“Funk, soul, hip-hop, reggae, beats and beyond” – here’s a drop that’s right up the monkey’s street and it’s freer than Mr Humphries from Are You Being Served on his day off. Leeds-based First Word Records is seven years old (hence the title First Word Is 7) and by way of celebration they’ve put up an album for download gratis. It’s not to be sniffed at either with the likes of Kid Kanevil, Souleance, 6IX Toys, and The Haggis Horns contributing tracks thereon. But it’s Herma Puma’s Space To Breathe featuring Rider Shafique that trumps the lot with it’s dub-skank hip-hop vibe – which has a bit of that Roots Manuva Join The Dots vibe. Cop the lot via the link below – admittedly they do want your email before you get any music but I don’t think you need to worry about adverts for penis enlargers or messages ‘from the desk of Mr Banda’ in your inbox. Oh yeah – to get stuff free, you have to download the whole album. Chek!