Part of the Plan (DJ Marky & Makoto Remix)

First Word Records are proud to bring you more music from [ K S R ] and Konny Kon (Children of Zeus), this time with a special remix of 'Part of the Plan' from two of the D&B scenes most legendary players, DJ Marky and Makoto.

Brazil's DJ Marky and Japan's Makoto need no introduction - two artists that have been omnipresent in the drum & bass world for decades, with a slew of killer releases under their belts as producers, and thousands of parties rocked globally as DJs. For this mix, they've kept the soul of the original intact, but added their characteristic rolling d&b drums and weighty bassline, turning this one into a sureshot dancefloor anthem.

The original mix of 'Part of the Plan' has a timeless classic feel, nodding back to the likes of Stax and Atlantic, akin to the contemporary sound of Daptone artists like Jalen Ngonda or Thee Sacred Souls. Waves crash on the dock of the bay, with [ K S R ]'s soulful tones and Konny's laidback production (accompanied by Son of Zeus, Tyler Daley on the backing vox).

[ K S R ] hails from Moss Side and has been steadily building a strong rep for himself over the past few years with a slew of releases, including an EP and several singles via First Word. He was named "R&B act to watch" by Complex, and hand-picked by Mahalia to perform an event she curated personally at London's Jazz Cafe. He's toured with artists including Pip Millet, Etta Bond, Mica Miller & The Mouse Outfit, and also collaborated with various d&b artists, such as Zero T, Lenzman, Searchlight and Makoto. Music aside, [ K S R ] has also been creative ambassador for New Balance, Foot Locker, Nike, Size? and Manchester United.

Konny Kon is best known for being one half of hip hop soul duo, Children of Zeus. With performances for Colors and Soulection, and support from peers Jazzy Jeff, Jazzie B, Loose Ends & countless others, Children of Zeus have released two highly-acclaimed albums and two EPs on Worldwide Award winning-label, First Word. Additionally to writing, performing and producing, Konny is a formidable DJ, hosting a popular monthly show on NTS Radio, and performing at numerous events; most recently supporting Mercury Award-winner's Ezra Collective at every date on their European tour, culminating in a show with Children of Zeus at Wembley Arena, London.

This single showcases the vocals of [ K S R ] and the production of Konny Kon to a degree that exudes pure quality and class, exemplifying the power of modern British soul music. Support for this release came far and wide from BBC Radio 1 (Victoria Jane), BBC 1Xtra (Rampage, Casskidd, Chuckie), BBC 6 Music (Cerys Matthews, Huey Morgan) and many more.

Both artists have had wide support across the board additionally from a number of other tastemakers, including Rinse, Represent, Unity, Mixmag, Notion, Hypebeast and tons more. The duo have previously collaborated on 'All on You' (from the CoZ album 'Travel Light') and single 'CGWY' (from [ K S R ]'s EP 'Peace + Harmony').

'Part of the Plan (DJ Marky & Makoto Remix)' is released on all digital platforms, 24th January 2025.