Tim Garcia

@emma.marshall.phd breaks down the healing power of bass music - and why rave is medicine 💊 #bassmusic #electronicmusic #Soundhealing #Clubculture #radio

Don’t think it gets better than making your Fabric debut on your birthday, back to back with your best friend, to a room full of your friends and family. 🎉 Still processing but my cup is well and truly full. The biggest thank you goes to @mrredley my musical brother on this journey, the best at his craft, forever schooling me and inspiring to improve, got too much love for this man, you are truly one of a kind, it was a real honour. ❤️ Thank you to everyone who came out to dance and celebrate with me. To all my nearest and dearest who stayed till the end of our set even though many of you don’t usually stay out that late, it meant the most. To @ochi.ldn for the invite and to @fabriclondonofficial for looking after us so well and making us feel so welcome. Huge shout to Mum, Dad and my Godfather for staying for the set. Last slide for evidence of them grooving 💃🏻 Out to the extremely talented musical fam I saw and danced to, phenomenal sets all round @isaaccarter___ @kojayin @djgillaldn @mrrussryan @saigesounds and @quanticmusic 💥 ❤️ to @missloujasmine @dna_ldn and @everybody_loves_to_boogie for the footage 👌 @upstrm_official for mine and Louis’ fit 👕 Next date April 6th for @shortlist.ldn at Corsica Studios b2b @rohan_rakhit The words ‘feeling grateful’ don’t quite cut it this time. 😄

All I gotta say is Renata Lewandowska has the voice of an angel... Who? You may ask? Renata Lewandowska is a Polish soul singer from the 70s who unfortunately never managed to find success with her music career and she decided to give it up later that decade. Once compared to Aretha and Janis Joplin, her music would be forgotten about for four decades! This lingering soul ballad became the impulse to track down the singer. Two independent Polish labels, @astigmaticrecords and @theverypolishcutouts , were searching for the artist at the same time. They decided on a joint release after finding the music in the dusty Polish radio archives. “Dotyk” by Renata Lewandowska comprises 9 pieces recorded between 1974 and 1978 in the studios of the Polish Radio. …And what a masterpiece it is! #RenataLewandowska #musicdiscovery #vinylcollection #vinyloftheday #soulmusic #polishsoul #polish #polishartist #polishradio #vinylarchaeology #vinyldigger #70smusic

Is it too late to create a sustainable music industry? It’s an uphill struggle. But change is possible. Here’s our hot take. ________ Music brings people together. But it also leaves a footprint. The culture we love has consequences. __________ The UK music industry is estimated to generate over 400,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year. Festivals are temporary cities. Tours move people, gear and equipment across continents. Vinyl depends on PVC—a fossil fuel-derived plastic. This is not a niche issue. _________ Members of the music industry are exhausted. The cost of living is squeezing budgets and income. How can we prioritise the climate in a way that doesn’t demand unrealistic expectations from us? Here’s some ideas… _______ Green idea — Bring back joint tours Joint tours used to be normal. Shared audiences. Shared costs. Shared infrastructure. Lower impact. Maybe the future of touring looks a lot like the past. _________ Green idea — Festivals raising their climate conciousness Festivals are micro-cities; let’s ask for them to be governed with green initiatives. When a festival falls short? Email them. Culture changes when audiences raise their expectations. _________ Green idea — Music Fans have power too Festival-goers can reduce the carbon footprint at festivals, too. ________ Green idea — Artists: update your rider Artists: your rider is a climate tool. Just because you can ask for something doesn’t mean you need it. ________ Wild card green idea — Change how you listen Do you regularly listen to rainfall or birdsong to relax? Consider listening to ‘Nature’ on streaming platforms; sound recordists capture actual ecosystems, with royalties going towards environmental protection. Find out more with EarthPercent. If you stream something over and over? Downloading music can reduce the energy demand of repeated streaming. ______ A sustainable music industry will not be built by one perfect artist, one perfect festival or one perfect fan. It will be built by thousands of small decisions becoming the new normal. We wrote more in our latest Substack: Read the full piece via the link in our bio.

