Various

𝘼 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙬 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙚𝙧𝙖 𝙤𝙛 𝙐𝙆 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙠, 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤, 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙟𝙖𝙯𝙯 𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 — 𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚.

Released by Seventies Records, “The Usurpators – First Impressions” is a fascinating snapshot of the UK underground’s creative awakening in the late 1970s and early ’80s. Across the compilation, young, fiercely independent musicians channel the energy of imported American funk and jazz fusion while filtering it through a uniquely British sensibility — one shaped by multicultural influences, DIY spirit, and a rapidly shifting social landscape.

The result is a richly textured set that moves between tight, bass-heavy grooves, horn-driven dancefloor workouts, soulful vocal numbers, and exploratory instrumental jams — each track offering a “first impression” of artists who would go on to shape the sound of British soul, jazz-funk, and club culture in the decade to come. A rare document of a transformative moment, and an essential listen for anyone interested in the roots of the UK groove continuum.