and provided a remixes for them.

He continues to produce and write with bands and artists on the Manchester scene including new acts  INTI and Lostlight (both have forthcoming releases in 2019) and has provided music for advertising campaigns for companies as diverse as Converse, Asda/Children in Need and Moorhouse’s Brewery

Hailing from Nottingham, singer- songwriter and composer Ella Knight is a versatile artist whose sound is grounded in alt-R&B, neo-soul and jazz. As comfortable laying down vocals on drum & bass tracks as on jazz, soul or hip-hop, she has already carved out an oeuvre that’s as accomplished as it is multi-faceted.  Growing up around musicians and producers in the East Midlands, she continues to stay involved with and influenced by a variety of Midlands based music projects.

Mentor

Eva co-runs Black Acre, a Bristol-based independent record label and management company. Established in 2007, the label has released debut records by the likes of Rocks FOE, Romare & Connie Constance. As a manager she represents Kampire, Clap! Clap!, Branko & Leifur James.

A vocalist, songwriter and musician, born and raised in London, Shakira Alleyne creates music that’s atmospheric and honest. Guided by an experimental ethos, she explores big themes through her music: questions of human existence, interaction and identity are recurring subjects she muses on, framed through her background in considering philosophy and exploring the English language.

Mentor

Emily works as a Global Project and Event Manager for much-loved independent music imprints XL Recordings and Young Turks Recordings. She has overseen campaigns for Thom Yorke, Arca, The xx, Låpsley, KAYTRANADA, Radiohead, Ibeyi and ADELE, amongst others. Her role encompasses development of strategy, marketing and promotions and co-ordinating the international teams across the full breadth of each artist’s campaign. Her portfolio includes experiential events for Radiohead, The xx, Thom Yorke, Jamie xx, Jack White and Everything Is Recorded.

With roots in the UK rave scene, XL Recordings has gone on to become a multi-faceted cultural trendsetter.

A three piece whose music combines bleak, soupy soundscapes with rhythmically arranged musings, Damos Room are a dubby sound storm of hip-hop with the occasional yearning falsetto. Made up of Rex Domino, Pondoo & Polar Kid, their tracks embrace apathy and the abyss, going down obscure creative avenues to see what they might find.

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Kay works as Artist Relations manager at Warp Publishing, sister company to the Warp Records label. Kay’s main role is to develop creative relationships for the Warp Publishing artists – this includes collaborations, songwriting, and more generally sourcing potential projects.

Warp Publishing look after a diverse roster of artists, producers and writers which includes Anna Meredith, Kwes, Khruangbin and Mount Kimbie.

Born and raised in Wolverhampton, MC and producer NeOne makes tracks that are a journey. Influenced by comic books – and specifically, Neil Gaiman’s Sandman world – he channels a sense of myth into the narratives he constructs, creating tracks that are thought-provoking, often starting in a dark place and ending up somewhere different.

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Daniel Horitz is an A&R and project manager at London-based record label and music publisher Lex Records. Having joined the company in 2012, Daniel previously oversaw digital marketing, content management and design, before moving into A&R and project management. Lex Records releases music by artists such as Danger Mouse, MF DOOM, Eyedress, MIKE, Kate Tempest, Golden Rules, Prefuse 73, Andrew Hung, Kaleida, Haleek Maul, Neon Neon, Boom Bip, BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah.

Tonyspark is a self-taught musician who wants to expand horizons. A singer, songwriter, rapper, producer and multi-instrumentalist, he’s not bound by genre markers when sketching out his creations. Raised in London and based in Nottingham, his style is blissful and sultry, his tracks’ atmospheres grounded in the synths and bass which are his mainstays.

Mentor

Tom is a senior manager at Solar Management. Solar represents a wide range of artists, producer / mixers, writers and composers. Its roster includes Dan Grech-Marguerat, David Holmes, David Wrench, Floating Points, Four Tet, Nigel Godrich and Zero 7.

An ambitious, wide-ranging producer and multi-instrumentalist, Mark Cake has a deft touch for creating thoughtful musical projects. He’s worked with a huge variety of artists, through his project to create an extensive series of one-off collaborations, each of them accompanied by a video created in tandem with the artist.

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As one half of LV (Brownswood, Hyperdub, Keysound) Will has worked with some of the UK’s foremost labels and released four critically acclaimed albums as well as numerous singles and remixes. He is currently just finished working on the new Kondi Band album, which will be released on Strut Records. He has DJed and played live across the world and is a regular on radio. Will has also mentored at Raw Sounds, a music project for young people in Brixton, South London.

Griz-O is an MC defined by his bold and direct approach. Based in the UK’s South West, he totes lyrics and artwork that nod to martial arts; he has the combative, tough-talking braggadocio to match, delivered through smart, head-turning bars. Embracing an experimental, grizzly sound, influenced by grime and UK rap, his career thus far has already seen him travel as far afield as Kazakhstan to play a headline show.

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Jack Clark is an Agent with Echo Location Talent Agency based in Camden, London. Jack previously worked at WME for over 6 years before joining the company in 2017. Since then, he’s been responsible for the development and growth of many artists’ live careers. These include Octavian, Jax Jones, DJ EZ, Gorgon City, Pa Salieu, Ocean Wisdom, Hardy Caprio, and Not3s to name a few.

Echo Location is a global talent agency established in 2013 representing over 150 artists spanning across many different genres including; electronic, Hip-hop/rap, contemporary, pop + many more

A singer-songwriter raised in Birmingham and based in the West Midlands, Madi Saskia creates music intended to heal. Her modern soul music is defined by her distinctive vocals. Her path to music started with a music mentorship programme in school, where her dream of being a history teacher was soon abandoned in favour of music. Ever since then, it’s been all about the music, her output shaped by her early creative beginnings writing poetry, a nostalgic frame of mind, and an honest approach to creativity.

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Eddie Smith is part of Final Form X – an art development and management company representing Ego Ella May amongst others

Born in Nice and based in London, Ama//Mizu is a producer and multi-instrumentalist. Inspired by both electronic music and folk, his compositions combine escapist rhythms with vivid narratives. He sees his music as a feeling: a moment of uncertainty, poised between between reflective poise and hyperactive energy.

Mentor

Pete On the Corner has a distinct party groove blending a heady mix of percussive house, deep disco and dirty funk. He traverses the eclectic underground laying down that good time feeling for the floor.

As a regular at european festivals, beach bars and in the clubs of East Africa the sounds of his travels influence his cosmopolitan residencies and his diverse label.

Pete plays and releases exceptional music that pushes boundaries. Linking local scenes globally his imprint On the Corner is renown for it’s personal connection to Worldwide scenes and innovates at the edge of leftfield electronics, deep jazz and percussive house music.