Music heals us. So why are so many people in the music community running on empty? —————— We talk about music like medicine. It regulates breathing. Moves grief through the body. Unlocks memory. Makes us feel less alone. But the people making it are often exhausted —————— Behind the set, the release, or the sold-out room is a relentless to do list. Admin. Invoices. Travel. Self-promotion. Unstable income. Emotional labour. Pressure to keep going. Before the music even begins. —————— The industry sells one version of success: Be visible. Stay busy. Keep growing. Say yes. Never disappear. But what if success is not about being seen by everyone? What if it is about staying whole? —————— Define success before the industry defines it for you. Is success freedom? Stability? Touring? Family? Time? Uncompromising art? Your answer is allowed to change. That is not failure. That is maturity. —————— Burnout is not a badge of honour. Working all hours does not prove you care more. Saying yes to everything does not make you more serious. Running on adrenaline is not the same as building a life. —————— Burnout is not always dramatic. Sometimes it looks like numbness. No sadness. No breakdown. Just a system so depleted it can no longer respond. The body keeps the score. —————— A job alongside your creative practice is not failure. For many artists, it is what protects the joy of making. Multiple income streams are not a side note to the story. For most creatives, they are the story. —————— A music industry that celebrates healing sound while exhausting the people who make it is not healthy. Not yet. —————— We wrote more about this in our latest Substack: Wellness in Music: Can We Build Creative Careers Without Breaking Ourselves? Read the full article.

We need to talk more openly about making a living in music. There’s still so much shame around asking for opportunities, building something sustainable, money and pricing yourself properly. We know hard work matters, but we also know it doesn’t always lead to success — especially in the music industry. What can make a difference is access: to the right information, honest advice, and people who will tell you the truth without gatekeeping. So that’s what we’re here to do. No jargon. No gatekeeping. No BS. Just real conversations about how to survive, grow, and build a career in music. In May, we’ll be covering four big topics. After that, we’ll spend a whole month on one subject at a time, sharing helpful, actionable advice on things like: ✨ Knowing when it’s time to build a team ✨ Revitalising your routine for success ✨ Diversifying your income in the music industry ✨ Building an online community that thrives offline too ✨ Securing a community radio show ✨ Attracting more gigs, festival bookings, and opportunities when you’re starting out We’ll also be featuring advice from artists, DJs, musicians, producers, broadcasters, bookers, agents, journalists, and people who have been navigating the industry for a long time. If you’re a music maker, DJ, producer, broadcaster, journalist, agent, booker, or music person of any kind — this is for you. Find us on Substack. We launch on Thursday.

🚨 NEW MIX 🚨 The April edition of our Music From The Soul mixtape series comes from DJ & curator Tim Garcia (@timoteeg ). A long-standing voice in London’s underground, Tim is known for his deeply considered, soulful selections - bridging house, jazz, spoken word & global rhythms with intention and depth. Whether on radio or behind the decks, his sets reflect a commitment to music that connects, uplifts and carries meaning. On the mix, Tim Garcia says: "I’ve long admired First Word’s 20 plus year legacy, and the way @djgillaldn and the crew have consistently championed soulful, meaningful music with such care and authenticity. Lately, I’ve found myself especially drawn to music that weaves in spoken word, perhaps because it feels particularly resonant in these times, and that naturally shaped the direction of this mix. It felt only right to include some Darkhouse Family and Kaidi Tatham, though the First Word catalogue offers an incredible depth of music to choose from. Alongside that, I’ve woven in a few London sounds and artists I deeply rate, as well as some forthcoming material I’ve been working on from a curatorial perspective. There are also nods to some of my favourite deep house producers, with touches of Latin rhythm and warm, percussive energy running throughout. I hope you enjoy my contribution to Music From The Soul." Check out the mix on our Soundcloud page now along with the full series (also featuring Allysha Joy, Selassie TBC, Marcia Carr, BobaFatt, Tina Edwards, Dean Chew & more). 🎧 /firstwordrecords/music-from-the-soul-010-timgarcia #MixtapeMonday

Throwback to a deeply suspicious beardless era in Copenhagen 🇩🇰 I first met Dom through our mutual friend @rorybradshaw__ and the @pillacommunity — a genuinely lovely community centred around men’s wellbeing. Somewhere along the line, he invited me to play at his birthday, which was an absolute joy. Afterwards, while chatting outside, some of his mates mentioned that it would be great to get me out to Copenhagen. Now, as we all know, a lot of beautiful things are said outside parties that immediately vanish into the night air. So I thought: lovely sentiment, unlikely follow-through. I was wrong. Turns out Dom had lived in Copenhagen and thrown parties there, so what I assumed was classic post-party optimism actually became real life. He got us a show on Radio Panini and a slot at the wonderful Jolene in the Meatpacking District last August. It was my first time in Copenhagen, I had a great time exploring the city, meeting Dom’s friends, and then we ended up playing a 7-hour b2b — equal parts magical and an endurance event. Since then, we’ve become good mates, so I’m very happy to say I’ll be playing @illfittedlondon - a new London party that he’s started with @illfittedlenny this Sunday at The Lion & Lamb — which, is exactly the kind of Sunday behaviour I support. It’s 2-10pm, No phones, good system, great music alongside @levdj_ , @frederikanthonymusic and @dominic_______ . I’ve heard the first one was top-tier, and I’m very much looking forward to sharing the booth with this this soulful bunch. Swipe for clips from our Radio Panini set, full info, and a very cool flyer. I know I’ve been a bit absent on here recently. I’ve been deep in some special projects so please enjoy these small clips as proof that I do occasionally appear and play music to people on dancefloors. Come shake a leg x

