So how’s your year been? Compiling these annual compilations naturally puts me in a reflective mood, looking back over the months since I sat down to put together Volume Fourteen. Last year I wrote about how music can be a refuge from the harsh realities of the wider world and that seems truer than ever. I’ve not known a more turbulent year politically and it seems like there is worse to come in the years ahead.

But now isn’t the time to dwell on that - you’re here for music and on that score 2018 can be judged in a much more positive light. For us at First Word it has been without doubt our best year yet, with albums from Children Of Zeus, Quiet Dawn, Kaidi Tatham and Eric Lau plus EPs from newcomer Yazmin Lacey and Souleance plus remix packages from Darkhouse Family and Profusion. For the fifteenth instalment of this compilation series I’ve picked one track from each of the year’s releases (including selections from our sister label Excursions) with a couple of exclusives added, rounding it out to 17 tracks of soul, hip hop, beats, jazz and bruk.

Of the new tracks, we have low slung instrumental hip hop from FW extended family Mo Fingaz and Sleepin Giant, soulful beats from Jake Milliner (featuring Bubblerap) and a sneak peek at Don Leisure’s next project in the shape of ‘Only Built For Turkish Linx’. We also feature brand-new signing 14KT with the arresting ‘The Power of Same’ featuring Muhsinah which was released last week. The first track from his forthcoming LP ‘For My Sanity’, he’s a welcome addition to the FW fold.

The musical family that we’ve built has been a constant source of inspiration this year. Our FW is 14 event at Total Refreshment Centre in March was truly memorable - getting artists together from England, Wales, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, France and America in a space built for musical communities. It was pretty much perfect - and all the more sad that the event space has been forced to close since then.

Another highlight was our boat party at the last ever Soundwave Festival - Children of Zeus’ speedboat arrival was something else! Really though, the chance to share music, dance and vibe with like-minded people is all we’ve ever really wanted from our little collective and those memories are very special.

Looking forward we have plenty in the pipeline with music from Souleance, 14KT, Don Leisure, Teotima and Kaidi Tatham coming before summer and we’ll also be celebrating our 15th birthday with some special events - hopefully we’ll see some of you there.

Till then, thanks again for supporting what we do this year. We appreciate it more than you know.

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

DJ Gilla & FW Crew x