Tru Thoughts 2024

“I gotta large up Tru Thoughts as well because it’s so important for labels to really invest in new talent and to hold them up alongside some of their mainstays and some of their more heritage artists, but also to leave room to introduce us to other artists as well” JAMZ SUPERNOVA (BBC 6MUSIC)

“A brilliant record label from Brighton” GILLES PETERSON

“Big up the Tru Thoughts massive!” SIR SPYRO (BBC 1XTRA)

“Tru Thoughts, an incredible label” JULIE ADENUGA (BEATS 1)

“The brilliant Tru Thoughts label, one of our favourites” LAUREN LAVERNE (BBC 6MUSIC)

‘Tru Thoughts 2024’ is the latest instalment of our annual compilation series, featuring 22 tracks from the past year, carefully curated by label head, co-founder and DJ, Robert Luis. This eclectic collection – that coincides with our 25th Anniversary – highlights our diverse and international roster, showcasing genres that span neo-soul, jazz, and contemporary classical to grime, broken beat, and electronica.

“Curating these compilations provides an opportunity to pause, reflect, and revisit our recent releases. I’m proud that we continue to champion fresh talent like Tara Lily, Footshooter, Benji Bower & The Terra Collective Orchestra, and Catpack, who are just beginning their journeys with Tru Thoughts and receiving fantastic support. We’re also collaborating with artists who have previously released music elsewhere, helping them progress further, such as Sandunes, Bruk Rogers, and The Sindecut & Ijeoma, alongside longtime favourites like Alice Russell and Hot 8 Brass Band. While we release a wide range of genres, I feel there’s a common thread that ties it all together. In a time when we’re constantly flooded with new music, this compilation is a reminder to take a moment to explore the incredible artists we work with—you’re bound to discover something new, or reconnect with a favourite track or artist.” Robert Luis

Taken from her debut album ‘Speak In The Dark’ – praised by Dazed, Mixmag, The Face, and Wonderland – the compilation opens with Tara Lily’s haunting “6 Feet Down,” featuring GRAMMY-nominated trumpeter Theo Croker, melding jazz, soul, and trip-hop. Continuing the label’s tradition of supporting the flourishing UK jazz scene, Bryony Jarman-Pinto’s soulful track “Deep” emerges as a heartfelt nocturne. Catpack’s dreamy funk jam “Midnight,” sees Phil Beaudreau, Jacob Mann, and Amber Navran (of Grammy-nominated Moonchild) effortlessly work alternative R&B into their nocturnal jazz soundscape. Sly5thAve’s vibrant album title track “Liberation” embodies fearless musical creativity, seamlessly melding orchestral jazz with hip-hop, while Nikitch and Alexis Moutzouris deliver “Sans Titres” with its contemporary jazzy twist, weaving hypnotic clarinet riffs with deep, trap-inspired basslines. Jazz disruptors Ebi Soda team up with Turkish-Sri Lankan artist BODUR on “Kim K,” a thoughtful commentary on fame, and Sefi Zisling’s rendition of Mal Waldron’s “All Alone” blends psychedelic funk with spiritual jazz, honouring the influence of a musical giant.

This year two of our legacy acts made a notable comeback; Hot 8 Brass Band paid tribute to their late co-founder Bennie Pete with the release of “Big Tuba,” their first new music since 2019, encapsulating the vibrant spirit of New Orleans’ Second Line tradition. While the beloved British soul singer Alice Russell unveiled her new album ‘I Am’ – it has received widespread attention, including support from Clash, Gilles Peterson (BBC 6Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), and named Jazz FM’s Album of the Week.

Representing the dance side of the label are explorations in broken beat, UK bass, and house. Taking influence from underground sounds is Bruk Rogers, with his UK-bruk take on Latin breaks meets New York rap, with flows from JSWISS on “Feel Alright” featuring pianist Onj. XL Regular’s club-oriented rework of Kuna Maze’s “I Told U” featuring Steve Spacek made a splash with the new generation of broken beat listeners, and dubstep pioneer Zed Bias gave Sandunes’ “Signs” featuring Ramya Pothuri the four-on-the-floor, UKG-treatment.

‘Tru Thoughts 2024’ also presents a trio of tracks that capture the label’s house influences. London singer-songwriter Steven Bamidele delivered “Throw It All Away! (Jamie 3:26 & Danou P Remix),” a reimagining that blends deep house and disco, pushing his artistic boundaries into a new space. South London producer and DJ Footshooter made his label debut with “Here To Learn,” featuring André Espeut’s timeless vocals, skillfully combining classic house sounds with his signature garage and broken beat influences. Following suit, “Bruk Renaissance” torchbearer WheelUP switches it up with Sio on the soulful-house track “Magnetic,” which features deep basslines and sweeping synths that promote healing and self-love.

Our roster spans a myriad of genres, with a focus on our mantra that “good music is good music.” This year saw the hard-hitting EastEnders-themed grime release from COMPLEX UK’s artist to watch for 2024, Crafty 893, released just over a month apart from the classical “Artemis”, taken from the debut Benji Bower & The Terra Collective Orchestra album ‘Terra Coda’ – a project that saw Benji Bower unite Bristol’s most acclaimed musicians into a 60-piece ensemble.

In the spirit of keeping our ears to the ground, we re-released a fan-favourite from Sharky’s back catalogue, “Hawaii,” and released new music from pioneering British Hip-Hop crew The Sindecut and New York-based Geordie singer-songwriter Ijeoma – their track “Cool Your Heart” from the ‘Early’ EP is included here. Among our recent new signees are SHYGUY, Home Frango, and Call Sender, who received a remix from the legendary American musician, producer, award-winning video game composer, and multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lee.