After a great opening party, we’re straight back with the next one for you. Joining us this time: two of London’s finest soulful house selectors, plus a new Ill Fitted resident. Lev @levdj_ Deep, groove-led sets rooted in jazz, disco and soul. From @glitterboxibiza to SunceBeat, her selections get support from legends like Kerri Chandler and Louie Vega. Tim Garcia @timoteeg Genre-spanning, soulful sets that move dancefloors worldwide. @musicamacondo label head and @rinse.fm host, bringing deep house, jazz, Latin and Afro-diasporic sounds. Frederik Anthony @frederikanthonymusic One of our new residents. With roots in London’s sound system and pirate radio culture, and releases on @dungeonmeat , @modernfunktion and his own imprint @skool_ed . Dominic @dominic_______ Resident and co-founder. Deep and soulful selections to set the tone. Food outside with @tokyo_kebab_ . Fresh fruit inside. Music first: no phones, no videos, just space for you and your fellow dancers. Want to come but cost is a barrier? DM us for a low income discount code. Sunday 12th April - 2-10pm - @friendsofthelion Grab your ticket now via the link in bio. Artwork: @__hannahlee

Greetings from Falastin ❤️ The main point of this post was to highlight a beautiful moment - within hours of arriving in Bethlehem we were treated to one of the most incredible concerts I have seen in a long time at the very special @wonder.cabinet Hadayan – هذيان is a collaborative performance with @marwanhalabi__ , Mazen Hamdan and the spellbinding Rand Taha, featuring music, singing, and a blend of contemporary and Sufi dancing — it signifies a meeting between souls, where music blends with movement, the vibrations of the body and spirit, and the union of humanity with nature and the universe. It’s a journey that embodies the story of a soul’s life in this world. I was blown away by this whole evening and felt incredibly grateful to witness this show. I’ll be broadcasting from Wonder Cabinet tomorrow live on @rinse.fm — come join me. Last week’s show- as promised I’m sharing the track list weekly after slacking for most of 2025. Tracklist below. @shabakahutchings - A Future Untold @dam_slo - Rebuild Kiala & Afroblaster - Spiritual Power @madlib - The Plan Pt. 1 (performed by @georgia.muldrow ) @_by.alexander - the decoupling of the nuclear family (Feat. @ghostfacekillah , @rapsody & HAWA) @bakklampfall - Remember Ian O’Brien- Spirits Uniri (@chiminyo_sound ) - Soar Etto - ELF5/ZY ZAMAN @manjam_records Bognár, Boros, Hock - Naima @arpfrique & The Perpetual Singers - Live Together Live @diogostrausz - Dance To Save Your Soul One51 - Bring Me to Your Life (feat. @heidilevo ) @handsonfam @bongosbleepsandbasslines Zero dB - Party Girl Blayke- I Love You @byrontheaquarius - A New Life @jkriv & @megatronicuk - Out Of Time @_by.alexander - King Kong (Feat. @theocroker & HAWA) @mal.ammore - Reflexo Nick Deane - X Man SAULT - Love Does Not Equal Pain @atjazzofficial - You’ve Got This (feat. LyricL & Peacey) Noir & Haze - Around (Solomun Vox) AtJazz - YOUniversal Love (feat. Osunlade) @horatio.luna - Bubbly Rich P & Lee - Gypsy Smith II @jailed_jamie_aka_skygaze - Minor Mood #radio #newmusic #rinsefm

People often forget that once you’re in the music industry, you can spend your time doing all things around the music and lose sight of the whole reason you got into it in the first place. One of the simplest ways to protect your mental health in this space is to come back to the source: press play, breathe, and remember why you started. Music regulates the nervous system. Music brings you home. Wisdom from one of our panelist’s @emma.marshall.mim Our next panel: THE BIG QUESTIONS 📍 KEF Music Gallery 📅 Thurs 22nd Jan 🕖 7-9PM 🧃Soft bar Join us for ‘How do we create a more sustainable music industry?’ with special guests: * @itslouisvi (Rapper, Zoologist & Climate Activist) * Becky Young (@earthpercent , The music industry’s climate foundation co-founded by Brian Eno) * Ruben Planting (@musicdeclares_netherlands ) This event is in partnership with @kef.eu and proceeds from the ticket sales will be donated to @earthpercent #Musicindustry #mentalhealth #musicismedicine #sustainability

Here’s why we haven’t released any music in over two years… 👀 If you like what we’ve been doing, please like, comment, repost, support etc. Love and Light MM